@@slammindisco Maybe, but it's also owned by Discovery I think. I'd say majority of the videos do not give a "guy with a GoPro" vibe, but some do. The point is, the camera team, volume mixing, presenting, cyclists, editors, guests, etc., did a bang up job. I see some sloppy camera work in regular TV shows, for something they put on RUclips the quality is excellent. I'm surprised it wasn't a crossover to Discovery or Paramount +. GCN is truly trailblazers for the cycling community, even if there are sponsorships by big bike brands and it's a subsidiary of a larger company at this point. Let's not minimize the efforts of the staff.
@@gcn I do, Chiara for sure! I'm 34 and about to roll into 35 this spring. As an older cyclist that got a late start in cycling, it's great to see her drive and consistency, that's fantastic to see and gives me further motivation to push myself... not necessarily to shoot to be a pro but that I can compete locally at some point and the limit of my growth is based upon my effort (and a little bit of the genetic lottery of course).
Very cool that Zwift, CANYON-SRAM, and Alpecin-Deceuninck are doing this. I would love to see the test results. I also can't help but wonder how quickly these riders will be able to adapt to real race situations/tactics.
@@gcn That area is a total cyclist playground! This March our group even got to ride on the wheel of Mathieu van der Poel for a few kilometres a couple of weeks before he went on to dominate in Ronde van Vlaanderen. Right there, 500 m from that hotel.
Given Lucca a.k.a. Il Bandito managed to outrun KOM GOD A. Feather, there's little doubt he's zwiftly outsmarted all of these indoor cycling rookies!! Viva Italia !
Awesome series, but really surprised that none of the test results are shared. It’s fascinating to many of us amateur (Zwift) riders, and something to relate to. I for one am extremely curious what the absolute power numbers and w/kg are and it’s so fundamental to the whole concept of the series and Zwift racing in general. Cool episode nonetheless, looking forward to the next one!
Really enjoyed the first day, meeting all the contestants and hearing from the coaches. I do miss Si and Dan's banter. Hope you are recovering quickly Dan.
I bloody love this time of year with the Zwift Academy Road - proper reality TV! Si & Manon, you smashed it & its always great to hear what Maggy has to say. All the finalists look fantastic, a top weeks viewing!
He was really the favorite last year for the Alpecin judges but ended up underperforming on expectations toward the end so lost it on that. Hopefully he learned his mistakes and comes back stronger.
A bit disappointed in comparison with last year, the entry of the contestants was more detailed, and I think you should have a more detailed presentation of all contestants in the 1st ep and not only 2 of them
LOL!!! At the end, when Simon was messing with them about which rider was leaving them, you could see Luca's face like, "Holy hell! I won the day and even I can't believe this shit that's about to go down!"
Very very exciting to watch! I wish them all the best. Also very sad for that rider that came down with covid. What a great opportunity missed. Best wishes to her as well. 🙏🏽💜💙
Luca is too strong for this, allready stronger than most of the actual Alpecin pros. He will probably steamroll the other guys, but why not, we want to see him riding TdF soon 😁
Si really had me going when he started to pull one out after one day. I was thinking: already?!? Once again I feel underwhelmed with the videography and format though. Am I the only one who feels the audience is kept in the dark and given only very minimal Zwift screen shots of the actual athletes' performances? If I were Zwift I can't imagine I'd be thrilled to see those wonderful screens relegated in favor of pain faces and dripping sweat. That's all good but I think the audience would get a lot out of seeing some of the stats IRT and being able to form opinions prior to hearing the expert team judge verdicts.
Let us know what you think of this years contestants? 👇
Be good to know the results from today's tests!
Sweaty 😅 Interesting differences in body heights and builds. They all look fit, keen and committed
Show us the numbers! :)
Great to see cooper back
@@irvhh143 you have no way of knowing that
Hey isn't Luca Vergallito the same guy as IL BANDITO ?! Amazing climber! All the best to him!
