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Additional 10% Discount on KICKR CORE 2 Announced for UK and EU

Eric Schlange
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10
Additional 10% Discount on KICKR CORE 2 Announced for UK and EU

Additional 10% Discount on KICKR CORE 2 Announced for UK and EU

A quick bit of news for anyone shopping for a new trainer in 2026…

First: Zwift and Wahoo are already holding a “Big New Year Sale” ending on January 5. If you’re looking for a great deal on the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2, or the KICKR V6, this is a great time to do it!

But just yesterday, Zwift launched an additional 10% discount available on the KICKR CORE 2 trainer to EU and UK customers. Just use the discount code “EXTRA10” at checkout!

Shop @ Zwift UK
Shop @ Zwift EU

Use discount code “EXTRA10” at checkout

Price includes 1 free month of Zwift ($20 value) for new subscribers only.

Clearly, Zwift is looking to move some inventory in the UK and EU markets. This is the lowest price I’ve ever seen on the CORE 2 for UK and EU customers.

About the Wahoo KICKR CORE 2

The original Wahoo KICKR CORE’s longevity and reliability proved nothing short of startling, especially considering its price point. First released in 2018, the KICKR CORE is the “little brother” to Wahoo’s flagship KICKR trainer, and its hardware has remained unchanged since release.

It did, however, receive significant firmware updates to enable auto-calibration and Zwift virtual shifting, allowing it to become the de facto trainer paired with the Zwift Ride smart frame.

But competition in this price range is strong. September’s release of the KICKR CORE 2 brought premium features to Wahoo’s mid-budget workhorse, updating it to the standards set by the latest smart trainers.

What’s New?

New or upgraded features on the KICKR CORE 2 include:

  • WiFi connectivity for fast, reliable connections and automatic firmware updates
  • Race mode for near instantaneous response
  • Bluetooth bridging of heart rate and other sensors to consolidate connections (great for Apple TV users)
  • New flat leg design for easier, more stable setups
  • Improved multicolored LEDs indicate connection and trainer status
  • Redesigned flywheel lowers product weight while slightly increasing inertial load for better road feel
  • Reduced setup friction and waste: easier unpacking and assembly

Key Specs

  • Max Wattage: 1800W
  • Max Incline: 16%
  • Max Decline: -10%
  • Power Accuracy: +/-2%
  • Connectivity: WiFi, ANT+ FEC, ANT+ Power, Bluetooth FTMS, and Zwift Protocol
  • Cassette: sold with 11-speed cassette or Zwift Cog
  • Supported Hubs: 130/135mm QR, 12×142, and 12×148 Thru Axle
  • KICKR CLIMB compatible
  • Weight: 29.9 lbs / 13.6 kg
  • Dimensions: 23.5×20.5×18.5 in / 59.7×52×47 cm
  • Retail Price: $549.99 USD, $899.99 CAD, £499.99 GBP, €549.99 Euro, $899.95 AU, ¥99,000 JPY

Note: shopping links in this post are affiliate links to Zwift and Wahoo. Your purchase through these links helps support Zwift Insider, so thank you in advance!

Shop @ Zwift UK
Shop @ Zwift EU

Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of January 3-4

Eric Schlange
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2
Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of January 3-4

It’s the first weekend of 2026, and Zwift is a busy place with a variety of compelling events on tap. I’ve picked my favorite 5 below, and it’s a nice mix ranging from crazy hard efforts to beginner-friendly group rides. Ride on!

🤝 Starting 2026 with a Bang 💥! … Achieving your Personal Best Century Ride!

✅ Popular 　✅ PR Time 　✅ Unique Event

Team 3R and GoG have set up a cool event to kick off the year: a Personal Best Century Challenge! Choose from the A pen for a 100-mile effort, or the B pen for a 100-km effort. All pens will be on the fastest setup in game (Cadex Tri frame with DT Swiss 85/Disc), with drafting enabled.

Aren’t up for 100km? Join the B pen anyway, and push to a target like 50km. You do you, but whatever you do, start the year off with a bang!

During the 2025 event, a group of riders successfully broke the 100km record, clocking a time of 1:55:34, shaving 3 seconds off the previous mark. While there is no known official Zwift record time, the ride was verified against the fastest recorded on ZwiftPower.

This 2026 edition has been expanded to include an attempt to break the 100-mile record.  The current benchmark to beat is 3 hours 11min 42 seconds, as recorded on ZwiftPower. 

Sunday, January 4 @ 2:30pm UTC/9:30am ET/6:30am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5235464

🥇Tour de Spartacus

A group of cyclists race through a brightly lit, futuristic city at night with neon signs. The logo and text “The Warrior Games” appear on the left side of the image.

✅ Endurance Challenge 　✅ Unique Event 　✅ Crazy TT

This 3-day stage race starts today (Friday) and includes stages on Saturday and Sunday, with lots of riders already signed up! Saturday is actually three separate mini-races, so be sure to join all three.

