Tour of Watopia

kingstongraham
kingstongraham Posts: 28,226
Did this a couple of years ago - anyone else in? Starts tomorrow.

Long group ride version, post your times here.

Stage 1: 9-12 March
Watopia's Waistband
DISTANCE 53.2 KM
ELEVATION 196.4 M

Stage 2: 13-16 March
Sand And Sequoias
DISTANCE 42.6 KM
ELEVATION 355.8 M

Stage 3: 17-20 March
Road to Sky
DISTANCE 17.6 KM
ELEVATION 1,045.8 M

Stage 4: 21-24 March
Jungle Circuit
DISTANCE 45 KM
ELEVATION 423 M

Stage 5: 25-28 March
Volcano Climb After Party
DISTANCE 40.3 KM
ELEVATION 285.4 M

My times/avg power:
Stage 1: 1:23:08 - 209w avg
Stage 2:
Stage 3:
Stage 4:
Stage 5:

Comments

  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    Not doing the group rides but will probably do the races.
    Hoping to do stage 1 tonight.
  • bigmitch41
    bigmitch41 Posts: 685
    Did the B stage 1 race last night, 4w/kg for just under 30 minutes left my sprint too late and finished 17th according to zwift power, good fun & a decent workout!
    Paracyclist
    @Bigmitch_racing
    2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
    2014 Whyte T129-S
    2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
    Big Mitch - YouTube
  • smudge0002
    smudge0002 Posts: 9
    edited March 2020
    Stage 1: 9-12 March
    Watopia's Waistband
    DISTANCE 53.2 KM
    ELEVATION 196.4 M

    First ever group ride having only just started on Zwift - just seemed like a long race! Shelled from the first group after about 15 minutes, and then from the second group after 30-35 minutes. I found a group of four for pretty much the remainder of the ride although got caught by a small bunch just before the finish - grrr. Having some serious glute aches after. Times below...

    Stage 2: 13-16 March
    Sand And Sequoias
    DISTANCE 42.6 KM
    ELEVATION 355.8 M

    I had some difficulties connecting and ended up on the shorter ride annoyingly. To top it off I hadn't connected the bike to the trainer properly. After about ten minutes the gears wouldn't change properly, and after another five the whole bike toppled sideways! I had to get off the bike and sort it out which meant I spent the remainder of the ride trying to chase people down and having no benefit of drafting. Hoping to do the longer ride on catch-up at the end.

    Stage 3: 17-20 March
    Road to Sky
    DISTANCE 17.6 KM
    ELEVATION 1,045.8 M

    I tried to join the longer route, but for some reason Zwift connected me onto the shorter ride again instead, so I decided to abandon and and do a race. I was intending to do the Cat C race but I think, given my FTP was 3.25w/kg, that Zwift forced me into Cat B. I was instantly shot out of the back of the pack from the start but dug deep for the remainder with an average of 258W for the race and a new FTP of 263W (3.75 w/kg).

    Yesterday I managed to connect to the longer route and was determined not to go off too hard and blow up on the Alpe. I tried to stay around 210-220W which put me around 200th position at the bottom of the climb. Plugged away for ages without going too far into the red and ended up 211th (out of 1,0001) in a time of 1:04:20 (and 56:46 for the Alpe). I think it would help to know the climb a bit better as I got caught out by flatter sections followed by steep bits.

    Stage 4: 21-24 March
    Jungle Circuit
    DISTANCE 45 KM
    ELEVATION 423 M

    Stage 5: 25-28 March
    Volcano Climb After Party
    DISTANCE 40.3 KM
    ELEVATION 285.4 M

    My times/avg power:
    Stage 1: 1:22:17 / 206W (2.94 W/KG) - no idea if that's any good or not but I was a wreck afterwards
    Stage 2: Shorter ride (30.9km) - 57:33 / 207W (2.95 W/KG)
    Stage 3: 1:04:20 / 245W (3.5W/KG) Also: Cat B race (18.2km): 30:06 / 258W (3.68W/KG)
    Stage 4:
    Stage 5:
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,226
    Nicely done - my turn tomorrow. Group ride it isn't - it's just another race!
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    My times/avg power (B cat races)
    Stage 1: 27:16, 275w (4.0w/kg) @ 194bpm avg - 12/56 on Zwift, 8/29 on Zwiftpower
    Stage 2:
    Stage 3:
    Stage 4:
    Stage 5:
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,226
    Stage 1 - honestly the least pleasant ride I've ever done on zwift. Decent group, the the power meter lost connection for a few seconds, I saw them disappear up the road, and made the mistake of chasing them, straight into the red.

    Actually caught back up insanely, then going along at about 210 watts quite happily until an incline with about 20km to go and I just died. Rolled in at no speed at all, really struggling to turn the pedals and putting out about a 120 watts haha.

    Maybe ride it in the make-up day to see how much better I can ride it.
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,610
    edited March 2020
    St 1 Full route: 1:10:54, 3.9 w/kg, 1/256 on Zwiftpower!!!
    St 2 Full route: 58:55, 3.8 w/kg, 17/226 on Zwiftpower (Trying to take it steady!)
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    My times/avg power (B cat races)

    Stage 1: 27:16, 275w (4.0w/kg) @ 194bpm avg - 12/56 on Zwift, 8/29 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 2: 31:29, 265w (3.8w/kg) @ 192bpm avg. 23/52 on Zwift, 16/35 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 3:
    Stage 4:
    Stage 5:

  • bigmitch41
    bigmitch41 Posts: 685
    My times/avg power (B cat races)

    Stage 1: 27:13, 284w (4.0w/kg) @ 127bpm avg - 30/79 on Zwift, 17/53 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 2: 30:13, 285w (4.0w/kg) @ 140bpm avg. 15/52 on Zwift, 10/35 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 3:
    Stage 4:
    Stage 5:
    Paracyclist
    @Bigmitch_racing
    2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
    2014 Whyte T129-S
    2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
    Big Mitch - YouTube
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,226
    My stage 2 is on hold due to illness. FFS. This also may explain why stage 1 was such a disaster.
  • zest28
    zest28 Posts: 403
    I hate the jungle circuit. Why did they have to include it?
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    zest28 said:

    I hate the jungle circuit. Why did they have to include it?

