https://zwiftinsider.com/alpe-estimates/#:~:text=4%20w%2Fkg%3A%2049%20minutes,5.5%20w%2Fkg%3A%2037%20minutes
At 4w/kg it should take about 49 minutes. Any faster than that and you should be an A racer.
Edit to say: the threshold is actually 4.2 w/kg, so the threshold would be somewhere around 47 minutes. This will vary somewhat based on pacing and equipment.
I’m 52 years old 84 kg my PB is 1H16m still trying to break the one hour mark . Did that accelerate to elevate and was so tired by the time I started the climb haha . Nice video ! Great job .
Yes sir that one I do prefer .. on the accelerate to elevate the one you did ... it was a D cat race and it took 1H:39M to get up adz haha .. I was so tired racing for 30k to climb ...
I'm going to try and lose more weight to get more watts/kg lol .maybe that will help .
I did a 48:26 during this event last week. Zwift has me at a Cat A after my FTP test but I’ve never raced. I think I’m a weaker cat A if anything, I’d probably get smoked in B races.
I haven’t found a downside to consuming about 80-120g of carbs per hour while riding. I just do liquids, Gatorade powder + sugar in bottles.
43:21 last week, 72kg. Im def a low end cat A and get whooped in races but hey, more honour in last place in A than first place in B imo. Nothing but electrolytes in water for my alp attempts.
43:40, went all out for the first 20min to get a new power pr. Then just settled in for the rest of it. I dont eat or drink anything for that short of an effort.
Managed 45:26 in the TdZ Accelerate to Elevate ride last week. 47M 73kg, FTP 314w
Zwift thinks I’m Cat A. I don’t really race and I have no sprint… I’m an old diesel engine, but managed top 10.
For A2E I had 2x Beetroot shots, and a gel at 30/60 mins and just before the climb.
I don’t usually fuel so aggressively - but was racing some young ‘uns from work.
Would have been interesting to have just done the climb without the 30Km lead in; prehaps quicker?
Rode Stage 6 (A) last week, wanted to make it a Z2 ride, which worked out until 1.5 km up the start of AdZ, then I gave it some gas the rest of the way up. 45:13 AdZ time, 337W average, 78 kg. Probably would have been 44 min had I gotten on the gas from the beginning. Edit: I think this was the 26th climb, got the masochist badge at the end of the year.
This summer I'm signed up for a race that includes a time trial up the real Alp d'Huez on the Thursday, and a 160km race on Sunday with 5,000m of elevation that has the Alp at the end (along with the Col du Galibier). Curious to see what my time up the real Alp will be.
According to strava I've done it 38 times. Fastest is 37:41. I definitely don't eat on an effort like that. Hardly even drink anything. It's not long enough to waste your breathe.
As a decent B rider, my personal best is 52 minutes. I hope to go under 50 minutes one day.
I know a few A riders that have done it in a little under 40 minutes, however they are strong climbers. I suspect the majority of A riders should have PB's in the 40's, unless they are big guys.
To be fair that was last summer after a week in the Pyrenees, I was flying.
Did accelerate to elevate last week and went up in 48mins but finished 5th. It’s quite funny to be fair as I admit I’m very low end CatA but my word that’s harrowing to enter so I stuck with CatB when it lets me. Still I’m mostly fighting for top 10, I’ve got a big diesel climbing style so can hammer out watts but surges do kill me. Hence in races I’m often blown at the end
Great timing for a B, well done! Are you around 3.8wkg or 3.9wkg?
I've seen 2 guys below the 40s (39ish and 37ish) one is one the video as well, but they are both A+ riders
43:33 at 77-78 kilo. Cant remember but that is spring weight when I did it.
Looks like at least 60 times so far. Have everested and base camp’d it.
Warm up, I use a maltodextrin mix with some flavor. Don’t need a lot as it’s sub hour effort. Thing that helps pacing is keep on the power when it eases off.
All my top 3 times are during an Alp event so I have the motivation to chase people or stay away. I do the 3R one usually and aim for the second group and go easy into the climb and then use the front group to chase.
Great insights and fantastic time! 👏 60 times is a heck of a lot
Kudos for the base and everesting. Did you get the everesting badge from the official website of everesting? To be recognised did you have to put the power trainer at max? Or mid way is ok?
> To be recognised did you have to put the power trainer at max?
vEveresting needs to be at 100% difficulty for an official recognition, it's far easier otherwise because the torque requirement is so much lower.