Read all about Tour de Spartacus >

Saturday and Sunday @ 7pm UTC/2pm ET/11am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/spartacus

🤝 (Rubber-Banded) Ride with James’ Friends!

✅ Beginner-Friendly 　✅ Banded

Join Zwift’s James Bailey and friends for this beginner-friendly rubberbanded ride on London’s Greatest London Loop Reverse. You’ll ride for 60 minutes, which should be enough to finish this 25.8km route with 319m of elevation gain.

Remember, this is a banded ride, so you can ride at any pace you’d like. As long as you keep pedaling, you’ll stay with the group!

Saturday, January 3 @ 1:30pm UTC/8:30am ET/5:30am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5312113

🤝January Resolution

✅ Strava Challenge　✅ Popular　

Take on the January Resolution Challenge with the folks at Pas Normal Studios! To complete the challenge, ride a total of 1000 km during the month of January. Mix and match outdoor with indoor rides, make them long or short… all that matters is the total distance ridden.

Sign up for the Strava challenge > 

This particular ride is led by ambassador Amos Fun. It’s 75 minutes long and open-paced on Watopia’s Tempus Fugit route.

Sunday, January 4 @ 4pm UTC/11am ET/8am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5290355

🥇Tiny Races: Time to Train

✅ VO2 max　✅ Popular

Does your New Year training goals include more intensity in your sessions? Perhaps some VO2 max work? The Tiny Races are here for you! The short race format features four races packed into one hour for a splendid VO2 max workout.

Read all about Zwift Insider’s Tiny Races >

We’re revisiting our National Train Day routes this weekend, with four courses all featuring trains. Choo chooooo!

Three timeslots on Saturday, January 3
Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/tinyraces

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!

Zwift Year in Review 2025

Eric Schlange
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51
Zwift Year in Review 2025

2025 was a busy year for Zwift, which means it was a busy year for us at Zwift Insider. We published over 650 posts last year covering important Zwifty news and tips, but we only scratched the surface. There are always more stories to tell!

Zwift turned 11 this year, and inside sources tell me subscriber numbers and corporate financials are strong as we head into 2026. Streamlined onboarding, purpose-built hardware, and training platform partnerships have helped Zwift become even more accessible and useful in recent years, and the end result is lots of new riders in Watopia.

This is my look back at all things Zwift for 2025. Enjoy the ride!

New Roads

Some of France’s new cobbles

Zwifters love new roads, and two expansions were released in 2025. First, France got some fresh cobbles in early April, then New York more than doubled in size in October.

29 routes were released using these new roads, but Zwift added a total of 60 new routes to the game in 2025. That’s a lot – way more than past years, in fact. Zwift seems to have decided since they can’t build new roads fast enough, they’ll make more routes on existing roads to satisfy all the badge chasers.

Here’s the full list of routes added this year:

