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Zwift Racing League 2023/24 Round 2 Week 4 Guide: Suki’s Playground

Eric Schlange
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Zwift Racing League 2023/24 Round 2 Week 4 Guide: Suki’s Playground

The fourth race of Zwift Racing League 2023/24 Round 2 happens Tuesday, December 5, and we’re in Makuri Islands for a scratch race on a new-to-ZRL course.

Let’s dig into crucial sections along with powerup tips, bike choice notes, and more!

Looking at the Route: Suki’s Playground

Never before raced in ZRL and rarely used by race organizers, Suki’s Playground in Makuri Islands will be unfamiliar to many racers. That said, it traverses well-known Yumezi roads, so the learning curve shouldn’t be very steep.

All categories will race two laps for a total of 36.8km with 300 meters of elevation gain.

This route is quite flat apart from two climbs on each lap. Smart racers will anticipate attacks on these climbs, and strong racers will initiate those attacks to thin the herd as the race progresses.

Here are the key points in the race:

  • 5.5km and 23.8km: the longest climb of each lap (2.6km) takes you up into the Castle area and through the marketplace
  • 16.1km and 34.4km: starting just like the first climb, this shorter climb (1.5km) stays right and takes you down to the lap banner
  • Finish: the final 700 meters of this route are downhill, so having an aero boost powerup ready will be a huge advantage!

Read more about the Suki’s Playground route >

PowerUp Notes

Three types of powerups will be awarded during this race: the feather, van, and helmet. Powerups are weighted equally in terms of probability. A total of 4 powerups will be given during the race at the Start/Finish and Country Sprint banners on each lap.

Lightweight (feather) (33%): reduces your weight by 10% for 30 seconds. Use on uphills to save some effort where effort will be highest.

Draft Boost (van) (33%): increases the draft effect you are experiencing for 40 seconds. Use at higher speeds (flats and descents) when you are already drafting off another rider (since this powerup only helps when you are drafting.) Great for recovery.

A simple white helmet with a visor, shown in profile with three lines behind it to indicate speed, centered on a turquoise circle with a gray and white border.

Aero Boost (helmet) (34%): makes you more aerodynamic (reduces your CdA by 25%) for 15 seconds. Use at higher speeds (flats and descents), especially when no draft is available (although it is still useful when drafting.) If you want a shot at the podium, you’ll probably need to use one of these in the final seconds on the fast, downhill finish!

Bike Frame + Wheel Choice

An aero bike is the way to go on Suki’s Playground, because the climbs are so short and fast that a lighter bike won’t make much difference. So we recommend the Venge S-Works or Felt AR frames with the DT Swiss Disc wheels.

The Tron bike isn’t a terrible choice here, but you’ll lose a bit of speed in that crucial final downhill sprint.

See Speed Tests: Tron Bike vs Top Performers (Scatter Plot) for more nerd-level detail on frame and wheel performance.

Venge + Disc
Tron bike

More Route Recons

Many recon rides are held each week on the upcoming ZRL route, and they even give you double XP! If you’re unfamiliar with this course, jump into an event and do some recon.

Si Bradeley

Oli Chi

Strategic Options

How will the race unfold? What strategies will riders employ in this scratch race on an unfamiliar route? Remember: in a scratch race, only the finish matters. Here’s what we predict:

  • Attritional Climbs: the finish favors heavier sprinters, so lighter riders may need to go all-out to drop punchy sprinters on the climbs if they want a shot at the podium.
  • Chasing It Back: the pack will string out and split on each climb, but some riders will be able to chase back on during the descents and flats that follow.
  • Tough Finish: the final 2.3km will be brutal, as it begins with a 1.5km climb and finishes with a downhill sprint! Expect lighter riders to attack hard on the climb in hopes of getting away from the sprinters who would otherwise beat them on the downhill. Team tactics could be really interesting here…
  • Hold Onto Your Helmets! We’ve already said this above, but we want to be crystal-clear: the aero powerup will be a huge advantage in the finishing sprint. With only four powerup arches in the race, once you get an aero you’ll probably want to save it for the finish.

Your Thoughts

Any insights or further thoughts on this race? Share below!

Tiny Race Series – December 2 Routes and Last Week’s Results

Eric Schlange
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0
Tiny Race Series – December 2 Routes and Last Week’s Results

Tiny Race Series – December 2 Routes and Last Week’s Results

See zwiftinsider.com/tiny for current Tiny Race details.

