Zwift has just announced a 3-stage, 7-day event series based around the new Specialized Tarmac SL7. The series features exclusive new kit unlocks and a big prize drawing (see details below).
Each stage is based on a Specialized-sponsored rider, as Zwift explains:
Ride like Anna van der Breggen across Innsbruck, the same place she won the 2018 World Championships. Drop the hammer and sprint like Peter Sagan in Richmond, where he locked down a 2015 World Champs win. And finally, climb and descend with panache and courage through tough mountain inclines like Julian Alaphillipe, superstar of the 2019 Tour de France.
All About the SL7
This event series is all about the new Specialized Tarmac SL7 – an incredible bike, based on early reviews! As light as the Tarmac SL6, but as aero as the Venge.
All Zwifters will be riding the SL7 during these events. It will also be available in the Drop Shop as soon as the next Zwift update arrives (this week). Price will be 674,500 drops, and you must be at least level 5.
Will it perform in-game as well as reviews say it performs outdoors? We’ll find out soon enough! At that price and level requirement, the SL7 may just be a game changer for Zwift racers!
Stage Schedule
Stage 1 (Aug 10-11): Innsbruck
In the 2018 Innsbruck World Championships, Anna Van der Breggen broke away from the pack to climb up Igls in the final 40km for a solo finish atop her S-Works Tarmac. It wasn’t easy. She endured the distance and had to climb, descend, and be quick on the pedals to keep the chase at bay. And it was all worth it. She rolled across the Innsbruck finish line with no one in sight. Specialized’s Tarmac allowed her to let her strength and ability shine through and dominate the race.
We’re bringing a condensed version of the experience to you. Take on the challenge of breaking away from whatever group you’re in on the all-new Tarmac SL7.
- Longer & Women’s Ride: (1 Lap) 2018 UCI Worlds Course Short Lap
- Length: 14.7 mi // 23.6 km
- Elevation: 1,598 ft // 487 m
- Shorter Ride: (3 laps) Innsbruckring
- Length: 16.5 mi // 26.4 km
- Elevation: 708 ft // 216 m
Stage 2 (Aug 12-13): Richmond
As one of the greatest sprinters/puncheurs in history, Peter Sagan hardly needs an introduction. Few can match his strength, and his showmanship is in a league of its own. In the 2015 Richmond World Championships, he kept it cool, conserving energy over the 259km race. On the final lap, he used the Tarmac’s balance of stiffness and responsiveness to unleash his power, creating a gap and soloing to the finish.
Channel your inner Sagan and do the unthinkable in Zwift’s Richmond UCI Worlds course. It took him three minutes and 56 seconds from his attack on 23rd street to the finish—think you can beat it?
- Longer & Women’s Ride (2 lap) – Richmond UCI Worlds
- Distance: 20.2 mi // 32.3 km
- Elevation Gain: 934 ft // 284 m
- Shorter Ride (2 lap) – Cobbled Climbs
- Distance: 11.6 mi // 18.6 km
- Elevation Gain: 826 ft // 251 m
Stage 3 (Aug 14-15): France
Julian Alaphilippe stole the hearts of fans around the world as he lit up the 2019 Tour de France with his show of courage, determination, and pure skill. He shook up the race early on and showed hope for French fans of taking home the “Maillot Jaune” for the first time since 1985.
The race turned into a nail-biter in the mountains as Alaphilippe stepped on the gas. In the saddle of an S-Works Tarmac, he chased, climbed, and descended in pursuit of the Yellow Jersey. Adverse weather, however, led to stage cancelation, and hopes of retaining the GC faded away.
Let’s change history and finish strong in the mountains of Zwift’s new France map. Go hard. Ride fast. Leave nothing on the table.
- Longer & Women’s Ride (1 lap): La Reine
- Distance: 14.2 mi // 22.8 km
- Elevation Gain: 3875 ft // 1181 m
- Shorter Ride (1 lap): Casse-Pattes
- Distance: 14.3 mi // 23 km
- Elevation Gain: 476 ft // 145 m
Make-up Day: Aug 16: all three stages will have make-up events scheduled on this day.
