ZZRC TT Team Griffins

Team Griffins – Watopia’s Waistband TTT (27.74 km

At long last! After weeks of turning up to the TTT with squads the size of a decent dinner reservation—4, 3, and even just 2 riders—we finally hit the jackpot this week. Team Griffins rolled up to the start line of Watopia’s Waistband with a full six-pack of Zwifters, including two shiny new recruits. And yes, spirits were high. Almost suspiciously high.

Now, as someone who’s still relatively new to the weekly pain parade known as the team time trial, I remember all too well the pre-race nerves. Suddenly, it’s not just your legs on the line—it’s your pride, your cadence, and the very honor of your team. No pressure. It’s a different beast from solo racing. You’re not just pedaling; you’re pedaling in formation, trying not to obliterate your teammates or get dropped like a bad mixtape.

As the wise Richard once said (and continues to say, weekly), “You’ve got to be slightly unhinged to actually enjoy a team time trial.” He’s not wrong. And yet… here we are.

Thankfully, our fearless number cruncher Kristof came through again with his legendary “power sheet”—now updated with our two new hopefuls. Armed with FTPs, planned pulls, and a spreadsheet that probably required a degree in rocket science, we were ready to roll.

Watopia’s Waistband is mercifully flat—a perfect playground for those still learning how to ride in a straight line while gasping for air. And to everyone’s credit, we found a rhythm pretty quickly. There were a few “oops-I-passed-you-sorry” moments, but mostly some very respectable pacelines were formed. Strava would be proud.

Possibly too proud, because the four usual suspects (you know who you are) got a little overexcited. Finally having six riders? It was like Christmas, birthday, and Zwiftmas all rolled into one. The pace was… enthusiastic. Possibly even legally enthusiastic.

Danny, bless him, was hanging on but had to let a few gaps form and eventually gave the green light for the rest to keep pushing. Meanwhile, our newlywed Jack—fresh off a two-week all-inclusive honeymoon in the Maldives (let that sink in)—was valiantly trying to remember which wheel he was supposed to be on. We suspect the only intervals he did recently involved deciding between mojitos and daiquiris. Still, he hung on like a champ.

We crossed the line in a tidy 37:15, which netted us a solid 55th place out of 274 teams. Not too shabby for a team still figuring out where the “draft” actually happens.

Hopefully, Danny and Jack had some fun in between the suffering. (It’s okay, fellas—my legs scream in betrayal every Thursday too.) It takes a bit of time to get used to the flow, but soon enough, you’ll find yourself counting down the hours to TTT night like it’s a Netflix release.

Because, let’s face it: when six Griffins ride together, the real win isn’t on the leaderboard—it’s in the sweaty, gasping, slightly delusional camaraderie along the way.