He is I believe :)
yeah well spotted, now already rider of the day, and the climbing challenge is still to come.. 😮
He could be ... he could be ... 👀
IL BANDITO SHALL PREVAIL
Yes he is
Che apertura cuore per Luca ⚡️❤️
Apertura watt ⚡️ 💔 bandito & Chiara 💪🏼
Vai bandito sei una iena 💪💪
Apri Bandito⚡️⚡️🇮🇹
Forza Banditoooo!!!!
For those that don't know... Bandito is not new to GCN 👉 ruclips.net/video/u_j1nZiiU-o/видео.html
30:01 "Hill climb time trial" - I have a feeling that I know who's going to win, maybe somebody who raced Andrew Feather.
You'll have to tune in tomorrow to find out 👀
Wait Ollie is competing? 😂
Follia pura
Elena if you're reading this, you got this!!! So proud of seeing a fellow CRCA member! Go! go! go!!
Keep up the hype 🙌 More tonight!
Vai Bandito!
The editing is mad on these, I feel like I'm watching reality TV. Great effort to everyone involved!
Thanks! We put lots of effort into the Zwift Academy, great to hear you're enjoying it! Do you have a favourite?
@@slammindisco Maybe, but it's also owned by Discovery I think. I'd say majority of the videos do not give a "guy with a GoPro" vibe, but some do. The point is, the camera team, volume mixing, presenting, cyclists, editors, guests, etc., did a bang up job. I see some sloppy camera work in regular TV shows, for something they put on RUclips the quality is excellent. I'm surprised it wasn't a crossover to Discovery or Paramount +. GCN is truly trailblazers for the cycling community, even if there are sponsorships by big bike brands and it's a subsidiary of a larger company at this point. Let's not minimize the efforts of the staff.
@@gcn I do, Chiara for sure! I'm 34 and about to roll into 35 this spring. As an older cyclist that got a late start in cycling, it's great to see her drive and consistency, that's fantastic to see and gives me further motivation to push myself... not necessarily to shoot to be a pro but that I can compete locally at some point and the limit of my growth is based upon my effort (and a little bit of the genetic lottery of course).
Heidi Klum should join this format.
Very cool that Zwift, CANYON-SRAM, and Alpecin-Deceuninck are doing this. I would love to see the test results. I also can't help but wonder how quickly these riders will be able to adapt to real race situations/tactics.
More stats to come don't worry 🙌 Tune back in tomorrow to see them on the open road 👀
They won’t
Yeah i miss them 😢… its difficult to compare with the stats on road
The first female academy rider said it was bike handling, race awareness and positioning she had to learn and teamwork too
The riders are allowed to post their data after the last day I believe
Grandi Chiara e Luca. Italy is on fire!!!
Strong Strong start 🙌 There is some hot competition to come
I enjoyed the Zwift Academy Finals so much last year. So excited that this year it took place on the familiar roads near Dénia.
Even better! You'll know what they've got coming up then 😬
@@gcn That area is a total cyclist playground! This March our group even got to ride on the wheel of Mathieu van der Poel for a few kilometres a couple of weeks before he went on to dominate in Ronde van Vlaanderen. Right there, 500 m from that hotel.
Si plana Bandito!!!✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️
Best 5 days in the GCN calendar. ❤️
Christmas came early 🎄
I love Manon, but not seeing Dan is a little sad. Dan if you are reading this, I hope your recovery is going well!
We needed someone young and hip to win over the riders 😂
@meagain118WTF?
@Me Again Difficult to tell if those were the words of an illiterate or an incel… I’ll be charitable and assume the former.
@@gcn Bring in Ollie! He'll win everyone with his great sense of humor!
What happened to Dan?
Chiara & Luca for the win ✌️
They got off to a strong start 🔥
I’m sure they will do even better
Given Lucca a.k.a. Il Bandito managed to outrun KOM GOD A. Feather, there's little doubt he's zwiftly outsmarted all of these indoor cycling rookies!! Viva Italia !
Luca the dream 🎉
Lots of love for Luca 💕
Awesome series, but really surprised that none of the test results are shared. It’s fascinating to many of us amateur (Zwift) riders, and something to relate to. I for one am extremely curious what the absolute power numbers and w/kg are and it’s so fundamental to the whole concept of the series and Zwift racing in general. Cool episode nonetheless, looking forward to the next one!
Keep your eyes on the next episodes 👀 there will be some wild numbers 🤯
@@gcn Exciting, thanks for the quick reply and for making such entertaining content 💪
The 1st goal of this vid is product placement. Checked. The rest is irrelevant.
... like those 5000$ front wheels on trainer setups.
@@JeanFrancoisDesrosiers how else are they going to pay for it? Pro teams are not a charity.
@@gcn Which episode? Second also none...
Che motore banditoooooooooo 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀
Interesting to see that Cooper is back! Excited for episode 2!💪
Not long to wait 🙌
Man those Canyon SRAM kits are dope. So stoked for this series, had no idea this was a thing for that last few years.
C'mon Bandito!
Keep up the energy 🙌
It would be good to see how Manon and Si would score in these tests. I look forward to seeing the academy assess bike handling 👍
I've always wondered how they do that; you can't replicate that on Zwift. Put them on a MTB or CX bike....
@@Andy_ATB Si raced UCI World Masters CX the other week in Ipswich, UK, and came 7th AG even with a crash on hurdles. Mighty impressive.
Hahah very true, Si did say his bike was hooked up... we all want to see his pain face 😬
Not sharing the power numbers?? Why did that get cut? Really peaked interest last season
Steamboat Springs, Mallorca, Bath, and now somewhere in Spain. Where hasn’t Manon been this year? Excited to see her involved in this series.
She loves to travel... perks of the job 🙌
Been waiting for this all year! Such an amazing series and can't wait to see who turns pro!
We are so excited its now out 🙌 Get in the queue for episode two 👉 ruclips.net/video/0kRL0pM5IDM/видео.html
Italian team started very well, Go Bandito
Get well soon Liz. Got Covid a week ago myself. It’s a test of determination.
Rest up Ben... Looks like we've got your entertainment covered this week!
Really enjoyed the first day, meeting all the contestants and hearing from the coaches. I do miss Si and Dan's banter. Hope you are recovering quickly Dan.
Don't worry Dan has his feet up at home whilst enjoying Zwift Academy. Probably still sending Si some unwanted Banter 😂
@@gcn Brilliant🥰
This format and presentation is brilliant. Keep going!
Thanks!
Great to see this has finally started, been looking forward to it!
Strap in... it's one BIG year 💪
luca vergallito the italian dream
He Smashed the first day 💪 Will you be backing him?
@@gcn Of Course!
I bloody love this time of year with the Zwift Academy Road - proper reality TV! Si & Manon, you smashed it & its always great to hear what Maggy has to say. All the finalists look fantastic, a top weeks viewing!
Bandito sei tutti noi!
Really sad that Liz couldn't get to compete. She definitely was coming in as a strong contender. She must be heartbroken!
Love this type of content, keep it coming!
Did you catch episode 1? 👉 ruclips.net/video/8wGa8Cc1P3o/видео.html
Forza Ragazzi! Tenete alta la bandiera italiana!
Dai banditoooo planaaaa
Cooper for me!! He has the team experience and knowledge. He deserves the win. 🤞
He was really the favorite last year for the Alpecin judges but ended up underperforming on expectations toward the end so lost it on that. Hopefully he learned his mistakes and comes back stronger.
Great to have him back 🙌Check back this evening to see how him and the rest of our riders get on!
Good to see someone out of their 20s make it in.
Vai Luca!!!!!
Si is such a great presenter. Nice work guys. I love you Manon 💕
Bandito sei il SOGNO
E SI PLANA! DAJE LUCA
What a fascinating process. Really looking forward to seeing the rest of it.
Stay tuned tonight 👀
A bit disappointed in comparison with last year, the entry of the contestants was more detailed, and I think you should have a more detailed presentation of all contestants in the 1st ep and not only 2 of them
Absolutely loving this
Vai Bandito facci sognare 💪💪
#follia
LOL!!! At the end, when Simon was messing with them about which rider was leaving them, you could see Luca's face like, "Holy hell! I won the day and even I can't believe this shit that's about to go down!"
il bandito inizia!!!!!
Dai Luca 💪🏻
Si vola banditooo
Very very exciting to watch! I wish them all the best. Also very sad for that rider that came down with covid. What a great opportunity missed. Best wishes to her as well. 🙏🏽💜💙
Glad you enjoyed it! Not the way you want to leave the competition but we are sure they will be smashing back on the bike🙌
Every year looking forward to this! My passion in a series 🚀🧨😍
Bandito we love you
Awesome content!!! Love it
Menareeeee Banditoooo
Luca is too strong for this, allready stronger than most of the actual Alpecin pros. He will probably steamroll the other guys, but why not, we want to see him riding TdF soon 😁
Have no fear ... there is some hot competition ahead 🥵
El Bandito for the win!!
How are you able to see how strong he is? From the video, they only show short clips of the test.
More like Si! He's on Ollie's training regiment!!!
@@MeiMeiDoggy Check the Strava for il Bandito and you will know
Forza Chiara e Luca BANDITO
PUSH BANDITO PUSHHHH
Always love Kristof’s Kenny van Vlaminck’s impersonation.
Really excited by this format. Such a great experience for those involved.
Weather they get the pro contract or not, the'll leave with great memories, amazing experience and maybe some slightly heavy legs 🥵
My favorite cycling show of the year is back
What are the test results?
Manon is the best. Great to see the new talent. Shame that Dan was not there; hope his recovery is going well.
Vaiii Lucaaa planali tuttiiii
Forza Banditooo! GASS
Si really had me going when he started to pull one out after one day. I was thinking: already?!?
Once again I feel underwhelmed with the videography and format though. Am I the only one who feels the audience is kept in the dark and given only very minimal Zwift screen shots of the actual athletes' performances? If I were Zwift I can't imagine I'd be thrilled to see those wonderful screens relegated in favor of pain faces and dripping sweat. That's all good but I think the audience would get a lot out of seeing some of the stats IRT and being able to form opinions prior to hearing the expert team judge verdicts.
Alè Bandito alè!
#teamBandito🇮🇹
Mad Ouverman already left for JUMBO-VISMA,
what an oldy from the archives is this ?
So just watched a 30min episode all about testing, then not showing any results, bit pointless ngl
Los Italianos 🇮🇹 🐂 si plana
Vai bandito facci volareee
Cooper sayers still not giving up💪
It would be good to see the power levels of all the riders during the intervals.
I mean, just another GREAT series @GCN!!
Grande il Bandito!
Zwift Hub is in such short supply that even the Zwift Academy Finals couldn't get their hands on any.
The neo is better for higher power numbers
Wow. How many ads can you fit in a 30 minute episode?
Go Alex!! Another Guildford Cyclist! and a Saint Piran rider as well, repping the Westcountry!
She's smashing it 💪 Keep cheering on the home grown talent!
I like the editing of these video than last year. The pacing is much faster this time.
Glad you are enjoying them 🙌 What do you make of the riders?
@@gcn seeing as I’m from Adelaide I’m going for cooper and he was a team mate of jay vine
Spectacular
Italy kicking asses
come to Brasil!
Great to see Mathieu 'contractually obliged' van der poel is back
I am sure MVDP wants to be there. Is not an obligation for him. Otherwise he would not be there at all.
Really super nice series!
Brutal! Their faces when Si started "the rider leaving us is..."
Hahaha did he fool you? 😂
@@gcn haha, I was trying to remember last year, I was like "wait, they didn't do, noooo, ah of course...😅" 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I love seeing the diverse age pool.
Simon’s joke 😂 so the riders going home….joking the riders faces 😮😂
🤣 yup, so cruel yet funny
Did he get you? ... He fooled us 😳
@@gcn got me 😂
This is absolutely brilliant!
It's only going to get better! Have you watched episode 2 yet? 👉 ruclips.net/video/0kRL0pM5IDM/видео.html
nice reality series looking forward to the rest ;)
il bandito🙌
George Russel 🏎F1
BANDITO FACCI SOGNÀ
rooting for Nele 👏🙌
il bandito li asfalta tutti a furia di aprire!!!!!!!!