Route Map Length Elevation Released
Bon Voyage France 28.2km (17.5 miles) 132m (433‘) April 2025
Croissant France 9.3km (5.8 miles) 49m (161‘) April 2025
Gentil 8 France 23.1km (14.4 miles) 243m (797‘) April 2025
Hell of the North France 19.8km (12.3 miles) 241m (791‘) April 2025
Knights of the Roundabout France 51.2km (31.8 miles) 336m (1,102‘) April 2025
Macaron France 2.6km (1.6 miles) 15m (49‘) April 2025
Peaky Pavé France 30.6km (19.0 miles) 369m (1,211‘) December 2025
Rapide Run France 6km (3.7 miles) 38m (125‘) July 2025
Sacre Bleu France 71.2km (44.2 miles) 396m (1,299‘) April 2025
Three Musketeers France 35.2km (21.9 miles) 193m (633‘) April 2025
Ven-10 France 10km (6.2 miles) 781m (2,562‘) April 2025
London Calling London 31.2km (19.4 miles) 207m (679‘) September 2025
London Uprising London 20.5km (12.7 miles) 356m (1,168‘) January 2025
ZG25 Climb Champs London 4.7km (2.9 miles) 156m (512‘) February 2025
Electric Break Makuri Islands 17.8km (11.1 miles) 190m (623‘) September 2025
Kaze Kicker Makuri Islands 16.9km (10.5 miles) 134m (440‘) December 2025
Makuri Madness Makuri Islands 15.9km (9.9 miles) 85m (279‘) January 2025
Neon After Party Makuri Islands 16.15km (10.0 miles) 141m (463‘) March 2025
Neon Shore Loop Makuri Islands 32.9km (20.4 miles) 215m (705‘) December 2025
Red Zone Repeats Makuri Islands 19.4km (12.1 miles) 87m (285‘) August 2025
Tropic Rush Makuri Islands 41.2km (25.6 miles) 328m (1,076‘) September 2025
Yoru Run Makuri Islands 6.9km (4.3 miles) 32m (105‘) September 2025
Avon Flyer New York 3.3km (2.1 miles) 25m (82‘) October 2025
Double Parked New York 42.2km (26.2 miles) 330m (1,083‘) October 2025
Double Span Spin New York 7km (4.3 miles) 80m (262‘) October 2025
Empire Elevation New York 24.2km (15.0 miles) 261m (856‘) November 2025
Fuhgeddaboudit New York 79km (49.1 miles) 838m (2,749‘) October 2025
Green to Screen New York 28.4km (17.6 miles) 207m (679‘) October 2025
Hudson Hustle New York 20.3km (12.6 miles) 216m (709‘) December 2025
Issendorf Express New York 7.2km (4.5 miles) 53m (174‘) October 2025
LaGuardia After Party New York 20.8km (12.9 miles) 326m (1,070‘) March 2025
No Sleep Till Brooklyn New York 31.8km (19.8 miles) 247m (810‘) October 2025
Prospect Park Loop New York 5.4km (3.4 miles) 37m (121‘) October 2025
Spinfinity Ultra New York 35km (21.7 miles) 291m (955‘) October 2025
Spinfinity New York 19.3km (12.0 miles) 155m (509‘) October 2025
Stay Puft Pursuit New York 31.2km (19.4 miles) 416m (1,365‘) October 2025
The Double Borough New York 17.8km (11.1 miles) 147m (482‘) October 2025
The Greenway New York 36.2km (22.5 miles) 290m (951‘) October 2025
Times Square Circuit New York 3.5km (2.2 miles) 20m (66‘) November 2025
Toefield Tornado New York 10.2km (6.3 miles) 53m (174‘) October 2025
Watts the Limit New York 29.5km (18.3 miles) 200m (656‘) October 2025
Cobbled Crown Richmond 24km (14.9 miles) 288m (945‘) December 2025
Dùn Dash Scotland 12.4km (7.7 miles) 139m (456‘) September 2025
Glasgow Crit Six Scotland 18.1km (11.2 miles) 199m (653‘) September 2025
Highland Run Scotland 5.7km (3.5 miles) 52m (171‘) September 2025
Scotland After Party Scotland 13.6km (8.5 miles) 190m (623‘) September 2025
Scotland Smash Scotland 17.8km (11.1 miles) 167m (548‘) January 2025
The Epiloch Scotland 8.1km (5.0 miles) 71m (233‘) December 2025
Climb Control Watopia 23.7km (14.7 miles) 191m (627‘) August 2025
Downtown Eruption Watopia 19.4km (12.1 miles) 275m (902‘) January 2025
Flat Out Fast Watopia 21.4km (13.3 miles) 46m (151‘) August 2025
Hilltop Hustle Watopia 13.6km (8.5 miles) 336m (1,102‘) March 2025
Hot Laps Watopia 23.3km (14.5 miles) 149m (489‘) September 2025
Jarvis Seaside Sprint Watopia 12.5km (7.8 miles) 95m (312‘) August 2025
Power Punches Watopia 23.5km (14.6 miles) 205m (673‘) August 2025
Southern Coast Cruise Watopia 23.6km (14.7 miles) 137m (449‘) August 2025
Three Step Sisters Watopia 37.9km (23.5 miles) 586m (1,923‘) December 2025
Track Meet Watopia 6.1km (3.8 miles) 22m (72‘) September 2025
Watts of the Wild Watopia 42km (26.1 miles) 309m (1,014‘) September 2025
ZG25 Queen Watopia 44.6km (27.7 miles) 896m (2,940‘) January 2025

(In comparison, 43 routes were added in 2024, 14 in 2023, 20 in 2022, 26 in 2021, 19 in 2020, and 34 in 2019.)

Looking for a complete list of Zwift routes? Check out our Master List of All Zwift Routes.

Additionally, Zwift added 8 climb portals to the library:

Climb Title Country Length Elev Gradient
Cauberg The Netherlands 0.8km 57m 7.2%
Col de la Croix Saint-Robert France 5.7km 346m 6%
Col de la Madeleine France 14.3km 1118m 7.8%
Côte de La Redoute Belgium 1.5km 153m 9.9%
Hautacam France 12.7km 1029m 8%
Mûr de Bretagne France 1.96km 129m 6.6%
Oude Kwaremont Belgium 1.5km 64m 4.2%
Poggio Italy 4.3km 136m 3.2%

No new climb portals have been added since April 2025, though, leaving me wondering when Zwift will add fresh climbs.

Looking for a complete list of Zwift routes? Check out our Master List of All Zwift Climb Portal Routes.

