Zwift Games: All About Indoor Cycling’s Premier Race Festival for Everyone

The inaugural Zwift Games is a 5-stage race series for community and elite racers happening in March 2024. Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about indoor cycling’s premier race festival!

While most premier esports races are reserved for elite racers, everyone can participate in the Zwift Games. Community racers will have their own races and unlocks, while Elite racers will compete for a $110,000 cash prize purse, an in-game gold Tron bike, and the grand prize: a custom gold-painted Wahoo KICKR Bike!

Community Races

Schedule and Routes

Community races (A, B, C, and D pace groups) will begin on March 1st and progress through each of the 5 stages until March 17th. Makeup races will be available from March 18-31st. Races aren’t yet on the calendar for signup, but they will be scheduled at least 12 times daily on the hour.

See all upcoming races at zwift.com/events/tag/zg2024

Stage 1, March 1-4: Sprint

  • Loop de Loop, 2 laps (24.9km, 289m elevation)
  • Draft powerup at JWB Sprint arch

Stage 2, March 5-8: Sprint

  • Jurassic Coast, 1 lap (19.5km, 212m elevation)
  • Aero powerup at Titans Grove KOM arch

Stage 3, March 9-10: Epic

  • A/B Categories: Zwift Games 2024 Epic, 1 lap (81.6km, 878m elevation), with Draft powerup at the Titan’s Grove KOM arch and Feather at the Jungle lap arch
  • C/D Categories: Three Little Sisters, 1 lap (37.7km, 434m elevation), with Feather powerup at top of Hilly KOM

Stage 4, March 11-15: Sprint

  • Glasgow Crit, 5 laps (15.3km, 166m elevation)
  • Draft powerup at Champion’s Sprint arch each lap

Stage 5, March 16-17: Climb

  • A/B Categories: Road to Sky (17.3km, 1047m elevation), no powerups
  • C/D Categories: Mountain Mash (5.9km, 335m elevation), no powerups

Make-Up Races: March 18-31

See all upcoming races at zwift.com/events/tag/zg2024

Women’s Races

Late-breaking big news for the ladies: Zwift has decided to hold a set of women-only Zwift Games community races with their own GC competition! They’ll happen on the same dates as the mixed community races above, but only 5x daily to increase field sizes.

If you’re a woman who hasn’t raced yet on Zwift, see our new Women’s Racing homepage for a bit of inspiration >

Category-enforcemed pace groups will be used (just liked the mixed races), but all categories will start together.

See all upcoming women’s races at zwift.com/events/tag/zg2024wmn

Weekday Race Times

  • 2:30am UTC/9:30pm EST/6:30pm PST/1:30pm AEDT
  • 7:30am UTC/2:30am EST/11:30pm PST/6:30pm AEDT
  • 5:30pm UTC/12:30pm EST/9:30am PST/4:30am AEDT
  • 6:30pm UTC/1:30pm EST/10:30am PST/5:30am AEDT
  • 11:30pm UTC/6:30pm EST/3:30pm PST/10:30am AEDT

Weekend Race Times

  • 9:30am UTC/4:30am EST/1:30am PST/8:30pm AEDT
  • 10:30am UTC/5:30am EST/2:30am PST/9:30pm AEDT
  • 3:30pm UTC/10:30am EST/7:30am PST/2:30am AEDT
  • 6:30pm UTC/1:30pm EST/10:30am PST/5:30am AEDT
  • 11:30pm UTC/6:30pm EST/3:30pm PST/10:30am AEDT

See all upcoming women’s races at zwift.com/events/tag/zg2024wmn

Neutralized Equipment

In a surprising (and unannounced) twist, Zwift has set up all the Zwift Games events so frame and wheel choice are neutralized, just like the Elite races. This means you can ride any bike frame or wheels from your garage (even the Buffalo or Safety Bike!) and it will perform the same as everyone else’s frames and wheels.

Zwift says this was done to “make sure our whole racing community starts on a level playing field with respect to in-game equipment.” And don’t worry, the neutralized settings won’t slow you down… Zwift says they’re close to the Tron bike, meaning you’ll get good aero performance without sacrificing much speed on the climbs.

Community GC Competition

While each race event is a standalone competition, there is a time-based GC for the Zwift Games. This works just like the ZRacing series, allowing community racers to compete over all five stages for the best overall time in each pace category.

See the Zwift Games GC on ZwiftPower >

The women-only races will have their own GC (see it on ZwiftPower here), but the women-only events will also register in the overall GC, in case ladies ride a mix of the open and women-only races.

How to Register

No special registration is required – simply join any Zwift Games race to participate.

See all upcoming races at zwift.com/events/tag/zg2024

See all upcoming women’s races at zwift.com/events/tag/zg2024wmn

Note that you’ll need to be registered on ZwiftPower to compete in the GC and show up in the final results of Zwift Games races. Learn how to sign up for ZwiftPower (and why every Zwifter should do so) >

Community Unlocks

A total of five in-game unlocks are available to all Zwifters. Complete all five stages to unlock all five items:

  • Any one stage: Adidas Tempo 3-Stripes BOA Cycling Shoes
  • Any two stages: Oakley Sphaera Glasses
  • Any three stages: Zwift Games Kit
  • Any four stages: Zwift Games Gloves and Socks
  • All five stages: Zwift Games Gold Cap

Elite Championship Races

Schedule

The world’s best racers had to meet strict criteria to qualify for the Zwift Games Elite Championships. The official start lists show 187 men and 117 women representing 33 countries who will compete at the following dates/times:

Sprint Championships (Races 1-3)

  • Elite Men – March 2 @ 6pm UTC
  • Elite Women – March 3 @ 6pm UTC

Epic Championships

  • Elite Men – March 9 @ 6pm UTC
  • Elite Women – March 10 @ 6pm UTC

Climb Championships

  • Elite Men – March 16 @ 6pm UTC
  • Elite Women – March 17 @ 6pm UTC

Elite Championship Prizes

Elite men and women will be awarded equal prize purses, making for a total prize purse of $110,000 awarded to up to 20 winners (10 men, 10 women). That’s Zwift’s biggest prize pot ever! First-place winners will also unlock the Gold Tron bike in game.

Sprint Championships

  • 1st place – $7,000, Gold Tron unlock
  • 2nd place – $5,000
  • 3rd place – $3,000

Epic Championships

  • 1st place – $7,000, Gold Tron unlock
  • 2nd place – $5,000
  • 3rd place – $3,000

Climb Championships

  • 1st place – $7,000, Gold Tron unlock
  • 2nd place – $5,000
  • 3rd place – $3,000

Overall Championship

The overall men’s and women’s champions will be determined based on points earned for finishing positions in the five championship stages. Each race awards 100 points to 1st, 99 points for 2nd, down to 1 point for 100th.

  • $10,000
  • Gold Tron unlock
  • Unique gold-painted Wahoo KICKR Bike (see below)

Fan Guide and Live Streams

Learn all about the Zwift Games Elite Championships by reading the official fan guide. It includes race schedules, course info, start lists, and more.

Watch the Elite Championships live on Zwift’s social channels (Facebook, Twitch, and YouTube)! See the Zwift Games YouTube playlist >

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

Eric Schlange
Eric Schlangehttp://www.zwiftinsider.com
Eric runs Zwift Insider in his spare time when he isn't on the bike or managing various business interests. He lives in Northern California with his beautiful wife, two kids and dog. Follow on Strava

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