This weekend’s notable events shine a spotlight on an exclusive jersey unlock, a fondo for a good cause, and several popular endurance rides and races!
🤝 Jersey Highlight // Black Girls Do Bike Kit Unlock Ride
✅ ZRL Route ✅ Sweet Unlock
Join the Black Girls Do Bike cycling club for an exclusive chance to unlock their in-game jersey (see the IRL version here)! The Black Girls Do Bike club was founded by Monica Godfrey-Garrison, with the goal of encouraging more women of color to join the sport of cycling. Soon, the club will be celebrating its 10-year anniversary in San Diego! Throughout the ride, the pace will be held at around 1-2.5 w/kg. Note: as usual, riders must complete the ride to receive the unlock.
This social ride will take place over the new Rolling Highlands course in Scotland. This 60-minute ride is a great opportunity to also ride the course of the final race of the Zwift Racing League finals.
Saturday, Mar 18 @ 3pm UTC/11am EDT/8am PDT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/3602481
🤝 Gran Fondo Operation Enfant Soleil – 2er Etape
✅ Feel-Good Factor ✅ Popular Event ✅ Extra Tough
This gran fondo is one of the most popular events for the weekend. This ride aims to bring together riders to take on this challenge while raising money for children who suffer from severe motor and intellectual deficits. However, the event description is French. Despite this, riders from all around the world are welcome to join. The organization aims to raise $300,000 this year.
Over the course of the 101.3 mi (163 km), riders will complete numerous laps of Watopia’s Waistband course. This is a very flat and fast course, so riders will be able to hold a fairly steady pace throughout the fondo. Best of luck!
Saturday, Mar 18 @ 2pm UTC/10:00am EDT/7am PDT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/3233972
🥇 La Cyclosportive by Team Foudre
✅ Extra Tough
Yet another endurance ride and French-based ride, Team Foudre is hosting an endurance race. Unlike most races, this features a mass start, so riders will have to find riders around their level throughout the ride. However, that should not be too hard because there are already nearly a hundred riders registered! The goal of this race is to help riders build their endurance through a tough, long, race. Tip: start hard to find the best group possible.
Foudre also has some rules that can be found in the event description. These rules help keep the race fair and fun, and complying with these rules will allow for riders to be included in the ZwiftPower results.
This endurance race will be held over 46.5mi (74.8 km) on the Petit Boucle course. With this custom finish, riders will finish just before the Aqueduct KOM.
Sunday, Mar 18 @ 8:15am UTC/4:15am EDT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/3572761
🤝 Cycle Nation Beginner Endurance Ride
✅ Beginner Friendly
For most riders, the gran fondo distances are extremely tough. This Saturday, Cycle Nation is hosting an endurance group ride to help riders build up to longer distances. The leaders will be maintaining a steady pace of around 1-1.5 w/kg. Of course, the pace will vary slightly depending on the terrain. Double Draft is also enabled in this ride to help riders out. Note: because Double Draft is enabled, it will be pretty tough to rejoin the group once getting dropped. Suck those wheels!
To help ensure this is a welcoming ride for beginners, riders will be covering 31.1 mi (50 km) on the Tempus Fugit course in Watopia.
Special settings: double draft
Saturday, Mar 18 @ 1pm UTC/9am EDT/6am PDT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/3582195
🤝 ¡HISPerame!
✅ Beginner Friendly ✅ Popular Event
For those looking for a more mellow social ride, join the team at HISP for one of the most popular group rides every Saturday! Every week, this group ride attracts hundreds of riders from all around the world. Leaders will be holding a steady pace of around 1.5 w/kg. The fence will also be on to ensure that the group remains nice and tight.
Because this is meant to be an easier ride, Zwifters will be riding on the Tick Tock route in Watopia. Bonus: this ride uses Pack Dynamics v4.
Saturday, Mar 18 @ 5pm UTC/1pm EDT/10am PDT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/3599299
How We Make Our Picks
We choose each weekend’s Notable Events based on a variety of factors including:
- Is the event unique/innovative in some way?
- Are celebrities (pro riders, etc) attending/leading?
- Are signup counts already high, meaning the event is extra-popular?
- Does the ride include desirable unlocks or prizes?
- Does the event appeal to ladies on Zwift? (We like to support this under-represented group!)
- Is it for a good cause?
- Is it just plain crazy (extra long races, world record attempts, etc)?
- Is it a long-running, popular weekly event with a dedicated leader who deserves a shout out?
In the end, we want to call attention to events that are extra-special and therefore extra-appealing to Zwifters. If you think your event qualifies, comment below with a link/details and we may just include it in an upcoming post!
Your Thoughts
Got other events that stand out this weekend? Share below in the comments!
Thank you for the ad! Don’t be afraid to jon us at La Cyclosportive, there will be all level/category of riders.
Chasing Racing is doing an homage to “Milan-San Remo” in their year long series – Saturday, 4 time slots available and 3 of the slots already have 100+ riders – https://chasingtour.com/calendar – Big Foot Hills throwdown