Hi,
Just started using zwift and for some reason in a race today it said my power was too high and I should be up a category and proceeded to drop my power which made it impossible to keep up. It was a d race which was supposed to be 1-2.4 w/kg and I was doing 2.8 but everyone around me was doing 3.0 and above and nothing happened to them. I’m wondering why this is as it was frustrating.
Well if you’re comfortable doing 2.8 you shouldn’t race as a D, you should sign up to race as a C
Yes, that’s a permanent problem that is really easy to solve like the required recent FTP test for automatic category assignment + HRM + actual power source for all races but the one that ZwiftHQ does not give a serious damn about for a long time if at all. ZwiftPower dot com is just an optional band-aid, not a proper solution.
And yes, when you’ll sign up for C category according to your 2.8, you’ll see C riders doing 3.5-4 finishing with A groups and so forth.
You happened to trigger one of their sandbagging thresholds. The others you are around may not have triggered that threshold yet due to variations in power. Maybe you were much more consistent. Or the sandbagging still needs work.
It looks like you entered Cat C which explains why people around you were ~3w/kg.
I note that you also got DQ’ed in your first Zwift race for Zpower - perhaps you aren’t calibrated that well and did blow through the sandbagger thresholds (which no-one but Zwift knows what they are).
Those Futureworks races have a bad rep for hitting genuine people with power drops so I would just avoid them to avoid the disapointment.
Hi,
I have started doing c as I’ve been riding more consistently. For this particular race I was wondering why I had to push so hard , ie the 3w/kg, to keep up and got powered down while others seemed to having nothing happen. It seems to be better now
Hey dean and mark ,
Thanks so much for the info. I’ve hopped in a c race just to see how it felt and finished around mid pack so some work to do but no power drop so that’s a plus. I’ll look to avoid future works races if I can
Hi ,
Replying again because it did it to me in a cat c. No idea what’s wrong. I don’t understand why when I push more then the 3.5w/kg to keep up with the others that I am powered down. What is there to deal with this ? I’m not ready for b races but keep getting powered down when I work hard on Cs
My question is basically what to do, since I push more then the range of w/kg just to keep up with the riders in c but there’s no way I’m ready for any b races
Or should I do an FTP test ?
Yes because you have no Zwiftpower history for it to estimate and its going to give you the best guide as to what Cat to enter - I’d suggest the ramp test.
What event was it, and did you get the same msg’s on the screen as your OP? Maybe something else is wrong as you should only get a power down in a Futureworks race (if you breach thresholds).
And what trainer do you currently use and do you calibrate it regularly?
OK, found the event you entered.
For 2.5 laps (which I think is more than 5mins), you averaged 327w or 4.0w/kg. As previously mentioned, I have no idea what the 5min and 1min thresholds are but to push that kind of power for >5mins suggest you are B if not higher.
If you W/KG is > than 3.1, then you will be categorized as B.
It has nothing to do with how well or how fast you race.
Not all B riders are faster than C riders.
Unless you are in a Handicapped race (Hare & Hounds) or a race where you don’t see the other classes, you can still race and draft off the C riders but you will be identified as a B rider.
The category of ABCD has nothing to do with your in race experience or performance.
You will still be with the same riders and the faster, stronger riders will be ahead and the slower, weaker riders behind you.
Just love the one you’re with and race them too!
You should be aware, regardless of you well or not you think you do in a B race, the race community feels you should register for the race category that is indicated by your W/KG.
We know it is not perfect and we are hoping that a new system will come along soon but the community is begging for Zwift not to allow people to sign up for races below their W/KG.
You have a valid experience and I am sympathetic to you. I will soon be kicked out of C too.
That’s the rules - for now.
