Wednesday, March 2
8:20 PM UTC
Chase Race with Category Enforcement
Race
EVENT RULES
This event has the following requirements:
Category Enforced.EVENT DESCRIPTION
WHAT'S A CHASE RACE?
Chase races are an exciting alternative Zwift race format. In contrast to the typical category-based race formats, racers in handicap events compete against riders from ALL categories.
Riders are grouped according to ability and start times are staggered with the slowest groups leaving first. The goal is for each group to work together to stay away from chasers and catch anyone up the road. Typically two or more groups come together just before the finish for an all-out podium sprint, and it is this unique blend of team and individual efforts which keeps racers coming back for more.
WHAT IS CATEGORY ENFORCEMENT?
Category Enforcement will prevent Zwifters from entering a category they are not eligible for. Our goal is to increase fairness in racing.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Zwift checks a racer's past performance using VO max and FTP to determine their race category.
Racers can join a category at or above their category. For example, if you are "C" category, you can race in C, B, or A category. You cannot race in the D category.
CATEGORIES
A = 4-6 w/kg
B = 3.2-3.99 w/kg
C = 2.5-3.19 w/kg
D = < 2.49 w/kg
MATCHING KITS BECAUSE YOU ARE TEAMMATES
Riders in each category wear matching kits, making it easy to tell groups apart. After all, the focus for most of the race will be on working together as a team to stay away from any chase groups and catch any groups ahead! Putting in a hard group effort is both motivating and rewarding, and it’s the reason why chase racers return again and again to this format.
WHO WILL WIN?
With a variety of race routes and a fresh mix of riders for each event, it’s anyone’s game. A pro cyclist riding in the A group may catch the front then hold a long breakaway for the win, but a group of new D riders might also stay away and sprint it out for the podium. The final podium is anyone’s guess as every race features a different mix of riders on courses which vary week to week.
POWER UPS
3 Power Ups are on offer: Draft, Feather, and Aero.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQ
Q: Do I need any special type of account to get access to these races?
A: You will need two accounts: Zwift and ZwiftPower. This ensures all data is shared and accurate.
Q: What if I don’t have the data in ZwiftPower because I am new to racing?
A: Zwifters should have at least 1 race in the last 60 days under their belts, with the ideal being 2-3 for best category placement. Ideally, these would be races of a maximal effort for you and 30 minutes or more in duration.
Q: Do I need to be registered on ZwiftPower?
A: Yes! If you do not have a ZwiftPower account, here’s more info on how to get an account:
https://support.zwift.com/en_us/connecting-to-zwiftpower-SyldRc_4HOpens a new window
Q: Where do I see my results?
A: www.ZwiftPower.comOpens a new window
Q: How do you select the course data you will use if I haven’t been on the course I am signing up to race?
A: The system does not use course-specific data - all courses are ranked by difficulty and we can analyze your race history based on courses with a similar difficulty.
Q: What if someone hasn’t raced a course in the past, but has completed a social ride? Is that data used to determine their category? How is that fair?
A: Rides like fondos, group rides, or social rides are NEVER used to determine race categories. Rides are usually speed/power controlled in order for all riders to remain part of the group. While this will likely push a few people, it is not generally a competitive experience for the majority, and as such does not give a fair indication of efforts that might be seen in racing.
Chase races are an exciting alternative Zwift race format. In contrast to the typical category-based race formats, racers in handicap events compete against riders from ALL categories.
Riders are grouped according to ability and start times are staggered with the slowest groups leaving first. The goal is for each group to work together to stay away from chasers and catch anyone up the road. Typically two or more groups come together just before the finish for an all-out podium sprint, and it is this unique blend of team and individual efforts which keeps racers coming back for more.
WHAT IS CATEGORY ENFORCEMENT?
Category Enforcement will prevent Zwifters from entering a category they are not eligible for. Our goal is to increase fairness in racing.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Zwift checks a racer's past performance using VO max and FTP to determine their race category.
Racers can join a category at or above their category. For example, if you are "C" category, you can race in C, B, or A category. You cannot race in the D category.
CATEGORIES
A = 4-6 w/kg
B = 3.2-3.99 w/kg
C = 2.5-3.19 w/kg
D = < 2.49 w/kg
MATCHING KITS BECAUSE YOU ARE TEAMMATES
Riders in each category wear matching kits, making it easy to tell groups apart. After all, the focus for most of the race will be on working together as a team to stay away from any chase groups and catch any groups ahead! Putting in a hard group effort is both motivating and rewarding, and it’s the reason why chase racers return again and again to this format.
WHO WILL WIN?
With a variety of race routes and a fresh mix of riders for each event, it’s anyone’s game. A pro cyclist riding in the A group may catch the front then hold a long breakaway for the win, but a group of new D riders might also stay away and sprint it out for the podium. The final podium is anyone’s guess as every race features a different mix of riders on courses which vary week to week.
POWER UPS
3 Power Ups are on offer: Draft, Feather, and Aero.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQ
Q: Do I need any special type of account to get access to these races?
A: You will need two accounts: Zwift and ZwiftPower. This ensures all data is shared and accurate.
Q: What if I don’t have the data in ZwiftPower because I am new to racing?
A: Zwifters should have at least 1 race in the last 60 days under their belts, with the ideal being 2-3 for best category placement. Ideally, these would be races of a maximal effort for you and 30 minutes or more in duration.
Q: Do I need to be registered on ZwiftPower?
A: Yes! If you do not have a ZwiftPower account, here’s more info on how to get an account:
https://support.zwift.com/en_us/connecting-to-zwiftpower-SyldRc_4HOpens a new window
Q: Where do I see my results?
A: www.ZwiftPower.comOpens a new window
Q: How do you select the course data you will use if I haven’t been on the course I am signing up to race?
A: The system does not use course-specific data - all courses are ranked by difficulty and we can analyze your race history based on courses with a similar difficulty.
Q: What if someone hasn’t raced a course in the past, but has completed a social ride? Is that data used to determine their category? How is that fair?
A: Rides like fondos, group rides, or social rides are NEVER used to determine race categories. Rides are usually speed/power controlled in order for all riders to remain part of the group. While this will likely push a few people, it is not generally a competitive experience for the majority, and as such does not give a fair indication of efforts that might be seen in racing.
Getting started with scored races
You'll need to finish a few rides before you can join your first scored race. With more data we'll be able to recommend the best group for you to compete against.