Learn more/sign up at zwift.com/events/series/7-days-of-tarmac-sl7
Event Categories
A and B categories ride the same route, but B is for women only. C is a shorter route.
- A: mixed category, long course
- B: women only, long course
- C: mixed category, short course
Unlocks and Prizes
Finish just one stage and unlock a kit! Men will unlock the Specialized SL Pro Kit. Women can enter a women’s event in order to unlock the women’s Specialized SL Pro Kit, and they can also ride in a mixed category event and unlock the Specialized SL Pro Kit!
Finish all three stages and be entered to win the IRL Specialized Tarmac SL7 Pro Bike!
Learn more/sign up at zwift.com/events/series/7-days-of-tarmac-sl7
Kits for everyone who finishes an event? Zwift says you only get a kit if you “finish strong,” or “crush” a women’s event:
All riders can finish strong in Group A or B events for a Specialized SL Pro kit, and women riders can also unlock the Specialized Women’s SL Pro kit by crushing a Group C ride.
That’s just Zwiftspeak! 😂
Interesting move. Either (A) it’s one bike to rule them all and it’s available at level 5 + small amount of drops making the whole drop shop and unlock experience a bit pointless OR (B) it’s not in fact going to be one bike to rule them all and it’s just a decent starter point.
Agreed! It’ll be interesting to see what they do.
When should we expect to see the SL7 added to your amazing Speed Test guide?
https://zwiftinsider.com/charts-frames/
Within a day or two of it being released, Sean.
Awesome. Thanks for all you do for the Zwift community!
My understanding is that this is a bit less aero than the outgoing venge, but as light as the old tarmac. In the IRL pro scene I’d say more big races are defined on the climbs versus the flats, whereas from what I’ve seen in Zwift it’s basically all about that aero as barely any race is massively climbing dominated.
I disagree, IRL many of the big races are defined by crosswinds. Something Zwift absolutely cannot do in theory, but it actually happens in some sense by the little ramps on many courses, those at the back and not paying attention lose the wheels and are dropped.
That’s my opinion anyway, I know it’s certainly not fashionable.
Agreed – if the best bike in Zwift is available at Level 5 then the whole Drop Shop becomes a bit meaningless …
Always thought all bikes should be the same in Zwift. That way you can just ride whatever looks the best to you.
what if it’s actually a level 40+ bike that after a period of time gets moved from 5 to much higher…don’t miss the boat Simon Schofield #zwiftcast
No race event, just ride, such a shame.
All rides are races!
Plenty of riders will treat these as races, trust me!
Of course but zwiftpower not assign rank for rides
If they take the form of group rides (which I’m sure they will) then ZwiftPower will rank them anyway.
Thanks for all the details. I’m looking forward to it! Would you know if they are eliminating the S-Works Venge from the Drop Shop?
Highly doubt it! They’ve never eliminated frame from the Drop Shop that I can recall. Certainly not one people have paid Drops for.
Just bought my level 18 venge 2 days ago.. Let’s hope that it’s not a waste off drops
Two of the three “short rides” are more distance than their associated “long rides.” The Specialized Tarmac Pro was obviously over-rated for climbing: there’s no reason it should climb faster than the Cannondale Evo, for example, or for that matter the Trek Emonda from the climbing challenge, or the Cervelo R5, unless you assume the bike is built with lighter components. The Tarmac was always a heavier frame than these others, But Specialized bikes are generally over-rated in the game, for the level required to unlock them. Disc brakes add around 400 grams to a package, so no disc brake… Read more »
They’re longer rides because they have significantly more climbing than the short rides. They’ll take longer to finish, I promise you that!
Specialized pays Zwift more for advertising, so of course their bikes will perform best.
Would completing stage 1 and 2 in group B women’s only , and then doing stage 3 in group C shorter ride still qualify as doing all three stages to win the bike ?
It should, yes. In past stage events it didn’t matter which category you selected, as long as you completed each stage.