I am relatively new to Zwift , Zwift racing and Zwift Power, but I already understand the meaning of the word “sandbagging”.
Zwift racing categories are based on two metrics 20 mins wkg and 20 mins Watts. This creates a number of anomalies. Zwift power already also records values for wkg and watts for 1 min and 5 min as well as 20 min.
Maybe racing categorisation might be more equitable if the total power points (zpoints) were used for categorisation rather than just the 20 min values.
An initial suggestion would be:
zwift power points (6 metrics)
< 1500 = Cat D
1500 = Cat C
2000 = Cat B
2500 = Cat A
3000 = Cat A+
I suggest that if no 20 min values exist, then they are set as average of 1 and 5 min values for the purpose of categorisation.
I dont know the intricacies of cycle racing but the above might work and is relatively simple to implement.
Others might be able to look at how it affects who is in each category and competitiveness.
Rory