Well gents, I opened my Zwift racing account yesterday and got ticket punched after 7 minutes in B race. I sure suck at it.

You'll get the hang of it! It's just tough coming to the realization that the Venn diagram of the set of knowledge useful in real-life racing that of knowledge useful in Zwift racing doesn't have a ton of overlap. It's its own thing.

I was watching the GCN Zwift Academy Finals series while on the trainer, and DANG, Sam Hill. They did a race that was like 3 laps of the climby section of the Richmond course, and that guy takes off at like 800W, settles to 450W. And just stays there, for the most part. I guess it's not surprising that a finalist would have >400W FTP, but still. And he didn't even win the contract with Alpecin-Fenix.

Don't let it get to you. I'm sure you can "punk" most of us B-racers in real life.

And don't get me started on the points-race styled races. Absolutely bananas...


Actually, I'd say there's quite a bit of overlap between punchy circuit races and Zwift. But yeah, otherwise not a lot of similarities in other contexts.

Vaighters just gave an odd interview endorsing Padun. Amazing that the guy he claims has the highest relative VO2 he's seen was under contract and yet allowed to leave for greener pastures.

I hear ya.
Feels like a Motorola guy, circa 1995, Italy.

Vaughters gonna Vaughters. I get what he was trying to say, but he should learn to filter himself a bit at times.

Well, IIRC, JV was the guy who claimed Danielson's exceptional performances were because he was a good fat-burner due to his 20% Eskimo blood. Or something like that.

So it isn't the first odd idea he's had.

Maybe I’ll give up my esports career aspirations and try for Floyd’s gravel team next year.

Finally watched lady's Rucphen tonight. Lap of the season thus far. And then Vos having enough after struggling to remount coming out of the barriers at the end of 50 minutes...Zoinks.

Yes! Dumoulin confirms he will be going for a GC at a grand tour in 2022. Vuelta makes sense as I don't see him getting the nod for le Tour GC.

Can’t imagine he’s higher than 3rd on Tour pecking order with the rise of Vingegaard. Although that trio would be scary and force some interesting tactical decisions, it puts way too much work on domestiques to carry additional load. Especially when WvA says he’s targeting green jersey.

JV is stacked with talent.

Giro + Vuelta GC wins wouldn't be a bad career haul

Yep. The Vuelta has a nice TT and TTT as well.

Each January I think of getting away and quite naturally my thoughts turn to Bentonville, Arkansas.

Diegem cancelled. :(

With this and injury, brings up the prospect of MdvP not in the front row at Worlds.

Speaking of which, he had a bold choice of hat in the GCN Zwift Academy video. "Goat" hat. Maybe a coincidence....

Been happening to me for years. Sometimes I can stick in a C race. Good thing there's no E-Sport category on my USAC license.

The appeal is hard to deny. Especially for those with an affinity for racial abuse but making it tolerable under the guise of bike riding. When Moscon retires he’ll have a good shot getting elected mayor.

Absolutely electric performance by Honsinger today. Could see Brand do a bit of a double-take when she realized she was being seriously hunted down. It always warms my heart a little when Honsinger beats Betsema, though.

Somehow the men managed to make WvA v. MdVP v. Piddles relatively boring. Though first 4 laps were pretty good.

She needed another 1/4 lap to make it really interesting. She’s looking pretty good, and with home field advantage coming up (in so much as they speak English in AR. Mostly)

Men’s race was a bit of a snoozer with Wout doing Wout things and MvdP in need of a few races. Got to be disheartening for field other than Aerts for MvdP to get off couch and smoke all but 1. Not a good day for Podcock at all.

just saw the replay - was hoping to watch it live this morning on the trainer but did't sleep well
that was impressive; lots of running on that course and can't believe pedals and cleats weren't clogged more

and how they had to shoulder their bikes in the pits and run most of the way out

"I have had enough of reading headlines about those other three!"

😂

and WvA presses onward. Impressive form he's showing.

Fingers crossed, so long as things remain decent with all of the ongoing covid developments, I'll be in Arkansas USA for the CX Worlds. I can not wait for the event and bonus that I'll get to meet up with my old host family.

Speaking of Arkansas (a state I've never been to) you Americans need to get it together. Why is Arkansas pronounced so differently than Kansas is?

I don't know what you are talking about, but it's pronounced ar-KAN-saz. As if the state of Kansas did something naughty, and you say in response: argh, Kansas!


/s