    I need to find out what is the fastest bike/wheel combo for that circuit. Road bikes are slow af on there now
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Has Zwift insider tested bikes for this circuit ?
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    Not that one but they've tried it on road to ruins.
    For the jungle there isn't much tarmac, so the MTB should be the fastest.

    I spent all my drops on a gravel bike though 🙄
  • bigmitch41
    bigmitch41 Posts: 685
    My times/avg power (B cat races)

    Stage 1: 27:13, 284w (4.0w/kg) @ 127bpm avg - 30/79 on Zwift, 17/53 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 2: 30:13, 285w (4.0w/kg) @ 140bpm avg. 15/52 on Zwift, 10/35 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 3: 24:39, 288w (4.1w/kg) @ 136bpm avg. 8/58 on Zwift, 5/38 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 4:
    Stage 5:
    Paracyclist
    @Bigmitch_racing
    2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
    2014 Whyte T129-S
    2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
    Big Mitch - YouTube
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    My times/avg power (B cat races)

    Stage 1: 27:16, 275w (4.0w/kg) @ 194bpm avg - 12/56 on Zwift, 8/29 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 2: 31:29, 265w (3.8w/kg) @ 192bpm avg. 23/52 on Zwift, 16/35 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 3: 25:23, 274w (4.0w/kg) @ 192bpm avg, 22/54 on Zwift 15/35 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 4:
    Stage 5:
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    My times/avg power (B cat races)

    Stage 1: 27:16, 275w (4.0w/kg) @ 194bpm avg - 12/56 on Zwift, 8/29 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 2: 31:29, 265w (3.8w/kg) @ 192bpm avg. 23/52 on Zwift, 16/35 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 3: 25:23, 274w (4.0w/kg) @ 192bpm avg, 22/54 on Zwift 15/35 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 4: 34:45, 266w (3.8w/kg) @ 194bpm avg, 25/71 on Zwift, 12/33 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 5:

  • bigmitch41
    bigmitch41 Posts: 685
    My times/avg power (B cat races)

    Stage 1: 27:13, 284w (4.0w/kg) @ 127bpm avg - 30/79 on Zwift, 17/53 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 2: 30:13, 285w (4.0w/kg) @ 140bpm avg. 15/52 on Zwift, 10/35 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 3: 24:39, 288w (4.1w/kg) @ 136bpm avg. 8/58 on Zwift, 5/38 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 4: 32:41, 290w (4.1w/kg) @ 140bpm avg. 18/74 on Zwift, 9/42 on Zwiftpower


    Stage 5:
    Paracyclist
    @Bigmitch_racing
    2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
    2014 Whyte T129-S
    2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
    Big Mitch - YouTube
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    Did the final stage last night.

    My times/avg power (B cat races)

    Stage 1: 27:16, 275w (4.0w/kg) @ 194bpm avg - 12/56 on Zwift, 8/29 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 2: 31:29, 265w (3.8w/kg) @ 192bpm avg. 23/52 on Zwift, 16/35 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 3: 25:23, 274w (4.0w/kg) @ 192bpm avg, 22/54 on Zwift 15/35 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 4: 34:45, 266w (3.8w/kg) @ 194bpm avg, 25/71 on Zwift, 12/33 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 5: 22:49, 275w (4.0w/kg) @ 195bpm avg, 25/74 on Zwift, 19/37 on Zwiftpower

    Total: 2hr 21m 42s @ 271w (3.92w/kg) avg
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,226
    First ride back, a very gentle stage 2 race, group c. Apparently it is possible to ride zwift without almost killing yourself!

    36:58, 201w average.
  • bigmitch41
    bigmitch41 Posts: 685
    My times/avg power (B cat races)

    Stage 1: 27:13, 284w (4.0w/kg) @ 127bpm avg - 30/79 on Zwift, 17/53 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 2: 30:13, 285w (4.0w/kg) @ 140bpm avg. 15/52 on Zwift, 10/35 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 3: 24:39, 288w (4.1w/kg) @ 136bpm avg. 8/58 on Zwift, 5/38 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 4: 32:41, 290w (4.1w/kg) @ 140bpm avg. 18/74 on Zwift, 9/42 on Zwiftpower

    Stage 5: 22:48, 306w (4.3w/kg) @ 138bpm avg. 8/25 on Zwift, 6/20 on Zwiftpower

    Total time 2hr 17mins 34secs @ 290.6 watts (4.08w/kg) avg

    Very close to dannbodge!
    Paracyclist
    @Bigmitch_racing
    2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
    2014 Whyte T129-S
    2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
    Big Mitch - YouTube
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    Stage 4 is when you won it!
  • bigmitch41
    bigmitch41 Posts: 685
    dannbodge said:

    Stage 4 is when you won it!

    Did you switch bikes for stage 4, I chose a mountain bike for that course which is faster than the road bike on the gravel...

    Paracyclist
    @Bigmitch_racing
    2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
    2014 Whyte T129-S
    2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
    Big Mitch - YouTube
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152

    dannbodge said:

    Stage 4 is when you won it!

    Did you switch bikes for stage 4, I chose a mountain bike for that course which is faster than the road bike on the gravel...

    Yeah. I think it auto switched you to it.

    I was just a bit too far back so when the front group went I couldn't stick with them so ended up in a pair, which isn't enough draft.