Major Events

This year, Zwift replayed some popular events, while totally revamping/rebranding others. Without going into too much detail, here are the big new events I think were most worth mentioning:

  • Tour de Zwift: the biggest annual tour on the platform, because it happens at the Peak Zwift! 2025’s Tour included the first-ever Ultimate Challenge: riding all three routes for all six stages to earn additional unlocks.
  • Zwift Games: The second edition of the Games brought out lots of racers, and elite riders battled for the largest total prize pot ever on Zwift.
  • Zwift Big Spin: This fun ride series saw the return of the prize wheel and the introduction of the first-ever BMX bike to the game.
  • Tour Fever: As the Official Training Software Provider of the Tour de France, Zwift has held Tour Fever events in past years. This year was no different, with a Climb Portal Challenge and other special events surrounding Le Tour.
  • Zwift Unlocked Tour: This tour was sort of a replacement for the Tour of Watopia, awarding double XP and a cool new urban kit as riders took on new routes across several maps, including New York’s expansion.
  • Zwift Camps: Zwift organized a three-camp series this year in leiu of the Zwift Academy. Zwift Camp: Baseline and Zwift Camp: Build are already completed, with Zwift Camp: Breakthrough coming in February.

Zwift brought back the zFondo Series this year, but using the same routes and kits as past years, making it fall a bit flat for Zwifters who have been around a while.

The Zwift Camps initiative shows potential and indicates that Zwift rightly understands that a Zwift Academy-style talent search can’t have the same structure as a community-friendly training camp. (Zwift didn’t hold a Zwift Academy this year, but said it will return in 2026 better than ever.) The concept of a community-friendly training series holds much potential, but Zwift has yet to support it with the necessary planning and front-end tools.

On the racing side, Zwift Racing League continues to be the biggest racing series on the platform, while Zwift’s ZRacing series (see the current series here) is the most popular scratch race series on the platform. Shameless plug: Zwift Insider’s Tiny Races are still the most popular race each Saturday!

While not a group event, Zwift’s Weekly Challenges are worth a mention here. Rolled out this year, the Route of the Week, Climb of the Week, and Workout of the Week featured routes, climbs, and workouts that awarded an XP bonus when finished. These have seen a lot of participation from Zwifters looking for a weekly challenge or a bit of direction on a free ride. And while Zwift has done away with the Workout of the Week due to low engagement, Routes and Climbs are still going strong (see calendar).

Lastly, Zwift Community Live deserves a mention. This was Zwift’s first-ever large-scale real-world meetup, a sort of “ZwiftCon” in Mallorca. It was an incredible experience for me and (I believe) just about everyone who attended (read my day 3 post). Unfortunately, I think ZCL may have been a victim of its own success. While it seemed like everyone who attended in 2025 thought the event was amazing and should be held again in 2026 on an even larger scale, what I’m hearing internally at Zwift is that it’s being scaled back to more of an “industry event” this year with mostly partners and influencer athletes attending. Folks at Zwift HQ who I spoke with agreed that the 2025 event was amazing, but expressed that it’s challenging, expensive, and frankly, too big of a distraction from their business goals to organize an even larger event for the general Zwifter population.

I won’t list all of Zwift’s major events for 2025 here, but you can certainly browse the events archive to see what was highlighted throughout the year, including many community-organized events.

Racing Changes

As I see it, there were four key developments in the world of Zwift racing for 2025.

First, Zwift Racing Score was released in earnest in October 2024, and really became the standard categorization scheme for Zwift racing in 2025. This includes Zwift’s use of multiple category ranges in their monthly ZRacing series, allowing riders to choose between categories where they rank near the top or the bottom.

Next, web-based standings were rolled out for the ZRacing series this year (see zwift.com/racing/zracing), giving riders access to a GC leaderboard at zwift.com for the first time ever. Is this Zwift moving away from ZwiftPower for race results? Absolutely. They want to simplify access to results and have the tech stack and branding all live within Zwift’s ecosystem. But will Zwift’s new web leaderboards ever have what it takes to host results for community races? That remains to be seen.

Next, Zwift rolled out Bike Upgrades in March, a feature that allows Zwifters to purchase a bike upgrade for a particular frame after putting in the time/elevation/distance to unlock that upgrade. This feature had the effect of driving riders to push hard to upgrade bikes for maximum performance, while also changing the way we thought about bike choice in each and every activity. Which bike do I choose for this free ride? This workout? This event? Bike upgrades changed everything.

Lastly, in July, Zwift announced they would not be hosting an Elite World Series in the fall. It wasn’t entirely surprising, given the challenges they faced in the previous year’s World Series as inaccurate data from approved trainers came to light, calling into question race results tied to real cash prizes. MyWhoosh has certainly stepped in to fill the gap for prize-driven elite racing, but without a significant viewing audience, Zwift’s concentration on the much larger community-racing market may turn out to be the smarter move.

Fitness and Training

Zwift began partnering with third-party workout and training plan providers near the end of 2024 via their new Training API, and finished that year with six partners. Now as 2025 draws to a close, that list of partners has more than doubled and includes TrainerRoad, the largest player in this space:

Seamless integration with a broad list of providers is a win for everyone, since Zwifters now have access to virtually unlimited workouts and training plans within Zwift.

