It had to happen. The UCI seem to have sanctioned a ZWIFT eSports World Championship for 2020.
It’s a nice idea I suppose and we’ve talked about it here and many, many other places.
One of the beauties of watching the TdF on TV is the banter and in-depth knowledge of the commentators, as the action itself is relatively scant. However, I’m not sure even the eminently skilled Mr Ned Boulting will be able to add value to the scenery on show on Zwift. Although maybe a new Zwift-world could be developed just for the event…even then, I’m sceptical.
However…
Assuming that the machinery is all equalised then the sports statisticians out there will hopefully get a good dose of Watts to analyse both in real-time and after the races.
Some times the riders’ stats are not as awesome as you’d imagine (obviously they are awesome) but they’re not supermen/women.
If you look at the last km of the Tourmalet here (strava.com) then I reckon many of you would fancy a crack at a good time (from a rested, standing start!!). Even Thibaut Pinot “only” managed the last km in 3 minutes.
Garmin charging puck — the fastest and most reliable way to top up your Garmin before a session. I use one.
Ravemen FR300 — Front light that mounts directly under your Garmin or Wahoo head unit. Keeps your bars clean and your beam pointed where it matters. I use one.
Body Glide – The blue anti-chafe stick that all swimmers and many runners use. I use it.
Maurten — The race nutrition trusted by elite athletes. Gels and drink mixes engineered to be easy on the stomach. I use them.
Garmin Varia RTL515 — A radar rear light that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind. Pairs with your Edge or Garmin watch. I use this model.
Favero Assioma Pro RS2 — The power-meter pedals most serious cyclists choose. Accurate, easy to move between bikes. I use this model.
Garmin Forerunner 970 — A serious choice for a pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
Polar H10 — My daily driver for accurate, waking HRV readings.
Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3 — The bike computer that has the feature Garmin lacks: usability. I use mine on most rides.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID