How many watts do I need to ride with Miguel on Zwift?

Multiply your weight in kg by 1.8. A 70 kg rider needs 126 W. An 80 kg rider needs 144 W. Use the calculator on this page for your exact number. That's the flat-terrain baseline — drafting mid-pack typically cuts effort by 20–25%.

What W/kg is Miguel on Zwift?

Miguel rides at 1.8 W/kg — fourth easiest of all 10 RoboPacers. All RoboPacers weigh 75 kg, putting Miguel's raw output at 135 W on flat terrain.

Is Miguel good for aerobic base training?

Yes, for developing riders. 1.8 W/kg is above purely conversational pace and sits in Zone 2 for riders with an FTP of roughly 2.5–3.0 W/kg, making Miguel genuinely useful for long base-building sessions. More experienced riders may find Miguel feels like recovery.

Miguel vs Maria — what's the step up?

Miguel is 1.8 W/kg and Maria is 2.2 W/kg. For a 70 kg rider that's 126 W vs 154 W — a 28 W gap. Maria represents a meaningful step into consistent moderate-intensity territory. Move to Maria when Miguel feels sustainable for 60+ minutes without real fatigue.

What FTP do I need to ride comfortably with Miguel?

To ride Miguel without it feeling hard, an FTP of around 2.2–2.5 W/kg is comfortable. At 1.8 W/kg, you'd be riding at 72–82% of a 2.2–2.5 W/kg FTP — moderately demanding rather than easy.

Riding with Miguel on Zwift — How Many Watts Do You Need?

Your watts for Miguel

—W

at your weight on flat terrain

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−1 kg

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Your weight

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+1 kg

⛰️ Flat terrain baseline. Miguel uses dynamic pacing: up to +10% uphill, up to −20% downhill. Mid-pack draft typically cuts effort by around 20–25%.

Meet Miguel

★ Fan lore — unofficial & written for fun

Miguel occupies the middle ground between beginner and serious cyclist. At 1.8 W/kg, his pace isn't intimidating, but it isn't passive either — you have to actually be a cyclist to keep up. His group tends to be focused and purposeful, fewer social riders and more people who are deliberately working on something. He's the pacer you graduate to when you've stopped treating Zwift as entertainment and started treating it as training. Nobody talks much in Miguel's group. They're working.

Who suits Miguel

Miguel is well-suited to recreational cyclists who ride regularly and want structured effort without pushing into proper training intensity.

Riders who've spent time with Bernie and find it sustainable — Miguel is the logical next step, adding 0.3 W/kg of genuine aerobic demand.
Cyclists aiming to build up to Coco or above. Miguel → Maria → Coco is a common progression for riders targeting 2.5+ W/kg over 3–6 months.
Commuter cyclists who ride regularly outside but haven't done structured training — 1.8 W/kg matches typical recreational road pace quite closely.
Anyone preparing for a sportive or long-distance event at comfortable endurance pace.

Miguel is often where riders first realise that W/kg actually means something. At 1.5 W/kg with Bernie it still feels achievable for almost anyone. At 1.8 W/kg, lighter and fitter riders start to separate from heavier or less-trained ones. Weight starts to matter on climbs.

What to expect in Miguel's group

Group size

Medium

Draft benefit

~20–25% mid-pack

Zwift category

Cat D territory

Dynamic pacing

+10% climbs / −20% descents

Expect a steady, business-like group. The pace is consistent on flat terrain but can become surprisingly demanding on climbs — 1.8 W/kg at +10% is 1.98 W/kg, which is a genuine threshold for less-trained riders. Hilly routes with Miguel are harder than the number suggests.

See all 10 RoboPacer watt targets at once — map where Miguel sits in your full training range.

Full Calculator →

Common questions about Miguel

How many watts do I need to ride with Miguel?

Multiply your weight in kg by 1.8. A 70 kg rider needs 126 W; an 80 kg rider needs 144 W. The calculator above gives your exact figure. That's the flat-terrain front-of-group number — mid-pack draft typically cuts this by 20–25%.

Is Miguel good for Zone 2 training?

It depends entirely on your FTP. For a rider with a 2.5 W/kg FTP, 1.8 W/kg is 72% of FTP — solidly Zone 2. For a rider with a 2.0 W/kg FTP, 1.8 W/kg is 90% of FTP — that's threshold, not Zone 2. Use the full calculator and compare against your FTP to know where Miguel falls for you personally.

Miguel vs Maria — how big is the difference?

Miguel is 1.8 W/kg and Maria is 2.2 W/kg — a 0.4 W/kg jump. For a 70 kg rider that's 126 W vs 154 W. Maria starts to feel like proper sustained effort for most riders. Don't rush the move — spend time at Miguel until an hour session finishes with energy to spare.

What is Miguel's watt output on Zwift?

Miguel produces 135 W on flat terrain. All RoboPacers weigh 75 kg — 75 × 1.8 = 135 W. On climbs this rises to around 149 W; on descents it drops to around 108 W.

Can a beginner ride with Miguel?

An absolute beginner will likely struggle. 1.8 W/kg requires consistent aerobic output above easy conversational pace. If you're new to cycling, start with Sofia (0.8 W/kg) or Taylor (1.1 W/kg) and give yourself 4–6 weeks before targeting Miguel. Trying to jump straight in and getting dropped is demoralising and counter-productive.

Working your way up to Coco? Miguel is a solid step.

Consistent time at 1.8 W/kg builds the base that makes the bigger pacers accessible.

Get Started on Zwift →

Check where Miguel is riding today. Routes rotate regularly.

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