Announcing the 4-Race TSE Tour of Europe (Sponsored by Epica Sport)
A new 4-race series begins this Wednesday (October 15), complete with cycling gear prizes provided by Epica Sport. It includes custom 4-category ZRS-based rider groupings, team and individual classifications, and a fresh route on a European Zwift map each week. Read on for details!
Categories
Riders are grouped according to custom Zwift Racing Score ranges, and each group starts and races separately:
Category D: 0–300 points
Category C: 301–550 points
Category B: 551–800 points
Category A: 801–1000 points
Race Schedule and Routes
The 4-race competition lasts for 4 consecutive weeks (October 15-November 5), with races each Wednesday at 5:05pm UTC/1:05pm ET/10:05am PT.
Riders are ranked by points for the overall 4-race series. For each race, points are awarded based on the final position within your category:
1st place = 100 points | 2nd place = 90 points | 3rd place = 80 points |4th place = 75 points | 5th place = 70 points | 6th place = 65 points | 7th place = 60 points | 8th place = 55 points | 9th place = 50 points | 10th place = 45 points | 11th place = 40 points | 12th place = 35 points | 13th place = 30 points | 14th place = 25 points | 15th place = 20 points | 16th place and below (for all finishers) = 15 points (for all finishers)
Note: if your Zwift Racing Score increases so that your category threshold is exceeded, you will automatically move up to the next category starting from the next race. Points scored in the lower category will carry over.
Individual and Team Classifications
The overall individual ranking is calculated by adding the points earned over the four weeks.
The team classification will be based on club affiliation using your club tag in ZwiftPower. There is no limit to how many riders from a club may participate. However, for all races, the top 4 rider scores for each team will count towards the team classification.
The team ranking is given by the sum of the points obtained by the four best in each of the four races.
Individual and team classifications will be available at the following links once the series begins:
Everyone who finishes at least 2 of 4 races will receive a €30 discount code on all cycling gear at epicasport.com (minimum purchase required, valid in EU area). Riders finishing all 4 races will receive a €60 discount code (minimum purchase required, valid in EU area). Top 3 in individual series classification and top 3 teams (defined by ZwiftPower team tag) will receive cycling gear. Click here for the latest prize list.
Last Monday morning, I climbed into my truck and drove to two hours to the Sacramento airport so I could fly to Atlanta, then LaGuardia, to take an Uber into Manhattan and check into the Roxy Hotel for two nights.
Why fly across the country for such a short stay? Zwifty fun, of course! Zwift was holding an NYC map expansion launch party, and I wanted to be a part of it. Here’s the story…
The party at Rapha was on Tuesday night, and I arrived in NYC on Monday night. After grabbing some quality coffee, I met up with Jon Mayfield (Zwift’s co-founder, read that story here) and VP of Product Mark Cote for a quality New York bagel experience bundled with a stroll past the Ghostbusters firehouse and some boldfaced lawbreaking from Jon:
This sign only makes sense when you learn they’ve glued real bagels to the walls of the restaurant…Ghostbusters firehouse
While Mark was in meetings all day, it turned out that Jon was planning to ride down to Prospect Park to see the real version of the roads Zwift would be launching soon. I asked if he’d be up for me joining him, and soon enough, we were making our way to Brooklyn aboard two poorly-maintained hotel bikes:
As we planned our ride on the fly, I learned that Zwift’s new roads (which I still hadn’t seen) include not just the Brooklyn Bridge teased in previews, but also the Manhattan Bridge. We decided to cross over the East River to Brooklyn via the Manhattan Bridge, then take the Brooklyn Bridge on our return so we could see them both.
The Manhattan Bridge was noisy, with subway cars running next to us as we climbed to the center of the bridge and descended the other side. At the bottom, we rode around and found the famous “DUMBO” (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) spot for a photo or two:
Working our way to the Manhattan BridgeCrossing the bridgeJon earning that XPJon at the DUMBO
From here, we worked our way south to Prospect Park, taking various unplanned detours to avoid traffic or construction and because we simply weren’t following a precise route. This was a voyage of casual exploration, and we weren’t in much of a hurry apart from our hotel bikes having a 3-hour time limit.
