On this episode we bring in the mighty duo of Gerry Rodrigues and Jim Lubinski of Tower26 to chat about one of the often overlooked disciplines in triathlon… the swim! Gerry and Jim break down some key things to work on for form, but most importantly workout focus and how to periodize your swimming training in the season.
If you feel you haven’t gotten the most out of your swim yet, dive in and you won’t be disappointed!
About the Podcast:
The Zwift PowerUp Tri Podcast is hosted by former pro triathlete Matt Lieto and Zwift Academy Tri mentor Sarah True. Both are passionate about lending their in-depth knowledge of the multisport to the Zwift Tri audience.
Triathlon is a tough discipline: to be successful you must be a master of both the water and the road. Fortunately, there are plenty of events on Zwift to help hone your skills. I have highlighted some events that will fill the weekend.
Triathletes on Zwift Saturday Endurance Workout
This is really an endurance session at 167 minutes in length and is part of a 30-week progressive series that builds from tempo to sub-threshold-focused workout efforts.
2XU Brick Training Series, George Goodwin Bike Workout
A 60 minute ‘brick’ training session designed for triathletes. This session is from George Goodwin, a British professional triathlete. This is part of the 2XU Brick Training Series, an epic 6-week event with top 2XU Pro Triathletes riding and running their favourite workouts throughout Zwift.
Our friends at LEQP are undertaking “the big one” – PRL Full. This is ideal training for anyone doing the Ironman who needs to clock up serious mileage on the bike.
TOWER 26 Race Series – 56 Mile Bike Segment, 13.1 Mile Run Segment
A Half Ironman race distance, without drafting! Part of the training program for Tower 26. Ideal for those who fancy something a bit different. Separate events for rides and runs.
Zwift’s newest update includes a new bike frame: the Anchor RS9s from Japan-based Bridgestone.
Bridgestone, you say? Yes. They make car tires, but they also make bikes. In fact, they’ve been doing so for a long time, and have made some really nice road and mountain bikes over the years! That said, their distribution network and marketing outside of Japan is not strong. In short: Bridgestone may just be the world’s largest maker of high-end bikes you’ve never heard of.
This bike’s release corresponds to Zwift’s Makuri Islands Japan-themed map release – our first Japanese frame, and our first Japanese world. This frame is Bridgestone’s top road racing rig (read more about the IRL Bridgestone Anchor RS9s here.) It’s available for only 511,200 Drops on Zwift, for level 15+ Zwifters. The frame description is surprisingly brief in the Drop Shop, though:
“A high-end bicycle that keeps performance tight.”
That description is about as generic as they come. And experienced Zwifters know that real-world performance doesn’t necessarily translate to Zwift performance, so at Zwift Insider we run frames and wheelsets through a battery of tests to figure out just how well they perform in Zwift’s virtual world.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new Bridgestone Anchor RS9s in Zwift…
The Bridgestone Anchor RS9s, IRL
Aero Performance
The Bridgestone Anchor RS9s turns in the same flat test time as several existing frames, including (and this is important for later) the Specialized Tarmac Pro and Cannondale EVO.
Rated at just two stars for aero performance, we didn’t expect this frame to blow off the doors in our flat test. It turned in a time that places it right in the middle of the aero performance percentile rankings, along with 9 other frames which turned in the same time.
The Anchor RS9s turned in a time of 51:33 on our test course (two laps of Tempus Fugit). By comparison, the fastest frame in game (Specialized Venge S-Works) turned in a time of 51:18. (Both of these test times were done with Zwift’s stock wheelset, the 32mm carbon).
Climb Performance
The Bridgestone Anchor RS9s is rated at 4 stars for weight, so we were excited to test and see how it stacked up against the best climbers in game.
This frame comes from Bridgestone’s “Anchor” line (it’s written on the top tube), which feels sort of like naming an aero bike “the sail”. But as writers, we can appreciate a little irony.
Here’s the big news: the Anchor RS9s is a super-nimble climber, turning in the same time on our Alpe tests as the best climbing frames in game (the Specialized Tarmac Pro and Cannondale EVO). That’s right… we’ve got a three-way tie in the best climbing frames category.
The Bridgestone Anchor RS9s turned in an Alpe du Zwift time of 48:58. By comparison, the standard Zwift aero frame turns in a time of 49:31. (Both of these test times were done with Zwift’s stock wheelset, the 32mm carbon).
Star Rating Madness?
Posts like these always bring out the commenters lamenting how Zwift’s simple 4-star rating system doesn’t work. And they have a point: there are two frames in the Drop Shop rated at 4 stars for weight, but 3 for aero – and neither of these frames performs better on our Alpe climbing tests than the three leaders (Specialized Tarmac Pro, Cannondale EVO, and Bridgestone Anchor RS9s).
It’s not that the system is broken or inaccurate – it’s simply that the 4-star ratings aren’t granular enough to tell us precisely how the frames will really perform.
Conclusions
As a result of this frame’s top-notch climbing, we’ve updated the following posts to include the Bridgestone Anchor RS9s:
Unfortunately for Bridgestone, the frame is more expensive and level locked higher than the Specialized Tarmac Pro and Cannondale EVO – so there’s no compelling reason to pick it up, unless you’re a Bridgestone bike fan, or want to ride something others aren’t. Still, it’s always fun to get a new top performer in game!
