Stage 4 of May’s Zwift Crit Club racing series saw us heading to Neokyo, the flattest course yet. Honestly, I’ve had lumpier pancakes. At ~80m total for 15km, this was pretty much as even as it gets.
Being my first time on Neokyo Crit Course I wasn’t aware of the loop, but I’d seen the elevation so was aware of that. I only discovered it was Neokyo about 30 minutes prior to the race. Nothing like a surprise.
The power ups on offer today would be Draft Van, or Ghost. Again, I only found that out once underway.
Power ups would come fairly thick and fast though. At ~3km per lap, you will pick up a power up about 600m into each lap (after the Alley Sprint banner), and around two thirds of the way through the lap (after the Castle Park Sprint banner).
As per usual with these Zwift races, we started fast. I almost got caught out but managed to get above 300w with seconds to spare. However the pace slackened off after 1km / by the time we finished the lead-in. From there, lap 1 was pretty much a tempo ride.
Lap 2 felt like more of the same, but it got a little fiery towards the end of the second lap, with a split emerging in the group. I worked hard to get back with the front runners, but then realised that likely the guys at the front setting the pace would be ramping up more and more each lap.
I feel like that happened, too.
There was consistently more endurance pacing required during lap 3, although that was, in part, due to getting my first Ghost power up of the race, and having to work to keep with the Van drivers.
Determined not to get left in the split, I worked hard towards the end of lap 3 to keep at the front, knowing that it was my only chance of finishing strong. I think there was 36 in the front bunch… and I remember that because I was near the back shortly after and saw how many were ahead.
Lap 4 wasn’t as fast as lap 3.
Ominous.
People were easing off a touch in preparation for the big finish. At one point I saw someone ahead, but wasn’t sure if that was a back marker we were lapping, or someone who had ghosted and made a breakaway move. Whatever, I wasn’t chasing.
Things got spicy towards the final third of the lap.
I was pretty fortunate in getting mostly draft vans power ups. However I did get unlucky and, having chanced using my draft van early on the last lap, my hopes for another at the final arch were dashed when I got the ghost.
After this, with only 500m left to go the front surged and the largest split of the race emerged between all those up front and those getting left behind. I was in danger, but buoyed by that short distance I was out of the saddle and chasing.
Amazingly not only did I keep with them, but I managed to snag a couple of spots along the way.
Pretty chuffed with this overall. I was just under 5 seconds behind when we hit the finish line. I know that’s massive, but it feels like decent progress. Maybe the flatter races suit me best.
Overall a good race then and a decent result.
I don’t know if that was the final race in the Crit Club series, or whether we have another next week? We shall see.
