If you want to improve your Zwift racing strategy and race tactics, then it’s best to learn from the best. There has never been a more successful elite eracing team on Zwift than The Coalition. So we asked top elite riders Lionel Vujasin, Ellexi Snover and Ollie Jones for their advice on how to level-up your game. It doesn’t matter if you’re racing on Zwift, MyWhoosh, or TrainingPeaks Virtual – all these are valid across all the major platforms.
Lionel Vujasin
Lionel is one of the most instantly recognisable names in elite eracing. He was the first member and captain of The Coalition elite team when it was founded in 2019, helping to lead the team to multiple titles. He has also won a multitude of races and events online and in-person. In 2024, he also came second in the first live Cycling Esports World Championships. So if anyone knows how to optimise their game – it's him.
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Prioritise reliability and connectivity
A stable setup is non-negotiable. Ensure your internet connection, trainer, and peripherals are reliable and up to date. Minimise the number of devices connected to your network during races to reduce the risk of dropouts or latency issues.
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Learn the platform dynamics
Each platform has its own racing physics. Join group rides or pacer bots to understand how drafting works, how your avatar moves within the pack, and how positioning affects effort. This knowledge alone can save significant energy in races. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking one platform will work the same as the other.
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Recon the courses – thoroughly
Treat virtual racing like real racing: study the courses in advance. Identify decisive sections, climbs, pinch points, and opportunities to carry momentum. Whenever possible, pre-ride the course to understand the flow. Taking notes is highly effective – I personally keep key reminders visible during the race to track progression.
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Train for racing demands, not just FTP
Indoor racing is stochastic. CP and W′ are often more relevant metrics than FTP alone. Build a strong threshold base, then focus on VO₂ and repeatability work to handle the relentless surges that define indoor racing.
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Manage recovery deliberately
Recovery is a performance tool. Arrive fresh not only for races, but also for your high-intensity training sessions. For most riders, two hard days per week is optimal – typically one race and one high-intensity workout—spaced far enough apart to allow proper adaptation.
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Fuel appropriately – especially with carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the primary fuel for high-intensity indoor racing. You do not need to overcomplicate nutrition, but you do need enough carbs to perform and to support recovery. Under-fueling is one of the most common performance limiters in e-sports cycling. Take cooling seriously
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Effective cooling is critical indoors
Aim to keep room temperature as low as possible. My target is 12–15°C, which is not always feasible in summer, so I use additional strategies such as ice packs in my jersey pockets to manage core temperature.
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Control sweat to maintain focus
Use a sweatband. It prevents sweat from running into your eyes and reduces the need to constantly wipe your face, allowing you to stay focused on the screen and on race dynamics.
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Be sceptical of trends and marginal gains
Do not blindly follow what is fashionable. For example, heat training is unlikely to make most indoor racers faster—it usually just makes you sweat more when you are already trying to stay cool. Leave these marginal strategies to professionals with very specific goals and contexts.
Ellexi Snover
Like Lionel and Ollie, Ellexi has also competed in the two live World Championships, as well as racing in The Coalition's elite women's team.
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Fuel with carbs on the bike!
As Lionel mentioned, getting your fuelling strategy right is so important! I was scared to take in carbs when I first started and it was a game changer for durability and endurance.
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Keep your cool. Literally
Try to keep yourself as cool as possible when racing, lots of fans, towels in ice water within reach, ice socks down your back (not just for outdoor racing!)
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Consistency is key!
I’m not at the tippy top, but I’m consistently doing my workouts and focused on building over time.
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Be in the know
To make it to things like the World Championships, you have to strategize, know the courses, know your strengths, how to benefit from the draft.
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Just do it
Lastly, always try! It doesn’t hurt to try, every attempt at something is a learning opportunity to do better next time!
Ollie Jones
Last but not least is our man from New Zealand. Ollie has been a long time member of The Coalition elite team, like Lionel has competed in every UCI Cycling Esports World Champions and winner of the first and last Zwift World Series
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Be smart with your time
Acknowledge what your goals are and the time that you are willing to give and make the most of it. The less time you have the more important the quality of the sessions. This means timing your key sessions appropriately and doing your best to ensure you’re physically and mentally primed to make the most out of each one.
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Have a plan for the race
Know your competition and their characteristics. We are in a sport where everything is available to you online so make the most of it. Put yourself in the shoes of other people and ask yourself things like “if I was then what would I want to do” or “if I was then what would I not want others to do to me.”
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Commit to your plan
Too often I see people of all different levels right up to the very best get impatient and act on a whim in a way which is contrary to what they actually want to achieve in the race. I like to constantly ask myself what I would do if a range of scenarios happen, so I have already answered in my head what I will do before it happens.
In Conclusion
As you can see, knowledge is power when it comes to racing indoors. We hope you found these racing tips helpful, and if you would like to put some of them to the test then we are always happy to welcome new members to the The Coalition. Just head to How To Join to find out more.
Whilst Elite racing is indefinitely paused on Zwift, you can catch Lionel, Ollie and Ellexi, as well as other members of The Coalition elite team racing on MyWhoosh every Sunday. Be sure to join the livestreams and give them a cheer.