Questions or Comments?
Share below!
Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike's performance relative to others may also change. We don't always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top Performers for current performance data.
This page includes basic details for all routes on Zwift’s Makuri Islands world. For additional route details, click the corresponding link to be taken to that route’s detail page.
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Animated map provided by ZwiftHacks
This scenic loop is on Urukazi’s largest island, home to the giant stone shisa who watch over all of Urukazi. The hilly circuit surrounds Festival Harbor, a colorful ocean harbor complete with statues, kites, homes, and beautiful flora/fauna.
Route Basics
Length: 6.2 km (3.9 miles) Elevation: 60 m (197‘) Lead-In: 1.9 km (1.2 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 125XP
This scenic loop is on Urukazi’s largest island, home to the giant stone shisa who watch over all of Urukazi. The hilly circuit surrounds Festival Harbor, a colorful ocean harbor complete with statues, kites, homes, and beautiful flora/fauna.
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Animated map provided by ZwiftHacks
Originally created as a Rebel Route in November of 2021, Castle Crit is the brainchild of Zwifter Anders Fougner. It’s the pitchy, country counterpoint to the flatter, urban Neokyo Crit Course.
We used Anders’ idea but changed the direction of the circuit so it would end with a short flat section after the key climb and give riders a short descent after the sprint segment.
This route was added to the Zwift canon in January 2024 to host the final stage of Tour de Zwift 2024.
Route Basics
Length: 3.5 km (2.2 miles) Elevation: 44 m (144‘) Lead-In: 1.5 km (0.9 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 69XP
Originally created as a Rebel Route in November of 2021, Castle Crit is the brainchild of Zwifter Anders Fougner. It’s the pitchy, country counterpoint to the flatter, urban Neokyo Crit Course.
We used Anders’ idea but changed the direction of the circuit so it would end with a short flat section after the key climb and give riders a short descent after the sprint segment.
This route was added to the Zwift canon in January 2024 to host the final stage of Tour de Zwift 2024.
Released in Zwift’s January 2022 update, Castle to Castle draws its name from the two castles you’ll pass along the way – first the castle area in Yumezi, then the imperial palace in the Neokyo’s Castle Park.
Route Basics
Length: 22.4 km (13.9 miles) Elevation: 140 m (459‘) Lead-In: 0.8 km (0.5 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 460XP
Released in Zwift’s January 2022 update, Castle to Castle draws its name from the two castles you’ll pass along the way – first the castle area in Yumezi, then the imperial palace in the Neokyo’s Castle Park.
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Chain Chomper is one of the tougher routes on this map. It takes you up the Castle and Temple KOMs in back-to-back fashion, then you descend to finish at the Country Sprint.
Route Basics
Length: 13.6 km (8.5 miles) Elevation: 184 m (604‘) Lead-In: 2.3 km (1.4 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 270XP
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Chain Chomper is one of the tougher routes on this map. It takes you up the Castle and Temple KOMs in back-to-back fashion, then you descend to finish at the Country Sprint.
Released in Zwift’s February 2022 update, Chasing the Sun was the longest route on Makuri Islands until Makuri 40 was released. With contrasting portions based in Neokyo and Yumezi, it includes three sprint segments and two climbs, only one of which is a timed segment.
Route Basics
Length: 35.1 km (21.8 miles) Elevation: 316 m (1,037‘) Lead-In: 0 km ( miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 690XP
Released in Zwift’s February 2022 update, Chasing the Sun was the longest route on Makuri Islands until Makuri 40 was released. With contrasting portions based in Neokyo and Yumezi, it includes three sprint segments and two climbs, only one of which is a timed segment.
One of Makuri Islands’ longest routes, Country to Coastal takes you on a tour of Yumezi’s castle area and farmlands as well as Urukazi’s wild coastline. This is the only existing route which takes you down the slot canyon connector road… then back up that same road!
Route Basics
Length: 33.4 km (20.8 miles) Elevation: 275 m (902‘) Lead-In: 0.1 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 665XP
One of Makuri Islands’ longest routes, Country to Coastal takes you on a tour of Yumezi’s castle area and farmlands as well as Urukazi’s wild coastline. This is the only existing route which takes you down the slot canyon connector road… then back up that same road!
Sort of the little brother to Island Outskirts, Fine and Sandy is a shorter figure 8 of the Urukazi island complex which includes two efforts up the Mech Isle dirt climb.
Route Basics
Length: 10.6 km (6.6 miles) Elevation: 77 m (253‘) Lead-In: 0.1 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 210XP
Sort of the little brother to Island Outskirts, Fine and Sandy is a shorter figure 8 of the Urukazi island complex which includes two efforts up the Mech Isle dirt climb.
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Flatland Loop contains a few more lumps and bumps than the name implies – in fact, it’s not even the flattest route on the Yumezi map (that distinction goes to Two Village Loop)! But it does manage to skip the KOMs.
Route Basics
Length: 12.9 km (8.0 miles) Elevation: 96 m (315‘) Lead-In: 0.2 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 260XP
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Flatland Loop contains a few more lumps and bumps than the name implies – in fact, it’s not even the flattest route on the Yumezi map (that distinction goes to Two Village Loop)! But it does manage to skip the KOMs.
Looking for the full Urukazi tour? The Island Hopper covers all Urukazi roads (except for the connector roads to Neokyo and Yumezi). This route takes you on two loops of the Urukazi island complex. Your first loop takes the innermost roads on each of the islands, while the second loop takes the outermost roads.
Route Basics
Length: 18 km (11.2 miles) Elevation: 129 m (423‘) Lead-In: 0.1 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 360XP
Looking for the full Urukazi tour? The Island Hopper covers all Urukazi roads (except for the connector roads to Neokyo and Yumezi). This route takes you on two loops of the Urukazi island complex. Your first loop takes the innermost roads on each of the islands, while the second loop takes the outermost roads.
Taking in (almost) all of Urukazi’s outermost roads, this loop gives you a tour of the island group, taking you to the highest point on the map along the way.
Route Basics
Length: 11.4 km (7.1 miles) Elevation: 90 m (295‘) Lead-In: 0.1 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 225XP
Taking in (almost) all of Urukazi’s outermost roads, this loop gives you a tour of the island group, taking you to the highest point on the map along the way.
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Kappa Quest is named after the amphibious yōkai demon/imp found in Japanese folklore. Keep your eyes open – perhaps you’ll see one?
Route Basics
Length: 9.1 km (5.7 miles) Elevation: 140 m (459‘) Lead-In: 3.8 km (2.4 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 180XP
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Kappa Quest is named after the amphibious yōkai demon/imp found in Japanese folklore. Keep your eyes open – perhaps you’ll see one?
Launching with Zwift Games 2026, this route loops the well-known Pain Cavern>Neokyo>Slot Canyon>Urukazi circuit, but finishes with a spicy little spur on the Boardwalk.
Route Basics
Length: 16.9 km (10.5 miles) Elevation: 134 m (440‘) Lead-In: 0.4 km (0.2 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 340XP
Launching with Zwift Games 2026, this route loops the well-known Pain Cavern>Neokyo>Slot Canyon>Urukazi circuit, but finishes with a spicy little spur on the Boardwalk.
The longest route in Makuri Islands when it launched in November 2022, Makuri 40 covers major parts of all three sections: Yumezi, Neokyo, and Urukazi.
Route Basics
Length: 40.2 km (25.0 miles) Elevation: 308 m (1,010‘) Lead-In: 0.1 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 800XP
The longest route in Makuri Islands when it launched in November 2022, Makuri 40 covers major parts of all three sections: Yumezi, Neokyo, and Urukazi.
Far and away the longest Makuri Islands route when it was released in September 2024, Makuri Pretzel covers key roads in each of the three Makuri Islands areas: Yumezi, Neokyo, and Urukazi. And it covers them in both directions, which means you hit four different sprint arches in both directions for a total of eight sprint opportunities.
This route is the brainchild of James Bailey, Zwift’s event guru. While it avoids all the Makuri Islands KOM segments, you’ll want to keep your eyes open in a race. There are plenty of sneaky, draggy climbs that provide ample opportunity for attacks.
Route Basics
Length: 77.6 km (48.2 miles) Elevation: 616 m (2,021‘) Lead-In: 1.1 km (0.7 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 1550XP
Far and away the longest Makuri Islands route when it was released in September 2024, Makuri Pretzel covers key roads in each of the three Makuri Islands areas: Yumezi, Neokyo, and Urukazi. And it covers them in both directions, which means you hit four different sprint arches in both directions for a total of eight sprint opportunities.
This route is the brainchild of James Bailey, Zwift’s event guru. While it avoids all the Makuri Islands KOM segments, you’ll want to keep your eyes open in a race. There are plenty of sneaky, draggy climbs that provide ample opportunity for attacks.
The shortest route in the Urukazi map, Mech Isle Loop takes you on a quick circuit of Mech Isle. What do they do here, anyway? It’s all a bit hush-hush, but the gigantic robo-parts seen here and there would indicate that the island lives up to its name.
Route Basics
Length: 4 km (2.5 miles) Elevation: 39 m (128‘) Lead-In: 0.1 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 80XP
The shortest route in the Urukazi map, Mech Isle Loop takes you on a quick circuit of Mech Isle. What do they do here, anyway? It’s all a bit hush-hush, but the gigantic robo-parts seen here and there would indicate that the island lives up to its name.
Introduced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Neokyo All-Nighter is the longest “Neokyo-only” route upon its release. At nearly 25km in length, this route covers nearly every bit of road in Neokyo, including 4 sprint segments and the Rooftop KOM.
Route Basics
Length: 24.3 km (15.1 miles) Elevation: 168 m (551‘) Lead-In: 0.2 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 485XP
Introduced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Neokyo All-Nighter is the longest “Neokyo-only” route upon its release. At nearly 25km in length, this route covers nearly every bit of road in Neokyo, including 4 sprint segments and the Rooftop KOM.
Released unannounced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Neokyo Crit Course is an event-only route which would have slipped under the radar except that its route badge appears in game.That’s right – a route badge for an event-only route! (A first on Zwift.)
Route Basics
Length: 3.9 km (2.4 miles) Elevation: 19 m (62‘) Lead-In: 0.7 km (0.4 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: Event Only
Achievement Badge: 90XP
Released unannounced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Neokyo Crit Course is an event-only route which would have slipped under the radar except that its route badge appears in game.That’s right – a route badge for an event-only route! (A first on Zwift.)