Zwift Grand Prix: Round 4 Men’s ZRL TTT Report

Zach Nehr
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Zwift Grand Prix: Round 4 Men’s ZRL TTT Report

Zwift Grand Prix: Round 4 Men’s ZRL TTT Report

The Team Time Trial (TTT) was back for Round 4 of the 2023/2024 Zwift Grand Prix. Sixteen men’s teams took on one lap of Watopia’s Waistband in the classic TTT format, mimicking the upcoming round of the Zwift Racing League. Five riders from each team started together, and the team’s time was taken from their third rider across the line. 

Watch the Livestream

It was the first time that time trial bikes had ever been used in the Zwift Grand Prix, and it all kicked off with Primór RWB esports. Each team set off in one-minute increments, with the goal of setting the fastest time over the 27.8km course. 

There were three time splits across Watopia’s Waistband, where teams could see how their times stacked up against the competition. Saris | NoPinz was one of the pre-race favorites, and they set the early mark at the first intermediate time check. The other pre-race favorites were Coalition Alpha, Wahoo Le Col, NeXT eSports pb Enshored, and ABUS – Synergy. 

At the halfway point, Wahoo Le Col had set the fastest time, with NeXT eSports pb Enshored and Beastmode p/b ROSE not far behind. The other favorites were losing time, and they would continue to do so all the way to the finish line.

In the back half of Watopia’s Waistband, teams were really piling on the pressure in hopes of increasing their average speed. Teamwork was paramount, and the fastest teams were the ones who stayed together and rolled the smoothest turns. 

Led by Marc Mäding, Beastmode p/b ROSE surprised the favorites by coming through the finish line with a time of 34:54, more than 15 seconds ahead of Saris | NoPinz and Movistar eTeam. But it wasn’t long before Wahoo Le Col came roaring into the desert, crossing the finish line in a time of 34:37. 

Wahoo Le Col had laid down the mark, and now it was up to Coalition Alpha, NeXT eSports pb Enshored, and ABUS – Synergy to challenge them for the top spot.  Coalition Alpha lost time in the second half of the race, ultimately finishing in 6th with a time of 35:06. 

ABUS – Synergy, leader of the Zwift Grand Prix standings, finished just one second slower than Coalition Alpha, earning them 7th place. 

Coming into the final kilometer, it looked like it was all coming down to NeXT eSports pb Enshored. After losing a few seconds to Wahoo Le Col in the opening kilometers, NeXT eSports pb Enshored had begun clawing back time on the roads of Watopia. They were getting closer and closer, and as the finish line neared, all five riders from NeXT eSports pb Enshored sprinted to the line – but was it enough?

Less than a second… Wahoo Le Col took the win by less than a second. NeXT eSports pb Enshored finished in second place, while Beastmode p/b ROSE surprised many of the pre-race favorites to finish on the podium. 

Round 4’s TTT offered a big shakeup to the Zwift Grand Prix – Series Results Men, with NeXT eSports pb Enshored jumping into second and Wahoo Le Col making the leap into third. The points gap from 1st to 6th is only 23 points, and there are still three rounds to go. 

Coming Up Next

The men’s Zwift Grand Prix field returns in less than two weeks for another round imitating the Zwift Racing League: a 23.7km points race on The Muckle Yin will include five intermediate sprints and points at the finish line. FTS and FAL points are available for the Top 10 at each intermediate sprint. 

The women’s 2023/2024 Zwift Grand Prix continues this week with the Scratch Race on Suki’s Playground on November 30th.

Top 5 Zwift Videos: Smart Trainers, Alpe Du Zwift, and Gamified Racing

Oli Chi
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1
Top 5 Zwift Videos: Smart Trainers, Alpe Du Zwift, and Gamified Racing

Looking for a new smart trainer? Learn about the history and different types of smart trainers from our first video this week. Additionally, we’ve selected videos about all-out Alpe Du Zwift attempts, Zwift’s new gamified racing, tackling the Four Horsemen course, and an amazing Zwift Racing League comeback.

10 Years of Direct Drive Smart Trainers // Generation I vs Generation II

If you’re in the market for a new smart trainer, I would highly recommend taking a look at GPLama’s video comparing different trainers across the years.

Can I Break 50 Minutes on Alpe Du Zwift?

