For the period that outdoor racing is restricted, Coffs Harbour Cycle Club will be running a virtual racing series on Zwift. The primary goal is to keep us socially connected, but also to stay race fit, and maybe learn some new race tactics. The purpose of this article is to provide all the information you need to join in the fun.
If you’ve never used Zwift, here’s a good intro to get started: https://zwiftinsider.com/getting-started-smart-trainer/
Zwift only supports text messages which are very difficult to do in the heat of a race, so we’ll use the Discord app to chat – sort of like having a private race radio. Even if you don’t want to talk, it’s still worth having this setup to listen to whats going on with the team.
While it’s possible to run Zwift and Discord on the same device, you might find it easier to run them on separate devices (e.g. Discord on your phone with earbuds, Zwift on your laptop). To use it on your phone, search the app store for Discord and install it. If using it from a PC you will need a mic.
If you’re new to Discord there’s a great intro video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDVqruRsYtA
ZwiftPower is an independent website created with the main purpose of publishing race results from Zwift (which were initially absent in-game). They provide a whole lot more detail than you get in Zwift, but most importantly they go a long way to eliminating cheats. For this reason, most serious racers disregard the results in Zwift and look only to ZwiftPower. However, for this to work you need to give ZwiftPower access to your race data (from Zwift) and create an account on ZwiftPower.
Head over to Facebook and join our virtual racing team group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/coffsharbourcycleclubvrt
If you have any further questions, please post on the Coffs Harbour Cycle Club Virtual Racing Team Facebook group.