The road to Prospect Park from the northwest is basically uphill, but not steep. My bike kept it interesting by refusing to shift consistently, which was particularly noticeable since it only had three gears when working properly! Eventually, we arrived at the park and began a counter-clockwise lap, looking for something to drink since neither of us had brought any water on what Google maps showed would be a 9-mile ride.
We found a vendor set up near the ballfields on the northwest side of the park and sat down in a shady spot on the grass for drinks and strawberry popsicles. Jon and I were carrying on sort of two parallel conversations, one focused on the road and our surroundings, the other about how Zwift could gamify fitness in new and interesting ways. (If you ever get the chance to talk to Jon about anything Zwift-related, be sure to do it. He’s a super-smart guy who shares his mind clearly and succinctly.)
The lap of Prospect Park took longer than I had expected, but only because my expectations weren’t based on any sort of reality. I come from a place where towns are small, and so are the parks. It still baffles me that a green space the size of Central Park can exist within a tightly-packed city like NYC.
Prospect Park, it turns out, has an outer loop around 6km long. The road is quite wide, with dedicated lanes for cyclists and striders. Much of the loop is nicely shaded, thanks to tall trees on either side of the road.
We were passed by lots of riders, most of whom looked like roadies cruising on recovery sessions. My bike refused to shift into its highest gear, forcing me to set aside the urge to chase their wheels and instead work on high cadence pedaling as we coasted down the slight descents.
Reaching the end of our loop, we made our way to the Brooklyn Bridge. The newish bike lane runs down the center of the bridge, and while it’s clear and easy to ride, the NYC skyline view we had hoped for never materialized.
After crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, we had just a bit more riding to get back to our hotel. Arriving, we saw we had ridden nearly 30km and were just a few minutes shy of our 3-hour window.
While Zwift co-founder Eric Min spent his junior racing years racing in Central Park, it wasn’t a familiar place to Jon Mayfield. So Jon told me that when Zwift decided to create the original NYC map (which launched in October 2018), he flew out and rode through Central Park to record video for Zwift’s art team, ensuring they captured the feel of the place just right.
They didn’t follow that same process with the upcoming expansion, preferring to use Google Streetview and other sources as inspiration. And while Eric Min has ridden in Prospect Park many times, this was Jon’s first time!
I asked him how closely the expansion’s roads map onto the IRL GPS coordinates of the roads we’d ridden, and he told me they map directly on top of them. I’m not sure if this includes subway routes (I doubt it), but I believe it includes the location and size of the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, and Prospect Park, as well as their location relative to Central Park.
Near the end of the Rapha event, I realized one of the Zwift Rides was streaming a video of the expansion’s roads. So, like any good Zwift Insider, I stood in the middle of the crowded room and recorded it. For all of you! You’ll hear Dave Towle in the background, wrapping up the night with some awards and thank-yous…
A few things to call out in this video:
It isn’t a continuous shot of all the new roads, but rather high-speed clips of specific sections
There are lots of subway tunnels with cool graffiti, and you can see a 20-second power segment 4s into the video
At 28s you are riding through Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza (you can see the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch to the left), then turning right to enter Prospect Park
You go through what appears to be a lap banner at 38s, before exiting the Prospect Park loop (see the Memorial Arch to your right)
There are some things you don’t see in the video that are worth mentioning:
The Prospect Park road is a single loop around 6km long, with an additional cut-through road down the middle.
There are new start pens in Prospect Park
Prospect Park also includes at least one sprint segment and one KOM segment
Times Square is just south of Central Park, so it makes sense that it would show up in the expansion. I don’t think I saw it on any screens at Rapha, though.
At the Rapha Launch Party
Of course, the real reason I’d flown across the country to NYC was for the party at Rapha’s New York clubhouse. Held from 6-9pm on Tuesday, you had to sign up for a ticket beforehand in order to get in, since space was limited. And the place was packed! I’d guess around 150 people attended, with closer to 100 milling about at any given time.
It was a classic Zwift gathering, with a DJ bumping tunes, Dave Towle as MC, and a constant stream of stone-fired pizzas coming through the front door from the mobile oven parked in the street.