Introduced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Neon Flats is one of the flattest Neokyo routes around. (Oddly enough, it’s not the flattest – that award goes to Sleepless City.) This is a great route if you’re looking for something flat and fast, with sprint segments to contest.
Route Basics
Length: 14.7 km (9.1 miles) Elevation: 73 m (240‘) Lead-In: 0.2 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 290XP
Introduced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Neon Flats is one of the flattest Neokyo routes around. (Oddly enough, it’s not the flattest – that award goes to Sleepless City.) This is a great route if you’re looking for something flat and fast, with sprint segments to contest.
Created to host team time trials for the first race of ZRL’s 2025/26 Round 3, Neon Shore Loop begins with a tour through most of Neokyo before looping out to the islands of Urukazi. It’s a mostly flat route, with a few key climbs to test teams’ cohesiveness and pacing.
Route Basics
Length: 32.9 km (20.4 miles) Elevation: 215 m (705‘) Lead-In: 1.1 km (0.7 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 660XP
Created to host team time trials for the first race of ZRL’s 2025/26 Round 3, Neon Shore Loop begins with a tour through most of Neokyo before looping out to the islands of Urukazi. It’s a mostly flat route, with a few key climbs to test teams’ cohesiveness and pacing.
Introduced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Railways and Rooftops is almost the pitchiest route in Neokyo, climbing 70 meters over its 6.2km length. Along the way it takes you over the Railway Sprint then up the backside of the Rooftop KOM which (strangely) is not currently a timed segment.
Route Basics
Length: 6.2 km (3.9 miles) Elevation: 71 m (233‘) Lead-In: 2.1 km (1.3 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 120XP
Introduced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Railways and Rooftops is almost the pitchiest route in Neokyo, climbing 70 meters over its 6.2km length. Along the way it takes you over the Railway Sprint then up the backside of the Rooftop KOM which (strangely) is not currently a timed segment.
Added to the game in August 2025 as an event-only route to host events for Zwift Camp: Baseline, Red Zone Repeats begins with a flat lead-in from the Yumezi countryside, then heads to Neokyo for three laps of a flat circuit before ending in a Tower Sprint finish.
Route Basics
Length: 19.4 km (12.1 miles) Elevation: 87 m (285‘) Lead-In: 0.2 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 390XP
Added to the game in August 2025 as an event-only route to host events for Zwift Camp: Baseline, Red Zone Repeats begins with a flat lead-in from the Yumezi countryside, then heads to Neokyo for three laps of a flat circuit before ending in a Tower Sprint finish.
Introduced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Rooftop Rendezvous is Neokyo’s climbiest route. It’s a circuit that simply takes you up the Rooftop KOM then down, climbing 56 meters in each 3.7km lap.
Route Basics
Length: 3.7 km (2.3 miles) Elevation: 56 m (184‘) Lead-In: 2.9 km (1.8 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 74XP
Introduced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Rooftop Rendezvous is Neokyo’s climbiest route. It’s a circuit that simply takes you up the Rooftop KOM then down, climbing 56 meters in each 3.7km lap.
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Sea to Tree is a short, one-way route up the Temple KOM from the Fishing Village side. You begin at the “sea” on the island before the Fishing Village, and end at the giant mythical tree atop the KOM.
Route Basics
Length: 3.2 km (2.0 miles) Elevation: 106 m (348‘) Lead-In: 0.6 km (0.4 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 65XP
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Sea to Tree is a short, one-way route up the Temple KOM from the Fishing Village side. You begin at the “sea” on the island before the Fishing Village, and end at the giant mythical tree atop the KOM.
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Spirit Forest is a figure 8 route that keeps you in the Temple KOM area, without actually completing any KOMs!
Route Basics
Length: 8.4 km (5.2 miles) Elevation: 135 m (443‘) Lead-In: 4.6 km (2.9 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 170XP
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Spirit Forest is a figure 8 route that keeps you in the Temple KOM area, without actually completing any KOMs!
Introduced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Sprinter’s Playground lives up to its name, taking riders over all four Neokyo sprint sections in one short, fairly flat lap.
Route Basics
Length: 12.4 km (7.7 miles) Elevation: 68 m (223‘) Lead-In: 0.2 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 245XP
Introduced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Sprinter’s Playground lives up to its name, taking riders over all four Neokyo sprint sections in one short, fairly flat lap.
Introduced two months after Yumezi’s launch, Suki’s Playground is a figure 8 named in memory of Zwift Senior Game Designer Richard Yeh’s dog Suki, who passed while Richard was developing routes for the Yumezi map.
“I adopted Suki when she was only 11 weeks old, and we had a wonderful 11 years together,” says Richard. “She passed away suddenly last September, but her spirit is always still with me. She loved to run and do zoomies when she got excited. The route was initially called ‘Zoomies for Suki’, but we changed it to ‘Suki’s Playground.’”
Route Basics
Length: 18.3 km (11.4 miles) Elevation: 150 m (492‘) Lead-In: 0.2 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 365XP
Introduced two months after Yumezi’s launch, Suki’s Playground is a figure 8 named in memory of Zwift Senior Game Designer Richard Yeh’s dog Suki, who passed while Richard was developing routes for the Yumezi map.
