OTR Virtual Event's James Ogilvie brings the first Team Time Trial race series to the rapidly evolving virtual cycling platform indieVelo
OTR TTT on IndieVelo
OTR Virtual Events have organized the most well-attending events on Wahoo RGT for the last few years, including six annual multi-day tours. The Tour du Monde is the biggest mass participation event on the platform, and OTR promotes weekly series and a popular TTT league.
Head Turning indieVelo
When the indieVelo Beta announcement dropped on FaceBook a few weeks back, I was intrigued. The focus on delivering the best racing experience and physics possible got me into virtual racing, to begin with, and with features like in-game team management and a focus on anti-cheating protocols considered from the get-go, what’s not to like.
OTR TTT on indieVelo
indieVelo has a dedicated TTT feature on its development roadmap, but the platform is already in a good enough place for us to run a TTT league, so we went for it!
The format is pretty straightforward. Teams of three to six riders have a week to ride a TTT on a given route and register the Team name and date/time of their ride on our online form. Then, at the end of the week, I process the results.
The competition is league based, with promotions/demotions of the top/bottom teams in each league taking place every four races. At the end of the season, the top three teams in League One and the top team in League Two go forward to a one-off race final.
Join in the fun via our FaceBook page here.
In the coming weeks, our broadcast partners at ZMS Esports Studios will be recording teams and producing a pro-level highlight stream to showcase the good looks of the routes along with the top work by the riders.
Feedback and Physics
The promise of the indieVelo physics engine has not disappointed, with positive feedback from those riding our test week and first proper week of the league. The indieVelo engine keeps those putting out the low watts in the draft while the rider driving the group along is placed in front.
Riders have reported “sling-shotting” past the lead rider if they don’t feather the power output appropriately. Others say this is more a case of getting used to the physics than any fundamental flaw in the game’s design.
The Future
Looks exciting on the platform. We can’t wait to involve more teams and test indieVelo’s dedicated TTT functionality when available. Will teams prefer to go simultaneously in a penned, time-released format instead of “ride when you want”? We’ll see.
I can say that we’ll roll with what the community decides is better for them. In the long term, if things grow as I hope, they will be on indieVelo. OTR would love to get some sponsors involved and do the kind of random prize draws the organization does in their other events, giving the teams a chance to win some goodies and sponsors to get their products into the hands of active virtual racers.
Thank you to Beta-tester James Ogilvie for all you do!
Check out News & Features to keep up with all indieVelo news and happenings!
Semi-retired as owner and director of his private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice after over 20 years, Chris is blessed with the freedom to pursue his passion for virtual cycling and writing. On a continual quest to give back to his bike for all the rewarding experiences and relationships it has provided him, he created a non-profit. Chris is committed to helping others with his bike through its work and the pages of his site.
In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to New York to support the charity he founded, TheDIRTDadFund. His “Gain Cave” resides on the North Fork of Long Island, where he lives with his beautiful wife and is proud of his two independent children.
You will read him promoting his passion on the pages of Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. Chris is co-host of The Virtual Velo Podcast, too!
