{"id":33466,"date":"2020-05-13T19:37:54","date_gmt":"2020-05-13T18:37:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alananna.co.uk\/blog\/?p=33466"},"modified":"2020-05-13T19:38:02","modified_gmt":"2020-05-13T18:38:02","slug":"riding-the-giro-on-rgt-cycling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alananna.co.uk\/blog\/2020\/05\/riding-the-giro-on-rgt-cycling\/","title":{"rendered":"Riding the ‘Giro’ on RGT Cycling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The current lockdown situation has meant that I’ve been doing all of my cycle training indoors. This isn’t a huge issue for me as I quite often train indoors anyway and use TrainerRoad to give me a structured training plan full of structured indoor workouts. Now and then a nice easy scenic ride is called for though and as I mentioned in a recent post I have been using some of the other virtual cycling platforms to ride some of the classics<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RGT Cycling is completely free during the lockdown so I have been using that more than the others and have ridden Cape Formentor in Mallorca, Mount Ventoux, the Stelvio Pass and a few other places too. I then spotted that in conjunction with the Cycling Podcast they were organising a virtual stage race that would consist of sections of all 21 stages of the Giro. It wouldn’t be the full stage of course so the sections would be around 30 kilometres each day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With no races planned and not much to aim for this season I thought it might be fun to try out. They had a few teething problems to start with but once things were sorted I was able to access the courses each day and start riding them. It did mean that I wouldn’t be able to do any of my usual structured training, and the type of riding I would be doing might not be the most productive in terms of training and improvement but something a little different is always fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 1: Budapest Time Trial<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The \u2018race\u2019 started with a 8.4km Time Trial around Budapest. This was my first time riding a ‘Magic Road’ on RGT Cycling so something of an experiment. I had completed a hard 65 minute Over-Under TrainerRoad workout first but decided that while I was in my cycling kit I would give the ‘Our Giro’ thing a go. It was only 5 miles or so, how hard could it be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, I just jumped on, loaded it up and went for it. What I failed to do was take much notice of the course or the profile. The course itself is fine, you can’t go the wrong way as the computer controls that. The profile however was a different matter as there was quite a nasty hill at the end which came as something of a surprise to me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stage 1 Profile<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I rode this as an actual Time Trial all on my own as well which means that I didn’t benefit from any virtual drafting effect. What I didn’t realise when I started were that other people and soon RGT Cycling themselves were organising Group Rides or ‘Races’ at certain times of the day. These mean that a group of riders all set off together and can therefore benefit from drafting. Personally, as this was an Individual Time Trial I think the drafting effect should have been turned off for this course but I don’t think that’s possible within RGT. I at least did it without any drafting!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I went quite hard all the way and put in a decent time over the 5 miles or so which turned out to be quite a good workout. The hills did make it tough though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n