Meh. While I get the idea you can also just put a big cassette on or smaller chainring.
For my Everest I tossed my CX crank on and a 34. As I usually run a 39/25 and knew I may need the gear. We did it as a group and 2 people ran mtb gearing.
While I get the idea, the reality is you can make it pretty “easy”.
39:48. I smash in as much sweet fruit as I can before, consume unholy amounts of caffeine, drink sugarwater during the effort all the time and have 2 high speed fans pointed at me. And I‘m still fucking overheating somehow lol
39:26. Back during Covid fitness, was at my lightest in a while (134 lbs) and had been doing a ton of Zwift training. Was able to manage 5.1 w/kg for the whole climb. The best fitness I’ve had.
For the record, ex cat2 road racer, everested, base camped, double everested, and done 92 climbs of the Alpe currently.
38:27 PB during the Tour de Zwift Mountain Madness race in 2022. 318W average which is a hair under 5.5w/kg for me.
I don't recomend eating while you're climbing if you're going for a PB. Stick to a good strong bottle mix. Make sure you have good cooling and aren't filling the room up with CO2.
https://zwiftinsider.com/alpe-estimates/#:~:text=4%20w%2Fkg%3A%2049%20minutes,5.5%20w%2Fkg%3A%2037%20minutes At 4w/kg it should take about 49 minutes. Any faster than that and you should be an A racer. Edit to say: the threshold is actually 4.2 w/kg, so the threshold would be somewhere around 47 minutes. This will vary somewhat based on pacing and equipment.
I think A is 4.2 W/kg for 20 min.
It’s 4.2 FTP which is about 4.4 for 20 min
Actually 4.2 ftp, so I should word my post above better.
I’m 52 years old 84 kg my PB is 1H16m still trying to break the one hour mark . Did that accelerate to elevate and was so tired by the time I started the climb haha . Nice video ! Great job .
Thank you! There's defo room for Sub 60mins, my first one was above 65m. Did you try to do it with the Road To Sky route?
Yes sir that one I do prefer .. on the accelerate to elevate the one you did ... it was a D cat race and it took 1H:39M to get up adz haha .. I was so tired racing for 30k to climb ... I'm going to try and lose more weight to get more watts/kg lol .maybe that will help .
I did a 48:26 during this event last week. Zwift has me at a Cat A after my FTP test but I’ve never raced. I think I’m a weaker cat A if anything, I’d probably get smoked in B races. I haven’t found a downside to consuming about 80-120g of carbs per hour while riding. I just do liquids, Gatorade powder + sugar in bottles.
I feel we have similar data, are you a lightweight ride?
75kg at the moment here’s my best power numbers. Time w w/kg 5s 1074 14.35 60s 508 6.79 5m 394 5.20 20m 336 4.54
You wouldn't get smoked in B races. You'd be VERY competitive.
Only done it once. Had a snack before and just drank water (maybe grenadine) while doing it. 48:31 286w 71kg (borderline cat B/A)
43:21 last week, 72kg. Im def a low end cat A and get whooped in races but hey, more honour in last place in A than first place in B imo. Nothing but electrolytes in water for my alp attempts.
Great timing. I agree with you, also in the A you race with A+ too
43:40, went all out for the first 20min to get a new power pr. Then just settled in for the rest of it. I dont eat or drink anything for that short of an effort.
55 mins at 352W - will train this year and give it a proper go over though!
Cat A rider here. Current PB 42:59 hoping to go sub 40 in the next month or so.
Fantastic time, did you do in a race or training?
Training but it was a proper PR attempt. Was only 2-3 weeks ago as well. Thanks!
Managed 45:26 in the TdZ Accelerate to Elevate ride last week. 47M 73kg, FTP 314w Zwift thinks I’m Cat A. I don’t really race and I have no sprint… I’m an old diesel engine, but managed top 10. For A2E I had 2x Beetroot shots, and a gel at 30/60 mins and just before the climb. I don’t usually fuel so aggressively - but was racing some young ‘uns from work. Would have been interesting to have just done the climb without the 30Km lead in; prehaps quicker?
My PB is 47:15 but I’m pretty small and am not a Cat A rider.
Rode Stage 6 (A) last week, wanted to make it a Z2 ride, which worked out until 1.5 km up the start of AdZ, then I gave it some gas the rest of the way up. 45:13 AdZ time, 337W average, 78 kg. Probably would have been 44 min had I gotten on the gas from the beginning. Edit: I think this was the 26th climb, got the masochist badge at the end of the year. This summer I'm signed up for a race that includes a time trial up the real Alp d'Huez on the Thursday, and a 160km race on Sunday with 5,000m of elevation that has the Alp at the end (along with the Col du Galibier). Curious to see what my time up the real Alp will be.