Zwift has also turned their sights outdoors this year, which is a very interesting move. In April, Zwift announced that outdoor rides recorded with Garmin or Wahoo (and eventually Hammerhead) could be brought into your Zwift history to support Zwift’s new Fitness Metrics.

This is an important development, but there’s more to come. As I explain in this week’s post, Fitness Metrics is a part of something bigger:

Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that these metrics are just one part of the more robust training platform Zwift is building. You can see the pieces coming together: first, third-party workout syncing brought all the big training plan providers to the table. Then revamped automatic FTP detection made it easier to set your power zones. Next, Zwift started bringing in outdoor rides and computing training metrics.

To what end? We don’t know for sure, but Zwift recently announced the limited release of daily Personalized Recommendations based on your habits, fitness, and freshness…

Hardware

Zwift released the Zwift Ride smart bike in June 2024, and it was an immediate success. In April 2025, Zwift released an adjustable crank arm option for the Ride, then in September, the Ride package got an upgrade as its bundled trainer (the Wahoo KICKR CORE) was replaced by the new KICKR CORE 2 with WiFi capabilities, race mode, Bluetooth bridging, and more.

Heading into 2026, I wouldn’t want to be a smart bike manufacturer. Zwift’s goal is to keep the setup experience simple and price low. Because in the end, they’re looking for subscribers, not hardware sales. So Zwift built the Ride as a budget-friendly solution for people looking to get into indoor cycling, and they’re able to sustain a profitable business while offering the Ride at a very low price.

Zwift released the new Click v2 controllers in September, effectively replacing the original Click and the Play controllers. The affordability of the new Click controllers and the long list of trainers supporting virtual shifting means we’re seeing a huge number of Zwifters shifting virtually nowadays.

New Features

Along with everything listed above, Zwift released or improved many game features in 2025. While most of these changes are small on their own, their combined weight helps drive the platform’s continued adoption. Here’s a complete list in chronological order:

Game Updates

Zwift kept a steady cadence of bi-weekly game updates for nearly all of 2025. Here’s the entire list of update releases – click for details:

Competitors

There are still just three companies in the indoor cycling app market that Zwift is competing against: TrainingPeaks Virtual, MyWhoosh, and Rouvy. Each is chasing market share in unique ways:

  • TrainingPeaks Virtual quickly built a reputation as a rapidly evolving, feature-rich, race-centric platform. This year they added the GPXplore feature so more iconic routes can be added to the platform, including a “My Routes” option of riding any GPX file. (And while Zwift chose to end their Free Monthly 25 km program this year, TPV has “Free Tuesdays” on the first Tuesday of each month, and offers other free riding opportunities. Seems like a smart way to entice people to try the platform who may have signed up months or years before…)
  • MyWhoosh hosted the UCI Esports Worlds for the second time this year and will be hosting it next year as well. They’ve added some new roads and features also, but in talking to other riders, clearly the main reasons people are on MyWhoosh are because it’s free, and you can win cash in races.
  • Rouvy has been advertising heavily this year, and features real-world footage that the other platforms lack.

While Zwift is still the massive leader in terms of user base, these other platforms keep Zwift on their toes by releasing new features and hosting events Zwift would like to see on their own platform. The good news is, we all benefit from this competition.

What’s next?

What’s coming soon to Zwift in 2026? Here are a few things I know about:

  • Personalized Recommendations: This feature tries to easily answer the question, “What should I do today to get stronger?” It’s already released (in beta) to a small cohort of Zwifters, and lots more will probably see it in the next month (read more here).
  • More Levels: Eric Min has said they’re coming soon, and internal sources tell me the same. I would expect to see level 150 or even 200 within the next month or two, although Zwift hasn’t promised any delivery date.
  • Refreshed Zwift Academy: Zwift said in their forum, “Zwift Academy returns in 2026, with work already underway to make the 10th edition our best yet.”

There’s definitely more to come in addition to what’s listed above, though. Zwift keeps me in the dark on some of their future plans, while others (including map expansions!) I get to peek at, under embargo.

Regardless, I’m looking forward to 2026 and all the Zwifty upgrades it will bring. Hopefully you are, too.

Your Comments

What are your thoughts on Zwift’s 2025? Favorite new features, things you wish Zwift had released but didn’t? And what would you most like to see in 2026? Share below!

All About Tour de Zwift 2026

Eric Schlange
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180
All About Tour de Zwift 2026

All About Tour de Zwift 2026

First launched in 2017, Tour de Zwift is the biggest annual tour on the platform – a celebration of discovery across all Zwift worlds!

This year’s tour has just been announced. Beginning January 5, it consists of six weeklong stages spread across Zwift’s worlds. Each stage offers three group ride options of varying lengths, a race option for those who want to go all out, and two run options. The Ultimate Challenge has also returned, with bonus XP and a big prize giveaway.

So grab a friend and explore! Here’s everything Zwifters need to know about this year’s TdZ.

Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/tourdezwift2026

Stage Details

Ride stages can be completed on demand as a solo effort, or join a group ride or race to complete them with friends. Group rides are available in three lengths, and races use the same route as the “short” group rides.

Group rides and races are scheduled every hour, except during the makeup week, when they’ll be scheduled every 30 minutes.

Run stages can only be completed in events. Short Runs are scheduled hourly on weekdays, while the Long Runs are scheduled hourly on weekends.

Here are the route details for each stage:

Stage 1 (Jan 5-11): Makuri Islands

Stage 2 (Jan 12-18): France

Stage 3 (Jan 19-25): Innsbruck/Yorkshire/Scotland

Stage 4 (Jan 26-Feb 1): London

Stage 5 (Feb 2-8): Watopia

Stage 6 (Feb 9-15): NYC/Richmond

Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/tourdezwift2026

Make-Up Week: Feb 16-22

If you miss any group stages, they will all be available to ride during the make-up week. During this week, make-up rides are scheduled every 30 minutes, with each stage following the next every half hour.

Racing GC

Riding the Tour de Zwift races? There’s a time-based GC you access at zwift.com/racing/leagues/tourdezwift2026 to see how you rank against others.

Peak Zwift Day

On Tuesday, January 20th, Zwift is planning a slate of events led by pros, creators, and other Zwift legends. The goal? Wall-to-wall Zwifters all rolling out together in the biggest rides of the Tour.

The full ride leader list is still to be confirmed, but here’s what we know right now:

  • Eric Min – @ 3:00AM PST | 9:30PM ACDT | 11:00AM UTC
  • Lucy Charles-Barclay – @ 4:00AM PST | 12:00PM UTC
  • Lionel Sanders – @ 10:00AM PST | 6:00PM UTC
  • Sam Laidlow – @ 9:00AM PST | 5:00PM UTC

Registration

To register, just join an event! See all events at zwift.com/events/tag/tourdezwift2026.

Tracking Progress

This year, your TdZ progress can be tracked in-game. Just click the TdZ card on your homescreen, and click the trophy cup at the top-left:

This progress page summarizes which stages you’ve finished, which unlocks you’ve earned, and your progress toward The Ultimate Challenge.

Unlocks

Riders and runners will unlock items progressively as they complete TdZ stages:

  • Party Shadess: 1 stage
  • Party Cap: 3 stages
  • Ride Kit: all 6 stages
  • Run Kit: 1 stage

To complete a stage, simply finish one of the group rides, races, or runs.

The Ultimate Challenge

Just like last year, this year’s Tour includes “The Ultimate Challenge.” This is for riders only, and completing the challenge requires you to complete all 18 routes featured in this year’s stages.

Related: Tips and Tricks for Conquering the Tour de Zwift 2026 Ultimate Challenge

Note: Zwift and our ZIMetrics estimate it will take riders ~21.5 hours to complete all 18 stages at 2 W/kg.

Completing The Ultimate Challenge earns you bragging rights, bonus XP, and a backwards version of the After Party cap:

  • 9 Route Bonus: 500 XP
  • 12 Route Bonus: 500 XP
  • 15 Route Bonus: 500 XP
  • 18 Route Bonus: 11,000 XP + Backwards After Party Cap

The Ultimate Giveaway

Finish the Ultimate Challenge for a chance to win a one-of-a-kind TDZ x Pedal Mafia Zwift Ride Smart Frame!

Pedal Mafia Kit

The real-life version of the in-game kit is now available from Pedal Mafia. Click here to shop now >

Questions or Comments?

See Zwift’s homepage for all things TdZ at zwift.com/tour-de-zwift.

Questions or comments? Post below!

Tiny Race Series – January 3 Routes – Time to Train

Eric Schlange
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0
Tiny Race Series – January 3 Routes – Time to Train

Tiny Race Series – January 3 Routes – Time to Train

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

Top 5 Zwift Videos: Erg Mode, Zwift Ride, Alpe du Zwift

Oli Chi
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2
Top 5 Zwift Videos: Erg Mode, Zwift Ride, Alpe du Zwift

When doing workouts indoors, most riders choose use Erg Mode to help them stick to the target power. However, GCN has reason to believe Erg Mode may actually hurt your training. In this week’s top video, hear from GCN as they break down the pros and cons of using Erg Mode.

We’ve also picked videos about improving the Zwift Ride, climbing Alpe du Zwift in under 49 minutes, FTP gains after a year of TrainerRoad, and a comparison of budget and premium indoor setups.

Is Erg Mode Making You A Worse Cyclist?

Could Erg Mode be making you a worse cyclist? GCN puts this to the test and explains the pros and cons of using Erg Mode for your indoor workouts.

Zwift Ride One Year Review – I’d Change These Things

After clocking over 4500km on the Zwift Ride, Liam Walker shares a one-year review of the setup.

Alpe du Zwift | Sub 49 mins.

As part of a big training session, Max from The Watt Life attempts to set a PR on Alpe du Zwift. Can he break his old PR of 49 minutes?

