Pro riders on Zwift

[salar55]

Pro riders appear not to be doing well on Zwift. You could say why dont the pro tour teams ditch the team and recruit from Zwift? Now lets turn the argument around and say why haven't the Zwift riders done well out in the real world. 🤔

[DuncanM]

Look up Zwift Academy. Several women have come through that and had careers in the womens peleton.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Pro riders appear not to be doing well on Zwift. You could say why dont the pro tour teams ditch the team and recruit from Zwift? Now lets turn the argument around and say why haven't the Zwift riders done well out in the real world. 🤔

It's an interesting point, I hadn't heard it before. Do you have any data or sources for that?

Perhaps anyway there is a great deal of 'baggage' in the real world that pro riders have to combat as well as being strictly monitored.  How well would VR riders manage?

[Greenbank]

Weight doping on Zwift is hard to replicate in the real world.

Conversely I guess the Pros on Zwift are entering their real weights (or even slightly heavier than reality).

[giropaul]

Some Zwift riders have gone into the pro world.
There are two potential hurdles. Firstly, bike skills and peloton riding experience. At an amateur veterans level we are seeing an increasing number of very strong riders deciding to race, but bringing down half the field at the first dodgy corner. So much so that some form of accreditation is being actively discussed.
Secondly, it’s lifestyle. Most pro riders grow up in the lifestyle, gradually becoming accustomed as they move through the ranks. Being a pro rider is an acquired lifestyle. More hotel room nights than nights at home. Never being able to make dates to do things. A night with a girlfriend without logging your whereabouts could see a doping ban. Not everyone who logs fabulous Zwift rides wants this.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Are turbos and training apps leading to more crashes in bike races?

[PaulF]

Are turbos and training apps leading to more crashes in bike races?

I think that there's a lot of truth in that. I've ridden outside once since October and that felt quite nervous for a few minutes, and that was a ride by myself. When I get back to properly riding outside I'm going to need to remember to brake; no more blind hairpins at 70kph

[L CC]

It's not just weight doping- that's the easy stuff.

There's verification

There's a lot of gossip in the racing facebook pages about community riders putting out unconvincing numbers, so the verifications aren't that thorough when you start dropping through the ranks.

Zwift is a game. It has to be gamed. Those skills aren't the same as outside.

[LMT]

Because riding in a pro peleton is just about how fit you are. It's your ability to ride a bike. Pretty much everyone who has a high level of fitness would not survive in a pro peleton if they are not used to that environment.

[drossall]

I think that there's a lot of truth in that. I've ridden outside once since October and that felt quite nervous for a few minutes, and that was a ride by myself. When I get back to properly riding outside I'm going to need to remember to brake; no more blind hairpins at 70kph

I've been thinking the same. Mainly that I'm going to need to remember that I can't actually ride through other cyclists

[DuncanM]

To be fair, one of the world champion Zwifters is a legit world tour top 10 rider:
https://www.velonews.com/news/road/ashleigh-moolman-pasio-wins-inaugural-esports-world-championship-on-zwift/

The mens world champ is a professional rower, so he's got a giant engine, and the aero power up meant his size didn't count against him in the finale. That's a bit different to road racing. Also, the races were only 50km long - that's a little bit shorter than a world tour race, let alone the worlds. Aside from the handling and peleton skills, the efficiency to ride at high W for hour after hour, plus the ability to properly fuel on the bike are pre-requisites for the World Tour, but all are completely unnecessary on Zwift.