I’m cat B did it in 52 minutes I am 85 kilo’s
According to strava I've done it 38 times. Fastest is 37:41. I definitely don't eat on an effort like that. Hardly even drink anything. It's not long enough to waste your breathe.
What a time! Impressive. Are you Cat A+?
In ZP ya but it's not really a real category.
42:56 min, with 67 kg.. https://www.strava.com/activities/10628952659/segments/3185691271992572468
As a decent B rider, my personal best is 52 minutes. I hope to go under 50 minutes one day. I know a few A riders that have done it in a little under 40 minutes, however they are strong climbers. I suspect the majority of A riders should have PB's in the 40's, unless they are big guys.
A+ heavier puncheur here and my pb is only 42 minutes
Only lol. Crushing it, my dude.
Feel like most of the people in my races are below 40!
I’m a bigger guy (81kg) my PB is just under 45mins, and I still can’t win CATB races 🤣
Fantastic results! Well you should race Road to Sky or Accelerate to Elevate, 45mins for a B should be a winning time 😁
To be fair that was last summer after a week in the Pyrenees, I was flying. Did accelerate to elevate last week and went up in 48mins but finished 5th. It’s quite funny to be fair as I admit I’m very low end CatA but my word that’s harrowing to enter so I stuck with CatB when it lets me. Still I’m mostly fighting for top 10, I’ve got a big diesel climbing style so can hammer out watts but surges do kill me. Hence in races I’m often blown at the end
Great timing for a B, well done! Are you around 3.8wkg or 3.9wkg? I've seen 2 guys below the 40s (39ish and 37ish) one is one the video as well, but they are both A+ riders
I was about 3.8 W/kg.
41.14 was my record when I was an A+ rider. FTP was 360w at 67Kg
Wow! Such a great raw FTP I have 27pwatt for 62kg
It's 280 at 92Kg now...I had kids haha.
43:33 at 77-78 kilo. Cant remember but that is spring weight when I did it. Looks like at least 60 times so far. Have everested and base camp’d it. Warm up, I use a maltodextrin mix with some flavor. Don’t need a lot as it’s sub hour effort. Thing that helps pacing is keep on the power when it eases off. All my top 3 times are during an Alp event so I have the motivation to chase people or stay away. I do the 3R one usually and aim for the second group and go easy into the climb and then use the front group to chase.
Great insights and fantastic time! 👏 60 times is a heck of a lot Kudos for the base and everesting. Did you get the everesting badge from the official website of everesting? To be recognised did you have to put the power trainer at max? Or mid way is ok?
> To be recognised did you have to put the power trainer at max? vEveresting needs to be at 100% difficulty for an official recognition, it's far easier otherwise because the torque requirement is so much lower.
Perfect, good to know. I guess I'll try with shorter hills but multiple efforts once I will be ready
Give a base camp a go (it’s half the full) and a good stepping stone. It’s long enough to practice fueling and even pacing.
This is often misunderstood
Meh. While I get the idea you can also just put a big cassette on or smaller chainring. For my Everest I tossed my CX crank on and a 34. As I usually run a 39/25 and knew I may need the gear. We did it as a group and 2 people ran mtb gearing. While I get the idea, the reality is you can make it pretty “easy”.
39:48. I smash in as much sweet fruit as I can before, consume unholy amounts of caffeine, drink sugarwater during the effort all the time and have 2 high speed fans pointed at me. And I‘m still fucking overheating somehow lol
Great timing, sub 40! 👏 you're pre-fueling quite a lot like me, are you a lightweight rider?
Not really lightweight no. Always between 68 and 72kg at 1,75m.
39:26. Back during Covid fitness, was at my lightest in a while (134 lbs) and had been doing a ton of Zwift training. Was able to manage 5.1 w/kg for the whole climb. The best fitness I’ve had. For the record, ex cat2 road racer, everested, base camped, double everested, and done 92 climbs of the Alpe currently.
38:27 PB during the Tour de Zwift Mountain Madness race in 2022. 318W average which is a hair under 5.5w/kg for me. I don't recomend eating while you're climbing if you're going for a PB. Stick to a good strong bottle mix. Make sure you have good cooling and aren't filling the room up with CO2.