Did One Year on TrainerRoad x Zwift Make Me a Faster Cyclist?

For the past year, J Dirom has been using TrainerRoad and Zwift to see if he can get faster on the bike. In this video, he shares an update on how much his FTP has increased with the use of TrainerRoad.

Budget vs Premium Zwift Setups: What’s Actually Worth It?

Is it really worth the extra money to upgrade your Zwift setup? ChadRides compares a stock setup, a budget setup, and a premium setup.

Got a Great Zwift Video?

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

“Neon Shore Loop” Route Details

Eric Schlange
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0
“Neon Shore Loop” Route Details

“Neon Shore Loop” Route Details

See zwiftinsider.com/route/neon-shore-loop/

Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of December 27-28

Eric Schlange
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5
Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of December 27-28

There are lots of popular, long, or otherwise unique events happening this weekend as Rapha’s Festive 500 gets underway and riders are indoor in earnest. So many events, in fact, that I had to choose 10 instead of my regular 5! See them all below…

🤝 Rapha Festive 500

✅ Popular 　✅ Festive 500! 　✅ Unique

Zwift has organized a set of RoboPacer-led rides throughout the Festive 500. Rides alternate between “long” 50km rides on Triple Flat Loops at the top of each hour and “short” 25km rides on Watopia’s Waistband at the half hour.

Read all about the Festive 500 on Zwift >

Events every 30 minutes throughout the weekend
Sign up at zwift.com/events/series/rapha-festive-500-zwift

🥇Fun Ton and Serious Century

✅ Endurance Challenge 　✅ Unique Event 　✅ Crazy TT

Cycling Time Trials – the national governing body for time trials in England, Scotland, and Wales – is holding a slightly crazy special event this weekend, in two different timeslots.

Your experience will vary significantly depending on the category you join, so choose carefully:

  • Category A is a drafting-enabled ride with powerups enabled

  • Category B has drafting disabled and no powerups

Both categories allow riders to choose any bike, including a TT bike. (So I’d recommend choosing a TT bike!) Late starts are allowed for up to 30 minutes.

All riders will be on the France Classic Fondo route for 100 miles.

Saturday, December 13 @ 8pm UTC/3am ET/12am PT and 3pm UTC/10am ET/7am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/cyclingtimetrials

🤝 zFondo Series on France Classic Fondo

✅ Bonus XP 　✅ Popular 　✅ Endurance Challenge 　✅ Jersey Unlock

Held on the France Classic Fondo route, this is the longest of this year’s zFondos, clocking in at 146.3km with 1099m of elevation.

Read all about the Zwift Fondo Series >

Multiple timeslots this weekend
Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/zfondos

🥇The TFC Epic Christmas Race 2025

✅ Endurance Challenge　✅ Popular　

Back for another year, it’s “the toughest and longest Zwift race of the year”, TFC’s epic Christmas race on Watopia’s The Uber Pretzel! At 128.8km with 2381 of elevation, this route is a tough one… especially the finish up Alpe du Zwift!

Sunday, December 28 @ 1pm UTC/8am ET/5am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5233942

🥇GTR 12 Races of Christmas

✅ Unique Event　✅ Popular　

GTR’s 12 Races of Christmas series begins today (Friday), but your overall series ranking is based on your best 9 finishes, so you can still join!

Read all about this race series >

This weekend’s races are Saturday’s “Two Turtle Doves” (Watopia, Two Bridges Loop) and Sunday’s “Three French Hens” (France, Roule Ma Poule).

Three timeslots each day
Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/gtr12days/

🤝FAAST CREW FESTIVE 500

✅ 500km!　✅ Endurance Challenge　

There are always a few teams crazy enough to plan full 500km events during the Festive 500, but this weekend I only see one. It’s an open-paced ride on Tempus Fugit with the FAAST crew, and the sparse event notes says, “Bring your big boy pants!”

Stay for the full ride, or just see how long you can go. This will be a challenge no matter how you slice it!

Sunday, December 28 @ 7am UTC/2am ET/Saturday 11pm PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5267681

🤝Global vEveresting Day

✅ vEveresting　✅ Endurance Challenge

Sunday has been declared Global vEveresting Days, and The Torturefest Club, in collaboration with Everesting.com, are holding a series of virtual Everesting events on Zwift on December 29, 2025.

Read all about Global vEveresting Day >

This isn’t the kind of event you just hop into without any planning, so click the link above for details beforehand. And good luck!

Multiple events on Sunday, December 28
Learn more at zwiftinsider.com/global-veveresting-day-2025/

🤝Galaxy Cycling Club -– Fundraiser Ride for Simon Richardson MBE

✅ Banded　✅ Good Cause

Join the Galaxy squad for a social banded ride and fundraiser to raise £2500 towards a specialist, lightweight wheelchair for Paralympian Simon Richardson MBE.