“I adopted Suki when she was only 11 weeks old, and we had a wonderful 11 years together,” says Richard. “She passed away suddenly last September, but her spirit is always still with me. She loved to run and do zoomies when she got excited. The route was initially called ‘Zoomies for Suki’, but we changed it to ‘Suki’s Playground.’”
When it was introduced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Temples and Towers was the biggest Makuri Islands route, both in elevation and distance. It no longer holds that title, but it still takes you up all three KOMs: Rooftop, Castle, and Temple.
Route Basics
Length: 32.6 km (20.3 miles) Elevation: 319 m (1,047‘) Lead-In: 0.7 km (0.4 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 650XP
When it was introduced in Zwift’s November 2021 update, Temples and Towers was the biggest Makuri Islands route, both in elevation and distance. It no longer holds that title, but it still takes you up all three KOMs: Rooftop, Castle, and Temple.
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Three Village Loop takes you on the shortest possible route between the three villages of the Yumezi map: the Castle, Fishing Village, and Village Onsen.
Route Basics
Length: 10.6 km (6.6 miles) Elevation: 93 m (305‘) Lead-In: 2.3 km (1.4 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 210XP
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Three Village Loop takes you on the shortest possible route between the three villages of the Yumezi map: the Castle, Fishing Village, and Village Onsen.
Released in October 2025 to host Zwift Unlocked events, Tropic Rush is similar to Turf N Surf, but with a longer flat start and a spicy extra climb near the end! Read on for details…
Route Basics
Length: 41.2 km (25.6 miles) Elevation: 328 m (1,076‘) Lead-In: 1.6 km (1.0 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 825XP
Released in October 2025 to host Zwift Unlocked events, Tropic Rush is similar to Turf N Surf, but with a longer flat start and a spicy extra climb near the end! Read on for details…
Ride through Neokyo’s urban permanight, then make your way through the slot canyon to Urukazi’s wild coastline before returning to Neokyo via the cavern road.
Route Basics
Length: 24.6 km (15.3 miles) Elevation: 196 m (643‘) Lead-In: 0.1 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 490XP
Ride through Neokyo’s urban permanight, then make your way through the slot canyon to Urukazi’s wild coastline before returning to Neokyo via the cavern road.
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Two Village Loop was originally the flattest route on the map. It takes you around the Castle and Village Onsen (hence the name), and along the way you’ll ride some short bits of road that aren’t often ridden via official routes. Enjoy!
Route Basics
Length: 12.8 km (8.0 miles) Elevation: 88 m (289‘) Lead-In: 0.2 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 255XP
Introduced in Zwift’s May 2021 Yumezi launch, Two Village Loop was originally the flattest route on the map. It takes you around the Castle and Village Onsen (hence the name), and along the way you’ll ride some short bits of road that aren’t often ridden via official routes. Enjoy!
Launched in Zwift’s August 2021 update, Valley to Mountaintop is sort of the sister route of “Sea to Tree“. Both start near the Village Onsen start pens, but they each attack the Temple KOM from a different side.
Route Basics
Length: 5 km (3.1 miles) Elevation: 129 m (423‘) Lead-In: 0.1 km (0.1 miles) Map: Makuri Islands
Restriction: none
Achievement Badge: 100XP
Launched in Zwift’s August 2021 update, Valley to Mountaintop is sort of the sister route of “Sea to Tree“. Both start near the Village Onsen start pens, but they each attack the Temple KOM from a different side.
This update is a big deal, because it includes a brand new world. These are our favorite updates!
New World: Makuri Islands
This is the big news in today’s update – a brand new world for Zwifters! Today Zwift launches the “Yumezi” map, which is the first map in their new “Makuri Islands” world. (If that’s confusing to you, think of it like Zwift launching the Titans Grove map as part of the Watopia world.)
The new map contains approximately 27.6km (17.1 miles) of new roads, and around 1/3 of those roads are dirt singletrack. The map has 8 routes:
Click below for details on each route, including accurate Strava segments, profiles, and written descriptions:
We’ll all be able to ride Yumezi beginning tonight when the guest world switches over on May 20 at 4am UTC (May 19 9pm PDT / May 20 Midnight EDT) Until then, Mac and PC users can world hack their way in.
Here are some in-game shots to whet your appetite. Zwift’s artists really outdid themselves here – the landscapes and villages look amazing. Especially at night!
Remains of a Kaiju battle?
Up to the top layer of the Castle village
Mt. Fuji in the background
Fishing Village
Farmland flats
The beautiful Golden Forest
Giant Mystical Tree (Temple KOM banner inside)
Blue wispy spirits
New Wheels: Roval Rapide CLX
A new set of wheels is always fun! We’re testing these now, and will release a post with our findings ASAP.
New Frame: Bridgestone Anchor RS9s
The Bridgestone name isn’t well-known as a bike maker to some, but the Japanese company makes some quality stuff! It’s fitting that the Anchor RS9s would launch along with the Japan-themed new world.
We’re testing the frame out now to see how it performs.
New Workout of the Week
The “Workout of the Week” category was added in the last update, and today’s update gives us a new workout for this week.
Workouts of the Week are available as group ride events (several daily, see schedule) or you can tackle them on your own. These are specifically designed for time-crunched athletes, and usually last 30-45 minutes.
Voxwomen Tour 2021 Workouts Added
The three workouts used in the recent Voxwomen Tour 2021 events are now available in your workout library.