Max from The Watt Life has been hard at work training to break 50 minutes up the Alpe each day. Watch as he gives a recap of his previous attempts and commentates over his sub-50-minute attempt up the Alpe. 

NEW Gamified Crit City | Zwift Play Test: Gabi vs Nathan!

Watch as Nathan and Gabi Guerra test out the new gamified Crit City race format. Can Nathan hold Gabi off for the win?

The Four Horsemen on Zwift!

Ryan Condon is currently on a mission to improve his fitness and lose weight in the process. In his latest video, he tackles the Four Horsemen course after two unsuccessful attempts. 

Zwift Racing League Comeback After Disastrous Start

After some technical difficulties, Scott, aka Zwifter, chases from the back and sees how many spots he can gain in his team’s Zwift Racing League B1 race. 

Got a Great Zwift Video?

Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!

“End of Year Epic” Mission Announced for December

Eric Schlange
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“End of Year Epic” Mission Announced for December

“End of Year Epic” Mission Announced for December

Zwift has rolled out a fresh Mission for December, and it’s all about accumulating distance. See below for details!

Note: signups opened this week, but the Mission doesn’t begin until December 4.

Getting Started

To begin the Mission, select the mission card on your homescreen and click to register:

Once you’ve registered, clicking the mission card will show your Mission progress.

Completing the Mission

To complete the mission and earn the achievement badge, accumulate at least 365 kilometers (227 miles) of riding between between December 4-31.

Do It All

For many serious Zwifters, 365km in a month isn’t much. So why not make it interesting? Accumulate the required distance by riding every road in Zwift, which will put you at ~387km if you do it perfectly with no repeats.

Questions or Comments?

Post below!

Virtual Velo Podcast, Episode 34: WTRL’s Martin Carew on Zwift Racing League

Eric Schlange
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1
Virtual Velo Podcast, Episode 34: WTRL’s Martin Carew on Zwift Racing League

Virtual Velo Podcast, Episode 34: WTRL’s Martin Carew on Zwift Racing League

The Zwift Racing League is quite possibly the largest community-based racing league in the world. Does it also have the most cheaters, cruisers, and sandbaggers?

WTRL’s Martin Carew is here to say he’s doing things on his end, but can he and is Zwift doing enough? In episode 34 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Si ask those questions and more!

Martin explains the built-in anti-cheating system he has in place, the challenge of finding the perfect balance between credibility and inclusivity, and the limitations he faces.

Plus, the guys introduce a new recurring feature they call “Cycling Shorts”: a complete rundown of cycling esports headlines, insider information, investigative reporting, and industry trends. Another way that the Virtual Velo Network is your central source for cycling esports!

Chris also shares insight from his conversations with Eric Min, USAC’s Jim Miller, Matt Stephens, and other cycling dignitaries while covering the Star Track Benefit for Cycling Weekly.

Follow the Virtual Velo Podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon, Stitcher, Castbox, RadioPublic, or Podbean.

Zwift Fondo Series 2024 Announced

Eric Schlange
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21
Zwift Fondo Series 2024 Announced

Zwift Fondo Series 2024 Announced

Zwift’s annual fondo series is a popular tradition where thousands of riders push themselves to finish long rides. The series kicks off this weekend, and Zwift has made some fun changes this year:

  • A progressive route schedule which gets slightly longer each month, using new routes each month
  • An expanded event schedule for more availability
  • A fresh kit to unlock each month

Here are all the details about this year’s fondo series…

Zwift Fondo Schedule

Fondo weekends will happen once a month for three months, beginning this weekend and ending the last weekend of January 2024:

  • November 30, 2023 – December 3, 2023 (Feast Fondos)
  • December 29, 2023 – December 31, 2023 (Holiday Fondos)
  • January 26, 2024 – January 28, 2024 (Gourmet Fondos)

Each weekend’s fondos kick off Thursday morning at 5am UTC (12am EST, Wednesday 9pm PST) and are scheduled every three hours until Monday 5am UTC/12am EST/Sunday 9pm PST).

See Upcoming Zwift Fondos and Sign Up

Fondo Routes: “The Feast”

Each month will feature different routes, most not used in Zwift fondos of years past. Riders can choose between a short, medium, and long route (traditionally called the Bambino, Medio, and Gran Fondo, respectively). As the series progresses each month, the short, medium, and long options get slightly longer.

