With the cool (56 to 58 degrees) and rainy weather outside Zwifting inside was the only option. I chose the SZR Evening Joyride (D) because of the start time. Earlier several Tour de Zwift Stage 1 rides showed up but my time schedule didn’t fit. Previously I rode the Group E version of this ride but today I chose the Group D. At the 12:03 PM start (evening in Europe) I stayed with the main group for a few minutes but they rode away from me not long after that. The course covered 3 laps for a total of 23.08 miles including .3 miles of leadin at the beginning. Apparently the w/kg range listed in the ride description is a suggestion because at the start I stayed in the range and got dropped quickly. The fence held the front of the group but I wonder if the leader let them get out too fast.

The weather around Volcano Flats looked toasty with everyone wearing short sleeve jerseys with the SZR logo.

As the ride moved along I caught a few people but most of the ride I rode alone until the last 2 miles when a rider caught me. I tried something new slipping into his draft to see if that made any difference. It did with him riding at 2.1 w/kg I stayed in his slipstream at 1.8 w/kg. Then I moved to the front for a time. This went back and forth until the last .3 mile when he rode away from on a slight uphill and I rode easy across the finish line. AT the finish it looked like I trailed by over 7 minutes. I caught several bikers between the lead group and me. The fence came off during the last lap and the front group pace picked up even more. But the workout put me to the test and I sweated through it.

January biking is off to a good start. I am ahead of previous years’ YTD miles with 285.25 miles. The closest year is 2017, trailing 2020 by 86 miles.

Tomorrow’s weather could repeat today’s which would mean more Zwifting.