When 4.4 wkg Average and a 6 wkg Pain Cave PR is Only Enough for 71st

Описание: I got absolutely punished by the very best riders in this Primetime Zwift Games Race... and loved every minute of it. Seriously.

There is nothing better than lining up against the best competition you can find, and this race did not disappoint. With 225 advanced riders on this short and punchy course, this race was set to be fast and furious.

Things kicked off, predictably, in the pain cave. And despite having my best ever effort up the climb (a 3:07, 496 watts, 6 wkg PR), I still lost contact with the top 30 riders before the summit of the cave.

And then the lead riders just kept going. Coming out of the Pain Cave, we were traveling upwards of 50 kph, and that just wasn't sustainable for me. So, I found a small group to hang with for a while, which eventually got gobbled up by the two trailing groups behind us. Kinda deflating, especially since I spent so much effort and was close (but not really) to hangin onto the front group up and out of the Pain Cave.

I was pretty gassed by the time all the groups came back together, so I did my best to recover before the Mech Isle climb and the sprint. I managed a PR on the Mech Isle Climb (1:09 for 506 watts, 6.1 wkg), but it was more of a have-to, in order just not to get dropped.

By the time we came down the hill and towards the boardwalk sprint, I was beyond gassed. I did what I could to sprint at the end, and MAYBE took back a few placed.

In the end, all of my effort was only good enough for 71st... and that is how things go when you are racing against the very best athletes in the game. And, odd as it may sound, this is exactly the experience I am always looking for. I want to learn firsthand what it takes to ride and race with the very best in the game. So, I found out the hard way today, and have the immense benefit of experiencing it and learning from it.

I learned a lot from today's race, and have a much better sense of the numbers I need to achieve just not to get dropped. So, I will start there, and continue to move it forward from here. I live for this kind of environment, and will always seek out the biggest challenge I can find. And these guys, today, they gave me the biggest challenge I have had yet on Zwift. And I am very much looking forward to more of it in the coming weeks.

Have you done Kaze Kicker yet in the Zwift Games? How did it go for you? Let us know in the comments!

Stage 1 Zwift Games | Kaze Kicker (Advanced)

00:00 Race Intro
01:00 Race Start
05:15 Pain Cavern Climb (6.0 wkg PR)
08:00 Getting Gapped on the Climb
09:35 Getting More Gapped at 50 kph
13:40 Caught by Trailing Groups
20:45 Mech Isle Climb (6.1 wkg PR)
23:05 Boardwalk Sprint Final 300m
23:30 Post Race Recap

Channel Note:

Welcome to Rough Draft Cycling — the unfiltered cycling channel from Luke Walton. From Zwift races, to open road, gravel, and MTB miles, Luke brings you real-time, breathless race commentary, raw training insights, and the in-between moments that make cycling addictive. No voiceovers. No scripts. Just stream-of-consciousness suffering, tactics, and the occasional bad Dad joke.

What you’ll get here:
Live Zwift race commentary, breakdowns, and power-based analysis
Honest training tips: pacing, tactics, and watts/kg improvements
Road, gravel, and MTB rides with on-the-bike narration
Race recaps, questionable strategy choices, and lessons learned
Community-driven motivation for cyclists chasing progress, not perfection

Why subscribe?
Improve your Zwift racing and IRL cycling performance
Learn how to read a race, surf wheels, and avoid classic tactical mistakes
Stay motivated with authentic, unfiltered rides and training sessions

Every great ride starts as a Rough Draft. Hit subscribe, clip in (or drop in), and let’s draft some cycling stories together.

#zwift #zwiftcycling #zwiftrace #zwiftride #zwiftlive #gozwift #zwifting #zwiftculture #zwiftracing #zwiftriders #zwifttraining #gozwiftcycling #zwifter #zwiftpower #zwiftworkout #zwiftrace #roughdraftcycling #cycling #cyclinglife #cyclinglifestyle #bike #bikelife #bikeride #stationarybike #indoorcycling #cyclingtraining #cyclingracing #bikerace #indoorbikerace #stationarybikerace