VIRTUAL CYCLING STARS
ZWIFT PLATFORM: SA’S GIBBONS CAPTURES TDF STAGE ON STATIONARY BIKE
While the country’s top cyclists are hoping to return to the road soon, with the international season still suspended, they have had a taste of elite racing in recent weeks, despite being locked down by the Covid-19 pandemic.
And in a world which is forcing sports to think outside the box, inevitable comparisons are likely to be made between traditional contests on the road and races held on virtual platforms.
The popular Zwift platform, being used for the Virtual Tour de France, allows cyclists to use stationary bicycles to train and race in virtual cities.
By linking bikes to computers or mobile apps, using smart turbo trainers (small devices which attach to the back wheel), resistance is applied or lessened to simulate gradients.
Sprinter Ryan Gibbons, who rides for top-flight local outfit NTT Pro Cycling, has shone among the international stars as virtual racing continues to gain traction.
Gibbons, who edged out former Tour de France stage winner Daryl Impey to win the South African road race title in February, surged to a historic victory on the 36.4km opening stage of the Virtual Tour de France race last week.
While the second stage was won by French rider Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo), NTT Pro Cycling held the yellow, green and white jerseys heading into this weekend’s third stage.
Simulating reality, Virtual Tour de France participants are attached to lookalike avatars, which feature the sponsored kit of their respective teams.
A total of 23 men’s teams and 17 women’s squads are taking part in the three-week contest.
And though he admits there are significant differences between the Zwift platform and racing on the road, Gibbons feels there are as many similarities.
“Both are on a bicycle, and both require fitness, endurance and power,” said Gibbons, who is set to turn out on the 48km third stage of the Virtual Tour today.
“The main difference is that out on the road you’re generally racing much further distances. You’re on the bike for between four and seven hours.
“It also requires a lot of technical skills, like riding in the bunch, knowing how to ride in the wind, descending, braking. “In the virtual world it’s pretty much all on you. It comes down to pure power but you don’t have to worry about external factors like crashing. If you pedal harder than the guy next to you, you’re going to go in front of him.”
Gibbons’ teammate, Louis Meintjes, also feels there are significant differences between road racing and Zwift racing.
Meintjes believes the virtual race’s shorter distances and the absence of physical teammates offer unique challenges.
“The biggest differences between real racing and Zwift racing, I think, are probably the intensity and the duration,” Meintjes said.
“In a Zwift race you start sprinting from kilometre zero, and there’s almost never a moment that you can relax.”