Simon is a valued member of club, offering helpful advice and inspiration to many. Read his story here.

Donate at GOFUNDME >

The ride is on Makuri Islands’ Tropic Rush (42.9km, 333m).

Saturday, December 27 @ 2pm UTC/9am ET/6am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5222068

🤝Cheesecake for Breakfast

✅ Live Zoom Call　✅ Endurance Challenge　

The Cheesecake Crew is holding a 161km ride with two pace options on the France Classic Fondo route this Sunday. To help pass the time and make the ride unique, they hold a live Zoom call during the event (details in event description).

Sunday, December 28 @ 6:05pm UTC/1:05pm ET/10:05am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5301120

🤝Trainingsmaatje Crazy Year End Event

✅ Unique Event　✅ Endurance Challenge　

One last crazy event to finish off our weekend list. How about 100+ laps of Downtown Dolphin? This is a 200km group ride with open pacing, and since the laps are so short, you’ll always be able to find a wheel to draft, or push hard to bridge up to someone new!

Sunday, December 28 @ 6:05pm UTC/1:05pm ET/10:05am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5245473

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!

Post-Christmas Indoor Deals! Zwift’s Big New Year Sale + Wahoo’s Boxing Day Sale

Eric Schlange
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15
Post-Christmas Indoor Deals! Zwift’s Big New Year Sale + Wahoo’s Boxing Day Sale

Post-Christmas Indoor Deals! Zwift’s Big New Year Sale + Wahoo’s Boxing Day Sale

Zwift just launched what they’re calling a “Big New Year Sale” running through January 5, while Wahoo has launched Boxing Day discounts.

Some of these sale prices match what we recently saw for Cyber Weekend, but we’re also seeing the lowest price ever in the UK for the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2, and the lowest price ever on the Wahoo KICKR V6. See below for details!

Note: shopping links in this post are affiliate links to Zwift and Wahoo. Your purchase through these links helps support Zwift Insider, so thank you in advance!

Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2

This weekend Zwift repeats their big discounts on the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 from Cyber Weekend, except they’re lowering the price even more in the UK, to the lowest price I’ve ever seen.

  • US: $999 (Regularly $1,299)
  • UK: £899.99 (Lowest Price Ever, Regularly £1,099)
  • EU: €999.99 (Regularly €1,199)
Front view of a stationary exercise bike with a white frame, black handlebars with orange grips, and a black flywheel on a chevron-patterned stand against a plain white background.
Shop @ Zwift
Shop @ Wahoo

KICKR V6: $599 (Regularly $1049)

This is Wahoo’s flagship trainer, and my go-to for personal Zwifting sessions when I’m not testing other trainers. It does everything the KICKR CORE 2 can do, only better, including strong +/-1% power accuracy, a beefy flywheel for a realistic ride feel, WiFi connectivity, Zwift virtual shifting capability, and much more.

I’ve never seen it on sale for such a low price (42.9% off)… get it while you can!

Note: Zwift’s sale applies to the KICKR with Zwift Cog & Click, while Wahoo is offering the same pricing for the KICKR with a standard cassette.

Shop @ Zwift
Shop @ Wahoo

KICKR CORE 2 with Zwift Cog & Click

Wahoo’s newest trainer is on sale in the UK and EU. The KICKR CORE 2 builds on the strong reputation of the original KICKR CORE by adding WiFi, Race Mode, Bluetooth Bridging of other sensors, and more.

UPDATE Jan 2, 2026: Zwift just announced an additional 10% off for UK and EU customers with discount code EXTRA10.

  • UK: £449.99 (Regularly £499.99)
    • UPDATE: use discount code EXTRA10 for an extra 10% off!
  • EU: €449.99 (Regularly €549.99)
    • UPDATE: use discount code EXTRA10 for an extra 10% off!
  • US: $549.99 (No Discount)

Price includes 1 free month of Zwift ($20 value) for new subscribers only.

Shop @ Zwift

KICKR BIKE SHIFT: $2,039 (Regularly $2,549)

Wahoo’s “budget” smartbike shares many features with the fully-loaded Pro model, including virtually silent operation, customizable electronic shifting, easy adjustability, and WiFi connectivity. (It only lacks the Climb gradient simulator, which many riders turn off anyway.) Available this weekend at a strong discount.

Shop @ Wahoo

KICKR RUN: $5,249 (Regularly $6,999)

Wahoo’s cutting-edge smart treadmill has taken the industry by storm with its RunFree Mode, which uses advanced sensors to automatically adjust the belt speed to match your pace, eliminating the need for manual controls. The responsive surface, grade simulation, and lateral tilt all mimic outdoor running conditions, challenging stabilizer muscles while providing dynamic movement.

Shop @ Wahoo

Tiny Race Series – December 27 Routes – Microscopic Makuri

Eric Schlange
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0
Tiny Race Series – December 27 Routes – Microscopic Makuri

Tiny Race Series – December 27 Routes – Microscopic Makuri

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

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