Bug Fixes and Misc Improvements
TrainingPeaks users can now sync workouts built with duration and percentage of threshold pace.
Numerous cycling and running assets (kits, shirts, etc.) have been added or updated.
Fixed a bug which could cause podcast audio to fail to play on iOS / AppleTV devices.
Fixed bugs that would cause workout information to appear in the wrong place when completing multiple activities in a single session.
Fixed a bug that would prevent Wattbike users from seeing the Wattbike kit in game.
Fixed a bug causing UI to not be visible in Repack Ridge when riding a KICKR Bike.
Fixed a naming issue with the ZIPP 353 wheelset in the drop shop and garage.
Fixed typos in workouts for Zwift Academy Tri 2020.
Fixed a bug causing the wrong textures to be used for wheels in the drop shop.
Fixed a bug that would cause misalignment between the rear wheel and the bike frame in the drop shop.
Fixed bugs where “Event is Starting”, “CALORIES”, and “ADD A TARGET” text was not localized.
Fixed a crash for ANT+ users with Elite devices.
Fixed a bug that allowed users to set their name as a simple space character.
Fixed a bug on Android where some Bluetooth UI text was not properly localized.
Fixed a bug causing some objects to appear in places where they should not.
Fixes a bug causing Road Feel to not work correctly for Tacx Neo 2T trainer users.
Fixed a bug for Zwifters using Zwift Companion device pairing when returning to the home screen.
Fixed a bug causing invisible riders and runners on the Figure 8 route in Watopia.
Zwifters all over the world have been keeping a keen eye on Zwift CEO Eric Min’s Strava account, hoping he would post a ride in the new world Zwift has been teasing since last weekend. And today, he did just that!
Eric traditionally posts a “teaser” Strava ride a day or two before new maps launch, so we’re pretty confident that this “Ancient Land” will be available for Zwifters to experience very soon.
Learning from His Ride
Fortunately, spirited Zwift hackers have already discovered what we think is the entire new map. Here is that map image (from the Companion app on Android), with Eric’s Strava ride overlaid on top. You can see his ride covered most of the roads on the new map.
The route profile is fairly flat, with an elevation difference of around 60 meters between the flatlands to the Northwest and a pitchier section in what appears to be a city with roads twisting through it near the center of the map.
Of course, since Eric didn’t ride some of the roads to the south, we can’t say what happens elevation-wise in this area.
The total length of the outer loop Eric rode is approximately 15km.
Eric posted one image from his ride, heading into the square-walled city (called “Village Onsen”) on the eastern side of the map:
An “Onsen” is a hot springs, so presumably this village has hot springs nearby. It also looks like it would make a killer crit course!
Does Size Matter?
As most Zwifters know, GPS data for Zwift’s imaginary lands is mapped onto Pacific Islands so they can play nicely with Strava data. The new Yumezi map is located on “Lata”, the provincial capital of Temotu Province, Solomon Islands (553 inhabitants as of 2007).
Watopia is located on the much smaller Vanikoro Island (also part of the Temotu Province), approximately 90 miles southeast of Lata.
If the size of the real-world islands is any indication, Zwift has big plans for Makuri Islands!
Learning More
Zwift has managed the tease campaign for this launch in expert fashion, sending out small puzzle pieces across all their channels since last Saturday. There’s now a placeholder page live at zwift.com/yumezi, with a very short video of the new map. And it looks beautiful.
About the Name
The new map is named “Yumezi”, and it is located in “Makuri Islands”. If this seems confusing, just think of it like Zwift launching Titans Grove in Watopia – a smaller map release located in a much larger world.
Yumezi appears to be part 1 in a series of releases for the Makuri Islands, which will be a sort of “hub world” that gets built out similarly to Watopia.
Your Thoughts
What do you think? We’re excited to explore some new roads here at the Zwift Insider Lab. Getting prepped to put together some new route profiles!
Keep An Eye Out for Puddles – Tips for WTRL TTT #109 (2019 UCI Worlds Harrogate)
Each week I will give you a profile of the upcoming route, guidance on bike choice, and some target times if you want to aim for the Premier League (top-teams in each coffee class get to be in a special race televised on YouTube).
If you can’t ride, or even if you can ride, but want more action, don’t forget to tune in to the live TV show on Zwift Community Live’s YouTube Channel at 6:15 (UK time).
Thursday 20th May – UCI Yorkshire
This week we head north from Watopia to Yorkshire – and do a couple of laps of the 2019 UCI circuit. It’s a lumpy one! None of the hills are awful, but there are long drags up.
I believe this is one of Zwift’s most beautiful worlds, but you won’t have much time to watch the scenery float past. You’ll be suffering.
No lead-in from the pens: straight into the laps after 100 yards. Each lap is 13km with 240m of climbing – and you do two of them. There are no mountains here but plenty of ascending to sap the legs. Here are my DS Notes for you to print off and leave by you’re bike:
What to ride?
This is not a flat route, and it’s not a mountain – it’s best described as lumpy. My feeling is the up and down nature of this course favors the Tron over S-Works Venge (with 858/Super 9) but what do the numbers say?
Eric and I had a debate on the bike to use, which he settled in his usual way – by doing the science. He ran a set of tests for a common set of wheel/frame combinations to see where the edge is.