Two Zwift Ride + KICKR CORE 2 setups were parked near the front, and they would be the scene of some tag-team races throughout the night. These were special Zwift Rides, too: two of just five custom-painted frames from Fat Creations:
Both frames were given away at the end of the night to two lucky winners, one of whom was Tara Seplavy, Deputy Editor at Bicycling magazine:
Note: two more of these frames are being given away to two random finishers of the Zwift Unlocked series – read more about that here.
Everyone who walked in the door was given a green or blue wristband, and this determined which team you were on. Riders then paired up with others of the same color for a tag-team 2km uphill race in NYC, where the first rider hopped off the bike at 1km so the second rider could finish the second half (which was actually more than half, because it was steeper than the first kilometer!)
While the races went on for most of the night, everyone was free to hang out and chat in the (noisy) clubhouse, or in the open air in front of the shop or out back.
I had nice chats with Holden Comeau and David Lipscomb, both legendary OG Zwifters. It was also good to see Makesi Duncan (@dadbodcyclinginc), whom I’d first met at Zwift Community Live in Mallorca, and many other East Coast Zwifters.
I always enjoy attending Zwift gatherings, because I get to meet and chat with Zwifters I’ve seen in game for years but never met face to face. And I get to meet new friends, too! Many thank me for running Zwift Insider, which is always encouraging to hear.
Overall, the party at Rapha was just a fun gathering of Zwift lovers who were excited to hang out with their friends and see what’s coming next. If you ever get a chance to attend one of these, you should do it.
Tour de Andrasta Women’s 3-Day Race Series Announced for October 17-19
The Warrior Games, organizers of the popular Iceni and Tour de Boudicca series, have just announced the next edition of their annual Tour de Andrasta women’s 3-stage race series, starting October 17. See all the details below!
About the Name
Andrasta was an Iceni war goddess invoked by Boudicca in her fight against the Roman occupation of Britain in AD 60. Described as “their name for Victory,” her name has been translated as meaning “indestructible” or “unconquerable”.
Schedule and Route Details
The races have just one time slot, at 10:30 PT/13:30 ET/17:30 UTC. Stage 1 has an extra time slot at 16:00 PT/ 19:00 ET.
Welcome to the Tour de Andrasta! The race begins with a right turn out of the pens, following a reverse Innsbruck loop. Riders will power through the sprint, tackle the Leg Snapper, and make the most of the final flat stretch before facing the decisive big climb.
Format: Hilly Points Race
Length: 12.9km
Elevation: 479m
Finish Line Points: based on the number of riders participating, down to 1 point for last place.
Stage 2 – Saturday, October 18: Coast Crusher (1 lap)
Stage 2 is here to test your legs! Roll through a charming seaside village, tackle a challenging climb, and loop around the midway point – halfway there! Then descend through a tunnel and head back along the coastal road, hitting multiple sprints as you pass scenic forests, bustling towns, and themed settlements, finishing strong at the final sprint.
Format: Points Race
Length: 42.7km
Elevation: 210m
Intermediate Points (scored 10,8,6,4,2,1):
Stoneway Sprint (FTS)
Acropolis Sprint (FAL)
Sasquatch Sprint (FTS)
Woodland Sprint (FAL)
Woodland Sprint Reverse (FTS)
Sasquatch Sprint Reverse (FAL)
Acropolis Sprint Reverse (FTS)
Finish Line Points: based on the number of riders participating, down to 1 point for last place.
Stage 3 kicks off in downtown Watopia before winding past volcanoes, waterfalls, and the route’s only big climb. After a blast through the flats and coast, it all comes down to the final push back to town. Get ready for a fierce finish!
Format: Scratch Race
Length: 29.1km
Elevation: 155m
Finish Line Points: based on the number of riders participating, down to 1 point for last place.
Powerups: Ghost/Feather/Aero
Sign Up
Want to race the series? Start by signing up for the race events! Numbers attract numbers, so women are encouraged to sign up early.
Both a team and individual GC will be calculated for the series:
Team GC: Points earned across Stages 1, 2, and 3 will count toward the Tour de Andrasta Team GC league to decide the 2025 champions.