Here are the routes for this weekend (Nov 30-Dec 3):

  • Gourmet Fondo: France Classic Fondo
    • Custom Length: 91.5km/56.9 miles, 686m/2,250′ elevation (this appears to end at the Ballon Sprint)
  • Savory Fondo: Tire-Bouchon
    • 1 lap (63.7km/39.6 miles, 589m/1,932′ elevation)
  • Feast Fondo: Casse Pattes
    • 2 laps (46.5km/28.9 miles, 310m/1,017′ elevation)

Fondo Routes: “The Holidays”

Here are the routes for the weekend of Dec 29-31:

  • Jolly Fondo: Gran Fondo 2022
    • 1 lap: 92.8km/57.7 miles, 1116m/3,661′ elevation
  • Spark Fondo: Big Foot Hills
    • 1 lap (69.7km/43.3 miles, 713m/2,339′ elevation)
  • Festive Fondo: The Big Ring
    • 1 laps (51.1km/31.8 miles, 273m/895′ elevation)

Fondo Routes: “New Year’s”

We don’t yet know the routes for the weekend of Jan 26-28 since they haven’t been added to the calendar, but we know their lengths:

  • Triumph: Gran Fondo
    • 1 lap: 97.7km/60.7 miles, 1148m/3,766′ elevation
  • Rise: The Pretzel
    • 1 lap: 72.7km/45.2 miles, 1333m/4,373′ elevation
  • Elevate: Eastern Eight
    • 54.1km/33.6 miles, 413m/1,355′ elevation
See Upcoming Zwift Fondos and Sign Up

Kit Unlocks

This year, you can unlock a different fondo kit each month by completing any of the three fondo distances. Here’s a shot of all three kits:

These kits are exclusive, meaning they will never be available anywhere else. A true badge of honor!

Is this a race?

Officially, no. But hundreds (possibly thousands) of riders will turn out for each of these popular “fun race” events, and the front of each category will certainly be filled with strong riders going all out.

With so many riders taking part, everyone should be able to find a group going at their desired pace. You do you!

How the Categories Work

Unlike other Zwift events, the A, B, and C groups don’t refer to rider strength or fitness. Instead, they correspond to route and distance options:

  • A Group (~90 km Gran Fondo)
  • B Group (~70 km Medio fondo)
  • C Group (~50 km Bambino fondo)

Questions or Comments?

Post below!

How Many Kilometers (or Miles) of Road Does Each Zwift Map Have?

Eric Schlange
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35
How Many Kilometers (or Miles) of Road Does Each Zwift Map Have?

How Many Kilometers (or Miles) of Road Does Each Zwift Map Have?

A Zwifter recently asked me how many miles of roads are in Watopia, and I had to confess, to my abject shame, that I didn’t know.

So I set out to find the answer. It took some doing – lots of clicking on route details and mousework on Strava – but I’ve computed road length estimates for every map in Zwift as of October 15, 2025.

MapKmMiles
Bologna8.05.0
Crit City1.91.2
France5534.2
Innsbruck23.214.4
London40.925.4
Makuri Islands70.944.1
New York21.313.2
Paris6.64.1
Richmond16.210.1
Scotland14.38.9
Watopia136.484.8
Yorkshire13.88.6
Total408.5253.8

Note: I didn’t double-count road length in the above table. For this calculation, a 10km stretch of 2-way road is worth 10km, not 20km.

That’s Not All, Folks

I didn’t include the experimental Gravel Mountain map in the list above since it’s never been open to the public for free riding or events. This map contains a single loop of dirt road that is 5.2 km (3.2 miles) long.

Also not included on the list are Zwift’s Climb Portal roads, since I wasn’t quite sure how to best count them. They aren’t freely accessible roads, plus they technically exist in two places and are thus seen as different roads by Strava if you ride them in Watopia or France. That said, it’s worth mentioning that there are currently 421 km (261.6 miles) worth of Climb Portal roads spread across 44 different climbs which rotate on a set schedule. That’s a lot of new “tarmac!”

Add the Gravel Mountain loop and colorful Climb Portal roads to the list above and you’ve got 834.7 km (518.7 miles) of roads in Zwift.

Your Thoughts

Share below!

Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of November 25-26

Oli Chi
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9
Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of November 25-26

This weekend we’ve selected a fundraiser ride, the first race of a new series, an interesting group ride with a bonus race at the end, the Zwift Academy races, and an imperial century.