The answer is – Tron and Venge (with 858/Super9) perform identically – our rider got around a lap in exactly 22:38 with each bike. The Tron climbs slightly faster than the Venge+Discs, but the Venge is a bit more aero.
Of course, your performance is what matters, so unless you can output a consistent 4 w/kg your time may vary! Here are some choices for you at different levels.
But… I can’t let you go without another push for Tron – and this is for Simon Schofield as much as anyone since he famously still doesn’t have one – and he’s from Yorkshire! On a course like this, Tron matches the best bike you can buy at any level. As always, the ZwiftInsider reports on frames and wheels are superlative so if you want to find the perfect bike and wheel combo for you, check them out.
Route recon
This is a two-lap race with nowhere to hide. Here is my recon video that walks you through it all:
What to look out for on the ride
This is a technical ride – it’s all up hills and down dales. Winning this week is all about knowing your team, particularly where the weaker team members will crack and the headstrong will ride too hard. Both of those things will cause splits.
There’s no time to catch your thoughts here… 100m out of the pen you are at the start/finish and into the first hill – Otley Road.
Ninety degree right turn and it’s a 1.7km straight shot up Otley Road at a pleasant 3.5-4%. It’s a straight road with consistent rise, so take the first few meters to collect yourselves and get into formation. The descent is short and sharp, followed by another incline (see the profile picture). None of this is too bad – keep in formation and have fun.
Shortly after the hard right turn comes Pot Bank – the descent first, then the rise up. This down is fast and twisty, peaking at 16%, so watch out for lighter team members getting left behind. Back up the other side of Pot Bank averages 4% but it’s split into two parts – a sharp rise, which eases. Staying together over this section is critical.
At 7.5km (and around 21km) you will hit the KOM. It’s not a monster – 1.2km at 5.5% – but it drags on for far longer than it has any right to!
Cresting the KOM
After that the ride just gets a bit messy but there’s nothing to worry about. The last 500m is a 2% climb up to the start/finish gate – just plow on through and do it all again.
One note on the finish: even though the second time is identical to the first time, that 500m at 2% will be hard. This is the time to know who’s got the legs for the sprint, and who to jettison! It takes a whole team to race, but only four to win.
Wrap up
This is a technical ride – there is nowhere on the route where you can stop paying attention or hide. Bike selection won’t make the difference here – but team communication will. When I did this ride last time I was with a crew I didn’t really know… but I certainly knew their strengths and weaknesses afterward – and they knew mine! This is a great course that puts the Team in Team Time Trial!
Two of this week’s Top 5 Zwift Videos deal with problems getting and keeping devices connected to Zwift. Then get some tips on doing a quicker team time trial and an update on a controversial Zwift decision about users’ weight and height.
Go Faster in Zwift Team Time Trials // Top 5 Tips
Team time trials have brought a new level of strategy and tactics to Zwift racing. Si Bradeley breaks down five tips to help you plan your next TTT.
Zwift Connection Issues: How To Troubleshoot Zwift Pairing Issues
Having a hard time connecting your equipment to Zwift or getting signal dropouts? Tariq with SMART Bike Trainers can help you troubleshoot.
Will this SOLVE your power dropouts in Zwift? ANT+ sensor location
Today Zwift released a post across its social channels, teasing what is certainly the launch of a new map/world. Here’s the Facebook post so you can see for yourself:
If you look closely, the map on the wall of the train shows at least some of Zwift’s worlds, in order of their release dates:
Watopia
Richmond
London
New York
France
The final stop on the map says “An Ancient Land”, and as you’re trying to read the smaller text on the map, the train announcement audio says, “The next stop is… an ancient land.”
What Is This “Ancient Land”?
Surveying replies on Zwift’s social posts (Twitter, Strava, Facebook, and Instagram) the clear consensus is that “An Ancient Land” refers to the Tokyo/Olympics route which we know was planned to launch a year ago in anticipation of the Olympics, but shelved when the lockdown craziness erupted.
The colors of the map matching the colors of the Olympic rings certainly help make the case.
Further Clues
We’ve seen three additional clues over the weekend as well. More subtle clues, perhaps, but clearly intentional teases on Zwift’s part.
First was their Instagram story asking people to “Choose Your Chalk”. One of the chalk phrases is “The Spirit Of” – and that phrase doesn’t actually appear on any Zwift roads today, that we know of.
Secondly – and this is a big one – we know at least some of the riders who completed this weekend’s Ride Like King 13 events received an email with this image in the footer:
That’s definitely not a shot from any current Zwift world. The bamboo and architecture give it a distinctly Japanese feel. And… it looks pretty freaking cool!
Lastly, the latest World of Zwift episode includes an interview with Zwift’s Wes Salmon, and Wes has a map hanging on his wall with “An Ancient Land” printed over it (credit to James Eastwood for spotting this!):
The Olympic Route?
We know this new map was launching in step with the Tokyo Olympics – but is it a re-creation of the 2020 Olympic Road Race route?
That seems highly doubtful, given how the route lays out. Here’s the Men’s road race route:
Given that Zwift likes to create loops instead of “out and back” routes, the whole lead-in from Tokyo to Doushi Road seems like a non-starter. But we do have a couple of loops after that lead-in, including one at the base of Mt. Fuji. Perhaps Zwift will be re-creating some of these portions of the Olympic route?