Individual GC: Determined by cumulative finish time over all three stages, with the overall winner crowned Tour de Andrasta 2025 champion in every category.
This weekend’s big events are the double XP Zwift Unlocked rides, but we’re also seeing some really popular races popping up from community organizers. See our picks below!
✅ Double XP 　✅ Popular 　✅ New Routes 　✅ Jersey Unlock
The new Zwift Unlocked series kicked off this week, with double XP, double powerups, and fresh routes. Stage 1 ends this weekend, and riders have a choice between a long ride on Tropic Rush (41.9km, 326m) or a shorter ride (or race) on DĂąn Dash (12.4km, 139m). Runners are on the new Highland Run (6.8km)
✅ Popular 　✅ Long Race 　✅ Age-Based　✅ Unique Event
The single event with the most signups this weekend is this new series from Team Foudre – a weekly “medio fondo” featuring age-based groupings and a women-only category. These first four events, held on four consecutive weekends in October, serve as a sort of “pre-series,” where your best two results count towards the overall. An overall 2025/2026 begins in November (see event description for details).
This weekend’s race is on two laps of Chasing the Sun in Makuri Islands (70.2km, 628m)
Based on early signup numbers, this race series is also a popular one! It’s a 4-stage series, raced each weekend, with mass starts and no categories. Stage three is this weekend on London Uprising (20.9km, 356m).
Enter individual races for the fun of it, or compete in all four stages. There’s a GC on ZwiftPower which uses cumulative time to rank riders across the series!
Team Not Pogi has organized a race mirroring the pro peloton who will be racing Il Lombardia, the last monument of the season, on Saturday. This race has rides taking on 32.5km of the Bologna Time Trial route, which means you’ll you up and down the challenging San Luca climb twice!
Looking for a fun social ride? Join the experienced DBR time for 60 minutes on the Douce France route. The ride leader will keep a pace at 30-35kph, but you aren’t limited to that speed – the ride description says “… it’s ok to ride ahead and join other riders in front – just remember to be social.”
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!
Zwift Unlocked is set to be one of the biggest event series on Zwift—and it started this week. In our top video, learn everything you need to know about this fresh tour!
Additional picks this week focus on getting started on Zwift, one rider’s comeback to Zwift racing, a Zwift Racing League win, and a review of the Zwift Ride.
Zwift Unlocked | Tour Preview, Stage Routes & Gear Unlocks
Hear from Bike Bonk Biff about the new Zwift Unlocked series.
Zwift: Your Ultimate Guide (2025)
Adam from Road to A shares a complete guide for anyone looking to get started on Zwift.
My Brutal Comeback to Zwift Racing
Thomas Martinez, aka TheCyclingTatooist, makes his Zwift Racing League debut with his team of Zwift influencers. Can they fight to a spot on the podium?
I Finally Won a Zwift Racing League Race! The Training Actually Worked
Ollie, aka Not Tadej Pogacar, finally won a Zwift Racing League race. In this video, he goes over the race and how he prepared.
Zwift Ride – Expensive Junk Or a Gamechanger?
Burgess and his bike shares a review of the Zwift Ride, covering the positives and negatives of his experience.
Got a Great Zwift Video?
Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!
Zwift version 1.99 begins its phased rollout today. This is a minor update containing mostly bug fixes. Read on for details…
JetBlack Kit Automatic Unlock
Zwifters can now unlock the JetBlack cycling kit by riding with any JetBlack trainer – just connect to the trainer in the Pairing screen and enjoy your ride!
(Note: most trainer manufacturers have an automatic kit unlock in Zwift. Read more here.)
Release Notes
Zwift provided notes on additional tweaks and bug fixes in this update:
Improved connection reliability for trainers paired via Wi-Fi.
Fixed an issue that could potentially cause duplicate devices to appear in the Pairing screen when using the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 as a sensor hub.
Fixed an issue that could cause virtual shifting to be unavailable for Zwifters using the new Zwift Click if they had previously disabled virtual shifting for Zwift Play controllers.
Improved the appearance of some pedestrians in Paris.
Windows: Fixed a crash that could occur when exiting Zwift with devices connected via ANT+.
