My first race was in 2016. If only I knew then what I know now. I spoke to a variety of indoor specialists at every level of the journey. Here's what they had to say.
It’s taken over 500 races to realize that Zwift is exactly like real-life road racing and not at all. An amateur in every sense of the word, the lure of New England’s hilly stage races was irresistible and exhilarating.
For decades the lust for competition and pursuit of the perfect race marched a campaign up and down America’s East Coast. Racing meant the road with its wide-open expanses, wooded canopies, and anticipating horizons.
When the change of seasons forced the driven indoors, it was on to the turbo. The passion for fitness maintenance and off-season performance gains made it an accepted necessity. Droning away for hours was commonplace, perfectly content with the rudimentary resistance variation of any “high-tech” device.
Non-cycling friends shook their heads, and the traditionalists acknowledged with guarded approval. As time passed, distant voices formed a new pack of racers. The group grew to question my sanity with the boldness of numbers resonating behind a cause. They were called virtual cyclists.
Five years and over 500 races later, a virtual cycling denial evolved from accepted evil to a preferred passion. Now they’re called “Indoor Specialists,” and I’m proud to be one of them.
They ride outside the confines of the doctrinal norms of roadside barriers. To know from the experience of success and failure, trial and error, that Zwift is exactly like real-life road racing and not at all.
My first Zwift race was in 2016. If only I knew then what I know now? To share the work, Indoor Specialists at every level of the journey have lent a wheel, including a few who have forgotten more than I’ll ever know. Hear what they had to say.
Exactly Like Real Racing, Not Road Racing
Ten ways that Zwift is exactly like real-life road racing and not at all.
- Strategy and Tactics
- Teams
- Drafting
- Course Selection and In-Game Equipment
- Convenience and Cost
- Technology
- Assessing the Competition
- Cheating
- Innovation
- World Championships
Read the full article featured in CyclingNews!
Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
This is good stuff.
Thank you for the kind words and assistance, Servio!