One Last Match to Burn: Reflecting on the Road Race Championship — and the Final Showdown Ahead
The Road Race Championship is where SISU Racing’s Club Championships truly come alive. It’s the discipline that blends everything - fitness, patience, and race IQ into one long, unforgiving test. Introduced for the first time in 2024/25, the longer road race immediately proved why it belongs at the heart of the championships.
Its debut came on the brutally demanding Zwift Games 2024 Epic route in Watopia. Long, selective, and relentless, it punished impatience and rewarded riders who could think clearly after hours of racing. It wasn’t about one explosive moment - it was about surviving the attrition and still having something left when it mattered. By the end, only the smartest and strongest were left to contest the win.
From that crucible emerged a powerful group of champions. In the men’s grades, Martin Mathiasen (A, Denmark) once again demonstrated why endurance racing suits his calm authority. Eddie Paletti (B, USA), Matt Russell (C, USA), Andy G (D, UK), and Allan Crew (E, USA) each mastered their own race within the race. On the women’s side, endurance excellence belonged to Mona Kangasniemi (C, Finland) and Jess Galatro (D, USA). The inevitable question now looms large: will they be back to defend their titles?
For 2025/26, the Road Race reaches its climax on Fuhgeddaboudit in New York—and fittingly, it’s where everything will be decided. Longer, tougher, and packed with opportunity for bold moves, this iconic route demands respect. Endurance, teamwork, and race IQ collide, and championships will be won and lost here as riders empty the tank in one final showdown. There’s nowhere to hide and no tomorrow to save yourself for—this is it.
Coaching tips & race approach
Ride your numbers: Stay just below threshold early. The riders who blow are the ones who chase too soon.
Smooth over savage: Keep cadence steady and avoid surging unless you’re responding to a genuine GC threat.
Mental chunking: Break the climb into segments and focus only on the next target wheel.
Winning mindset: controlled suffering. This is where resilience beats bravado.