01.21.2020 Time Trial Tuesday

Well..I did my first on-line race this morning.  The Rouvy App calculates my virtual watts much higher than Trainer Roads does.  I suspected as much during my virtual group ride on Saturday but it was pretty clear today.  I did a Critical Power Test (similar to FTP) two weeks ago and got 331W.  Based on that I should have been about to hold 341 W for a 20 km time trial.  The race plan was to go out at about 330 W for the first 5 minutes then increase to 341 for 20 minutes, then give it all I had to the finish.  So...when I was feeling comfortable at 375 W I knew that Rouvy was giving more a more favorable virtual power curve for the Kirk Kinetics than Trainer Roads does. 

There were two other guys neck and neck with me in the race.  Their FTP % were showing to be within 1-2% of mine so we all has the same FTP values entered so they were either superhuman or they were favorited with the generous power reading too. 

I was about 50m behind the leader with about 2 km of downhill going into the finish.  When I hit the top of that hill I went to 130% FTP and planned to hold that to the finish. Everyone else must have had the same plan because I didn't catch the guy that was 50m ahead of me even though I went up to 150% FTP the last 330m to the finish.  I came in 2nd place by 20 seconds and beat the other guy that was leapfrogging with us by 17 seconds. The race aspect definitely changed the way I rode.  I was pacing off of others to make sure they didn't get too far ahead. It pushed me more than I probably would have done solo.  

I didn't feel like throwing up after the ride like I do when I do a CP or FTP test and I didn't have to brace myself when I came off the bike to keep from falling over as I do for the CP or FTP tests.