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How to join the ZWIFT TTT
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Zwift as a virtual Cycling (and running) platform has taken the cycling community by storm, and Thame CC know a good bandwagon to jump on when we see one. There are serval regular rides and races that club members take part in, including the weekly Thursday WTRL Team Time Trial, where we usually field at least one team. Each week the WTRL TTT has over 700 teams competing from around the world, and as a race, it usually draws in the faster riders (Groups A/B/C) from the club. But, the team happily cater for all who want to take part, and are keen to expand the number of teams and racers competing each week. WARNING… the Thursday TTT is Very addictive! 
The following has been put together to get you ready to race a Zwift ‘WTRL Team Time Trial’, this is aimed at Thame Cycle Club members, but is also a useful guide for anyone racing for any team.
To race virtually as part of Thame CC you must be a Thame CC member, however, each race is counted as one of the 3 introductory rides permitted before joining the club.
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  1. Zwift Companion App is used to easily accept the link your captain will WhatsApp you to access the TTT race, ensure you select the pen that your captain advises
    1. https://support.zwift.com/en_us/using-the-zwift-companion-app-Hybn8qzPr
  2. Discord is used as the communications platform of choice due to ease of use and reliability; it can be found free of charge in all good App Stores. Your captain will send you the link to the specific server being used, though the link is only active for 24hours. If you forget to download it you will need to request another link to be send through by the captain. 
    1. https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045138571-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Discord
  3. You must create an account on ZwiftPower and link to your Zwift profile. This must be done so your results are added to the team results.
    1.  https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php
    2. https://support.zwift.com/en_us/connecting-to-zwiftpower-SyldRc_4H
  4. Request to join the Thame CC team on ZwiftPower, then inform your captain to accept you. 
  5. Add the following to ‘tag’ to your name (THAME CC), see the image at the end of this page.
  6. Thame CC race in GCN Kit 2017, to unlock this kit, just hit “P” in game and enter the unlock code GoGCN.
    1. https://zwiftinsider.com/kits/
  7. Your team captain will advise you of the delay time before the race over WhatsApp, this is how long the team will be waiting after ‘Banner Drop’. Your team captain will count down the delay time over Discord, if you are having issues with Discord then you should set your own stopwatch to measure the time from banner drop. 
  8. Ensure you’re riding in any Zwift world 10mins before the event is meant to start, you will automatically be taken to the event about 5mins before the event starts.
  9. STOP PEDDLING 1 minute before the banner-drops, to ensure you don’t get a slingshot over the start line when the banner drops
  10. Teams get sent every 30seconds, it feels a bit surreal being left in the pen, but this is normal
  11. 5 seconds before Go, start slowly winding the crank, 3 seconds before Go start peddling, so you overcome the ‘Zwift-lag’ and cross the start-line as quick as possible after the team is meant to start
  12. Some people use the ‘pairing’ screen to pedal after banner drop, but not to go out of the Pen. This IS NOT recommended, as there are sometimes issues exiting the pairing screen, and this also doesn’t work on iOS.
  13. When you leave the Pen, ensure that you join the group as quickly as possible, the group will usually soft-pedal for the first 500m to group all riders. If you do not join the group during the soft-pedal phase, there is a good chance you will not make the group at all, as it quickly gets up to speeds around 45kph.
  14. The Captain will brief you before/during the race how they want to changes to occur, and will coordinate taking the next turn. 
    1. Do not race off the front when it’s your turn to lead, the TTT is about consistency, and smooth transitions are a key factor to a quick overall time.
    2. If you are starting to get tired, then announce this on Discord, and rest at the back of the pack.
    3. If you get dropped from the group then YOU MUST avoid all other teams and riders. Let other teams go straight past you, and do not hang in their draft. Interfering with another team can get your own team disqualified from the event, leaving the team captain to apologise for your behaviour to other teams. Although ‘mechanicals’ (drop-outs) are quite common, so ensure you don’t soft-pedal to the finish line, as it may end up being your time that is the one that counts for the team.
    4. When the Team is approaching a pass on another team your captain will brief you on actions. It is likely that from 3 seconds out passing team will up Watts for a short period, usually until they are 3 seconds in front of the passing group. 
    5. When the team is getting passed, it will drop watts when within 3 seconds of getting passed, until the draft has gone, usually around 3 seconds behind the team in front.
  15. Paceline with the group, do not try and ‘battle’ with the leader, sit in a line with your teammates and await your turn at the front. If you feel very strong then indicate you want to sit at the front for longer, do not up the pace without agreement from the team captain. Count down the last 200m and 100m when you wish to change from the front, so the next person can prepare themselves for their turn.
  16. Watch out for ‘Sticky-draft’ when pealing off the front, if you’re a bigger rider, and don’t drop back quick enough then it’s likely you will drag some of the smaller riders back in your draft, and create gaps in the paceline.
  17. As in real life, W/Kg count on the hills, and raw Watts count on the flats. So if you’re light then shout gaps appearing in front of you on the flats, and the same if you’re of a stocky build on the hills.
  18. When nearing the end, and of the group is strong, then the pace will likely pickup. If there were 5 or more members to the team at the start then the 4th riders time across the line counts for the team time. 
  19. This sounds like a lot of information, but your captain will walk you through it over the event. See below the image with the TTT Starting Procedure
  20. Please use the ‘Join Us’ link on the main web page to enquire about joining a TTT (or private meet-ups, organised eRides, and eRaces) with Thame CC.
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TTT starting procedure.png
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