An inside view of the Sunday Race Club on MyWhoosh
By Zach Nehr
When I first heard about the Sunday Race Club (SRC), I thought it was too good to be true. 45km races against World Tour-level competition, high-level performance verification, and dynamic categorization every Sunday, 52 weeks a year. Well, after more than two years on MyWhoosh, I can confirm that SRC is the real deal.
The MyWhoosh Sunday Race Club is the pinnacle of eSport cycling. SRC challenges you to become the best rider that you can possibly be by challenging you week in and week out against the world’s best. I have been lucky enough to race at the highest level on MyWhoosh, competing in the Category 1 races against riders like Michael Vink of UAE Team Emirates.
Vink actually reignited his professional cycling career through SRC, which has served as a proving ground for hundreds of men and women since 2020.
My First SRC Experience
Like so many curious cyclists, I heard about MyWhoosh SRC through word of mouth. Word was getting out that these were the hardest virtual bike races in the world, and they took place every Sunday on MyWhoosh.
There is a vigorous verification process for SRC to ensure fair play across all categories. So, before my first race, I carefully read through the Technical Guide, Ruleset, and Requirements before my first race, ticking off all the boxes to get myself on the start line. Everything I needed could be found on the Upcoming Events page on MyWhoosh.
I also took a look at the course profile – each week, SRC features a 45km course for men and a 35km course for women. There are sprints and KOMs/QOMs along the way, and prize money for the Top 5 individual riders every week. On the last Sunday of the month, SRC hosts the Team Prize Money race, which offers a huge prize pool to the Top 5 teams in each category in addition to the Top 5 individuals.
Here is what a typical SRC course profile looks like:
[Aus Outerloop course profile]
Needless to say, I was equally excited and nervous for my first SRC experience.
I wish I could share a heroic story about winning my first-ever SRC, but that would be far from the truth. I was pushed to my limit in the first few kilometers, and I hung on for about 20km before I was finally dropped. But rather than feeling discouraged, I was more motivated than ever.
In my first SRC, I was riding alongside names like Michael Vink and Jason Osborne, plus 30 other professional-level riders from around the world. That is the beauty of virtual bike racing – you do not have to fly halfway around the world to race against professional cyclists on demanding courses. During MyWhoosh SRC, you can simultaneously race against professional riders from UAE, Belgium, New Zealand, Germany, and more.
Time: The Double-Edged Sword
One of the best aspects of SRC is also one of the most challenging. SRC races take place at 12:00 GMT (Women) and 14:00 GMT (Men), which means that many riders are racing SRC at an unusual time of day.
Since I live in CST in the United States, I race SRC at 4:00 am CST each Sunday, which is challenging, to say the least. My competitors in New Zealand are on the other side of the world, racing SRC at 11:00 pm local time.
The 4:00 am start time scares some riders away, but I see it differently. In order to be the best version of yourself – in cycling and in life – you need to push yourself, practice discipline, and do what others do not want to do. To me, that means waking up early, having a coffee, and racing against the best riders in the world on MyWhoosh.
How I Prepared for My Best-Ever SRC Result
After nearly 100 SRC races, I have developed a pre-race plan that works best for me. In order to deliver your best performance, it is important to have a consistent pre-race routine that you can use for SRC. This routine includes your recovery and training, pre-race warm-up, hydration, nutrition, and more. I am going to share what works best for me, but it is important to experiment with your own routine to find what works best for you.
Friday: 1-hour recovery ride in Zone 1 (power under 225w, heart rate below 130 bpm). I did some stretching and yoga in the evening and ate a carbohydrate-focused meal for dinner.
Saturday: 60-90 minute ride while completing the Train Like Tadej – Pre-Race workout on MyWhoosh. This workout can be found in the WORKOUT → UAE Team Emirates folder in the MyWhoosh app. After completing the pre-race intervals, I usually ride part of the SRC route to do some course recon. In the evening,
[Train Like Tadej – Pre-Race workout]
Sunday: The morning begins at 2:50 am when my alarm goes off. I immediately drink some water and a small cup of coffee. Then, I get ready to ride. I typically warm up for about 20 minutes using the Race Ready Pronto workout, which can be found in the WORKOUT → Taper folder.
[Race Ready Pronto workout]
The MyWhoosh Sunday Race Club is the most prestigious racing in eSport cycling. You will not find faster competition, harder course profiles, or tougher racing than SRC. It is also the most fun I have ever had on an indoor trainer, and that is what keeps me coming back to SRC every single week.
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About the Author
Zach is a freelance writer, professional cyclist, and the owner of ZNehr Coaching. He writes about everything related to bikes and endurance sports, from product reviews and advertorials to feature articles and pro data analytics. You can find Zach racing the Sunday Race Club on MyWhoosh every weekend.