A new multi-day event series starts next week on Zwift! The Garmin Never Stop Cycling Tour is a “celebration of all cyclists, no matter your discipline.”
Four stages will be held from November 9-20, and you’ll have three days to complete each one. They represent four different types of cycling experiences – road cycling, time trialing, gravel riding, and mountain biking. Each route is a “signature course” for its category, with terrain that different types of riders will love! These Zwift events will be led by expert-level ride leaders.
Open and Women’s Groups
The Garmin Never Stop Cycling events are listed as group rides, but they do not use the ride fence and you will get results at the end. Some people might choose to race them, while others will cruise around for a social ride.
There’s an open category (A), where both men and women are welcome to participate, and a category for women only (B). Both ride the same routes for the same distance, and both are listed at “1-5 w/kg.” This usually means that riders are free to go at their own pace. When there is a ride leader, that person may announce a specific pace at the start, or she or he might just ride with the general flow of the group.
Ride Schedule
Nov 9-11 – Stage 1: Watopia’s Figure 8 – A Haven for Road Cyclists
- Laps: 1
- Length: 29.8 km (18.5 miles) Elevation: 234 m (768‘)
- Description: “One of the most famous routes for road cyclists: the Figure 8. This ride covers the entire route, in both directions. This is perfect for an hour-long cruise with some short climbs and a nice mix of flats and rollers.”
- Equipment: You’ll want a road bike and wheelset for this one, because the road is all tarmac. This route features a mix of flat roads and hills, so aerodynamics will be more important than weight.
Nov 12-14 – Stage 2: France’s Douce France – A Dream for Time Trialists
- Laps: 1
- Length: 24.1 km (15.0 miles) Elevation: 108 m (354‘)
- Description: “This route was created for the first-ever Virtual Tour de France and is perfect for fast TT efforts through the upper portion of Zwift’s France map.”
- Equipment: Be careful if you choose a TT bike for this one, because time trial bikes can’t draft in Zwift! Currently the event settings show drafting enabled, and they do allow you to ride the bike of your choice, whether it’s a time trial or road bike. This may change before the events actually happen.
Nov 15-17 – Stage 3: Watopia’s Road to Ruins – A Gravel Rider’s Wonderland
- Laps: 1
- Length: 29.6 km (18.4 miles) Elevation: 268 m (879‘)
- Description: “Road to Ruins is where you’ll find a solid mix of both tarmac and gravel. The course is flat and all about maximizing your speed output. You won’t get bored, though. We’ve added a bit of elevation to keep things spicy. Clip in and have fun as you explore this course!”
- Equipment: A gravel bike will ensure you don’t slow down too much on the gravel and dirt, while still keeping pace on the tarmac. Here’s our guide to how the different gravel bikes perform in-game.
Nov 18-20 – Stage 4: Watopia’s Jungle Circuit – A Shredder’s Paradise
- Laps: 2
- Length: 7.9 km (4.9 miles) Elevation: 79 m (259‘) Lead-In: 5.7 km (3.5 miles)
- Description: “This all-dirt route is widely used for MTB riders who have a serious need for speed. Feeling competitive? Awesome. Swap your bike to get a faster record.”
- Equipment: Mountain bikes go fastest on dirt roads, so if you want to ride one, take a look at our Zwift MTB performance guide.
Jersey Unlock
When you complete any stage, you’ll unlock a new Garmin kit to wear in-game.
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