Time trial your way up the mountains - the ultimate test
Race Against the clock
Time trialling is the simplest of formats – a race against the clock. It’s known as the “race of truth” because there’s nowhere to hide, just you against the ticking clock. A mountain time trial has the added complexity of having to measure and manage your effort so that you reach the summit. In these events, you race yourself, but are also spurred on by racing shoulder to shoulder with your fellow competitors, to see who is the fastest.
See what’s coming up on Zwift…
Monday
Monday’s Mountain Massif is the event which kicked Mountain Massif into high gear.
It’s simple by design; a time trial that race up the mountain, finishing at the top. It’s an intense but rewarding effort that is unique and will test the ability of any rider.
To complete this event will take absolute discipline and requires you to pace the ride as well as employ tactics. As there is usually a lead-in to the base of the climb, the question is, do you opt for a TT bike to the base of the climb before changing to a light weight climbing set-up or do you opt for a light weight set up from the start?
Only you can decide and the decision you make could impact your result.
What is special is that this is a race within a race. Naturally there is the race for overall victory but as this is a category-based race there is the opportunity to win your category. If racing against others in not something you enjoy, not a problem as fundamentally this is a race against yourself. You can return each week to try and better your time, you can treat this as a 20-minute FTP test. Generate a consistently high power for 20-minutes and boost your FTP.
Tuesday
Tuesday’s Mini Mountain Massif TT, in association with Rowe & King, is designed to test your pure climbing power with an all-out 5-minute effort on Zwift’s Bologna course.
This time trial event is designed so you can go “full throttle” on a climb for a shortened period of time and to push yourself beyond your perceived limits.
With a mass start you will be shoulder to shoulder with fellow racers from the beginning to tempt you to keep pace with the stronger riders. What tactics do you employ? Go hard on the flat and hang on up the short climb, or go steady on the flat and attack your rivals on the climb? Only you can decide and the decision you make could impact your result.
If you are not interested in racing for the victory, treat this event as a test of your 5-minute power. Generate a consistently high power for 5-minutes and boost your stats.
Wednesday
Launched in November 2021 to celebrate the release of Elite’s Rizer, the event sees riders time trial up the mighty Ven-Top, a course in Zwift that mirrors the mighty Mont Ventoux in France.
This event utilises different climbs but often returns to the Ven-Top course which, due to its difficulty, sees racers climb only 10.1km of the route.
This event is set-up as a time trial and is designed to push yourself beyond your perceived limits, enabling you to go “full throttle” on a mountain climb for a short period of time.
This event targets a hard 20-minute FTP effort and offers something for all.
Thursday
These are three short events that can be raced independeently or you can tackle all three to have a complete workout.
This event is designed so you can go “full throttle” on a climb for a very short period of time and to push yourself beyond your perceived limits, going shoulder to shoulder with fellow racers. This is an all-out anaerobic effort and will leave you gasping for air.
The race is short and frantic, completely different to anything else offered on Zwift.
Friday
Launched in November 2021 to celebrate a partnership with Muc-Off, the event sees riders time trial up the mighty Alpe Du Zwift, a course that mirrors the legendary Alpe d’Huez in France. This is a truncated route totalling 12.1km, with the finish on turn 8.
This event is designed to push yourself beyond your perceived limits, enabling you to go “full throttle” on a mountain climb for a short period of time.
This event targets a hard 20-minute FTP effort and offers something for all.