🤝 INC – fundraiser for #glennthecancerwarrior (avg 2.2 – 3.0wkg)

✅ Good Cause

Join team INC member Glenn Utteridge as he leads a ride to raise funds and share his experience battling stage 4 colon cancer while recovering from crash-related major injuries.

Read his story and donate at gofundme.com/f/glenn-striving-to-win-against-bowel-cancer, and join the ride for a workout and chance to support Glenn!

Sunday, November 26th @ 7:30am UTC
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/3945619


🥇 eCKD Christmas Party Stage 1

✅ Popular Event 　✅ Highly Competitive 　✅ Fresh Event

With roughly a month before Christmas, join eCKD for their Christmas Party race series. A race will be taking place each Sunday before Christmas, starting this weekend. Riders will receive points for each result and the top three results will count toward final GC placing. Expect a solid turnout and high-quality competition!

The first stage of the series will be taking place on The Big Ring, a newer course that is flat with a few rollers here and there. 

Sunday, November 26th @ 9:05am UTC/4:05am EST
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/3929501


🤝 Amersham RCC Winter Series (Bonus Race)

✅ Popular Event 　✅Innovative Format

The Amersham RCC Winter Series is in its sixth year, taking place every Sunday during the indoor season. It is a traditional group ride with a kick! Up until the last lap, the leader will be holding ~2 w/kg. However, once riders reach the last lap, riders can choose to race it. In order to count in the final ZwiftPower results, riders must be behind the leader when the lap starts.

This weekend’s event will be taking place on the Fine and Sandy course in the Makuri Islands.

Sunday, November 26th @ 8:55am UTC/3:55am EST
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/3951403


🥇 Race #1 & 2 | ZA 2023

✅ Popular Event 　✅ Highly Competitive 　✅ Sweet Unlocks

For those participating in Zwift Academy, there are several opportunities to complete the first and second races. These races are a great benchmark to see where fitness levels are at. 

For race 1, categories A and B will be racing 2 laps while C and D will be racing 1 lap of the Rolling Highlands course. For race 2, categories A and B will be racing 3 laps while C and D will be racing 2 and 1 lap on the Cobbled Climbs course, respectively.

Multiple time slots this weekend
Browse Zwift Academy Races at zwift.com/zwift-academy-races


🤝 DiRT Road DWGZ Hot Hundo (100 Miles – 161 KM)

✅ Popular Event 　✅ Endurance Ride

Looking to complete an imperial century with company? The DIRT Hot Hundo features two different categories where riders can ride at their own pace and find others to group up with. For some of the rides, leaders will be present to help create a group.

Both categories will be riding on the Douce France course for 100 miles (161 kilometers).

Saturday, November 25th @ 11:17am UTC/6:17am EST
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/3948821

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!

Top 5 Zwift Videos: Race Attacks, Alpe du Zwift, and Zwift Academy

Oli Chi
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2
Top 5 Zwift Videos: Race Attacks, Alpe du Zwift, and Zwift Academy

This week’s top 5 Zwift videos include advice for attacking in Zwift races, an indieVelo intro, Zwift’s new gamified Crit City, Zwift Academy workout 2, and the Zwift Academy Tri Team’s Kona experience. 

When Should You Attack In A Zwift Race? – Learning Zwift

Looking to improve your Zwift racing tactics? Zwift Analysis Network shares tips on where you should be attacking in order to maximize the effectiveness of your efforts. 

indieVelo: The App That is Shaking Up Indoor Cycling

Tariq Ali from Smart Bike Trainers shares in-depth details on IndieVelo, an up-and-coming indoor cycling platform. Learn details about racing, notable features, pricing, and more. 

Testing Zwift’s New Gamified Crit City

Watch as Scott from KOM Hunt TV shares his racing experience in the new gamified mode in Crit City. Learn details about the new format, personal thoughts on his experience, and more.

Zwift Academy Road Fatigue Fighter // Workout 2

Sarah from Everything Is Photogenic provides a deep analysis of the second Zwift Academy workout. Learn all about each of the different parts of the workout to give yourself a preview of what’s to come!

2023 Zwift Academy Tri Team – Ironman World Championships, Kona

The 2023 Zwift Academy Tri Team recently raced in Kailua Kona for the 2023 IRONMAN World Championships. Get an inside look at the race and the final days leading up to it!

Got a Great Zwift Video?

Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!

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