Originally I selected the Tour de Zwift Stage 3 Group Ride starting at 12:01 PM CST. I set everything up and got on the Blue Norcross AL bike to warm up but the rear tire squealed as I turned the pedals. Normally the tire groaned a little as I started turning the pedals so I stopped and pedaling and waited for the wheel to come to a stop. Squeezing the rear tire told me no air and a flat. I canceled the ride in Zwift before taking the rear tire off the bike for further inspection.

Moving to the breakfast room I removed the tube, pumped it up and searched for a leak. I found it at a previous patch with air coming out somehow. I tried to remove the old patch to replace it but the glue held firm and I ended up tearing the tube making the hole bigger. I went to the garage to get a replacement tube from my stockpile. The Kenda 700×28/32C tube fit the bill but the shorter valve stem concerned me. I put the stem in the wheel to check the fit and it stuck out just enough to use. Inserting the rest of the tube and mounting the tire got the wheel back in order. I pumped the tire up to 87 psi, inserted back into the bike, adjusted the tension on the Wahoo Kickr Snap. Checking Zwift I found another time for the same ride began at 1:01 PM CST and got ready again.

Live streamed at Twitch.TV/Texbiker

I don’t know why they don’t call this a race. The pace is fast with no fence to keep racers together. 326 Group B riders (a total of 737 in all 3 groups) gathered for the start of the 13.9 mile ride. Each group starts a minute apart. The pace picked up not long after the starting bell and strung out in a long line. I found a group I could stay with biking around 2.5 w/kg with bursts up to 4 w/kg to stay with my group. We rode around Watopia through Sand and Sequoias labeled Trip Into The Wilderness. One tall climb peaked at 9.5 miles with a 6% grade but rolling hills preceded and followed. Total elevation came to 594 feet. At the finish I came in 123rd. My new personal record on Fuego Flats of 47.15 seconds beat yesterday’s. It won’t be long until Stage 4 will come long.

Maybe Friday’s weather will be dry and warm enough to bike on the roads.