On the other hand, this isn’t the UCI Worlds – it’s the Olympics. In past years, Zwift has faithfully recreated portions of the UCI Worlds routes each year. But what have they done for the Olympic routes?
Nothing. There is no precedent. So all we can do is guess until this map launches.
While Zwift could re-create GPS-accurate portions of the Olympic route, it’s quite possible they have created a sort of Japan-inspired map which mixes together elements of real-world Japan in a rider-friendly layout. Eric Min talked of a new map coming that was potentially “bigger than Watopia” and if this is that map, it will almost certainly not be based entirely on real-world GPS coordinates. Zwift will want to make IRL Japan Zwifty. And that’s a good thing.
When Will It Launch?
Zwift is only teasing at this point, and not giving any firm launch dates. We do know Zwift’s Olympic Virtual Series begins on June 1, and there’s a virtual Mt. Fuji Hill Climb race scheduled for Road to Sky on May 30th. Additionally, the last 4 days of the guest map schedule all being assigned to London/Yorkshire currently seems a bit suspicious.
On the other hand, launching the new map on May 27th would give Zwift only a couple of days to debug things before the events above, which is a tight schedule if those events are going to be held on the new map. So it’s quite possible that the new map is planned to launch much earlier – even this week!
Your Thoughts
What is Zwift launching, and when will we see it? Share your thoughts below!
Zwift Racing League 2020/21 Round 3 Week 7 Guide: Magnificent 8 TTT
I can’t speak to all the divisions, but the competitive spirit is heating up in my division. R&K lies 3rd and our Portuguese friends (Hi Jorge!!) are tantalizingly close in 2nd. We have the measure of them on our day in a TTT… but so far they haven’t put a foot wrong. So Magnificent 8 represents our opportunity to claw back some points difference before the big finish on Surrey Hills!
About the Magnificent 8 Course
Next Tuesday we have a 28.8km ride in a roughly figure-8 route around Watopia on the Magnificent 8 course. The Magnificent 8 is one of those “mostly flat, but…” courses. Here the “but” comes in the form of Hilly KOM Reverse which has the potential to rip the team apart if you aren’t careful.
The key to success on Tuesday is how many of the team get over the KOM (you need the heavier team members to help cross the desert) and how long you spend regrouping if splits happen (you can’t afford to spend time regrouping).
My summary of the ride: whoever is in the front, lead the team, don’t leave the team!
Come out of the pens and through the start / finish gate. It’s not flat to start with but it is a steady rise – work on your formation and you have nothing to worry about. At the top of the rise turn right, head across the bridge, around the volcano and across the land-bridge toward the Italian Villas.
Part 2 – Through the Italian Villas and over the KOM
This is definitely the trickiest section of the ride. Once you are across the landbridge the road surface changes to dirt, then it starts to rise. Once you get to the Villas the surface returns to tarmac, and rises up past the waterfall. There is a brief respite (down/flat) before hitting the KOM itself.
The challenge with the dirt section is the drag dirt has – it will slow your team down, and will also reduce visibility. Discord is your friend here. The road hits 3% which on the dirt will feel like 5%. It doesn’t take long though, and soon enough you’ll be at the Italian Villas.
At around 7.4km you hit the reverse KOM. This one is your real danger area for holding the team together.
By the numbers this hill barely exists… it’s 1.8% for 2.5km. A false-flat, right? Well, the truth is we have four ramps separated by easier segments and even some downhill. Why is this a problem? In a large group race you have a big group to hide in, and as the groups split up you still have plenty of protection. In a TTT you have only have (up to) 6 team members to hold things together – when the hill bites each team member will be impacted differently.
What to look out for here?
Lighter members leaving the team behind. This is not a time for a solo break.
Heavier team members being left behind. Particularly on the first ramp – at over 10% someone will crack if you go at race-pace.
If you come over the top together you’re in luck – gather momentum on the descent and there is even an opportunity to supertuck – just look out for the flatter section around the bend where your supertuck might break. Stay together here and power down.
Part 3 – Across the desert
There is a slight rise into the desert itself, but mostly this is a flat, fast 11km. Heads down, get in formation, and ride like the wind.
Part 4 – Col du Saddle Springs and home
You exit Saddle Springs at around 24km. The col is small rise that comes right after the futuristic building you pass on your left (it’s a copy of the LAX Control Tower). After a lengthy flat this is a perfect opportunity for your lighter, stronger climbers to jump ahead and create a split! Rein in those riders and keep everyone together. This first little hill is just 2% for 900m before you head back down and into the undersea tunnels.
After that it’s pretty plain sailing – exiting the tunnel system has a short bump up – but by this time you can make your own decisions on whether to jettison slower riders based on how many of you are left! Just a short finish back to Downtown!
Course Recon from No Breakaways
Here’s the short and sweet recon from Rick at No Breakaways
What to ride?
This is a “mostly flat” route, so aero rules. If you have it, the Specialized S-Works Venge with Zipp 858/Super 9 wheels is the pick of the bunch (and the only frame/wheel combo to beat Tron on the flat). Tron is almost as good on this course, and if you haven’t done it yet – kick off the Everest Challenge and start the long painful climb to get Tron.
As always, the Zwift Insider reports on frames and wheels are superlative so if you want to find the perfect bike and wheel combo for you, check them out.
