ZADA Returns as Zwift Accuracy and Data Analysis

If you’ve done much Zwift racing, you’ve probably heard of ZADA. This key part of the Zwift racing universe has recently undergone some major changes, and we’re excited to be the first to share them with the world. Here’s the full scoop…

First, a Little History

ZADA began in late 2016 as a grassroots, community-driven effort to help ensure fairness in Zwift racing. The “Zwift Anti-Doping Agency” was a team of volunteers working to verify riders who were turning in exceptionally strong Zwift race performances, often in the 5 w/kg+ range.

But early this year, ZADA ceased operations. You can read about the details of this decision here, but essentially the ZADA team realized they couldn’t fulfill the demands placed on their organization given the continued growth of Zwift racing.

The New ZADA

Here’s the official statement from Zwift:

Zwift has today confirmed that it will support a “new look” ZADA as Zwift continues to expand its eSports offering.

Zwift Accuracy and Data Analysis (ZADA) has been engaged for the new KISS Super League eSports series on Zwift. All podium finishers and at least two random riders are subject to ZADA review after the conclusion of every round of the series.

Riders subject to ZADA verification may be required to submit equipment data, weight verification, power files and other information that support their performance from past indoor and outdoor training/races.

Zwift reserves the right to use ZADA for any suspicious performances in any Zwift races.

New ZADA. Who dis?

The new ZADA team is made up of Zwift consultants and employees, with Stephen Chu (Zwift’s General Counsel) acting as administrator. The team has elected to keep all of its members besides Stephen anonymous at this time.

ZADA’s Role

At its core, the group’s role is the same as it’s always been: to ensure fairness in Zwift racing. But the resurrection of ZADA has brought about some key changes as well.

• A New Name: ZADA now stands for Zwift Accuracy and Data Analysis, a marked change from “Zwift Anti-Doping Agency”.
• Verifying Performance, Not Players: the old ZADA would certify a rider once, essentially giving the stamp of approval to all future efforts. The new ZADA is focused on verifying specific performances, so even if a rider has one race performance verified, they may need to be (and likely will be) verified in subsequent races. This is an important and very good change.
• For Key Zwift-Sponsored Races Only: while ZADA reserves the right to check performances for any race, they are currently only targeting Zwift’s own marquee events such as the KISS Super League and recent National Championships. (In fact, Zwift has DQ’d many winners of this year’s National Championships through the ZADA review process.) Organizers of community race events will remain responsible for managing/verifying their own results.
• Checking the Podium + 2: rather than waiting for a rider to submit their information for approval, ZADA is now proactively performing verification on podium finishers as well as two additional riders. This is similar to how many outdoor anti-doping organizations function.

Truth and Consequences

What happens if a racer fails ZADA checks? There are two possibilities here, with vastly different outcomes:

1. If the racer had an equipment malfunction they will receive a DQ for their performance, but no further sanctions since the act was not intentional.
2. If the racer is found to be cheating they will receive a DQ. Depending on the severity of the infraction, they will be booted from the entire race series, their points removed from rankings, and their team will not be able to replace the rider. Additional infractions carry even stronger sanctions, including bans from all Zwift eSports races.

How Performance Verification Works

Zwift isn’t coming right out and giving us the details of how ZADA verifies particular performances, and that’s for the best. If the cheaters knew how they’d get caught, they would learn to cheat better!

What is clear is that ZADA now has access to more and better data than the ZADA of old ever had. Thanks to Zwift employees on the team with a strong set of data mining tools, ZADA is able to leverage all information that Zwift tracks in order to verify performances.

Looking Ahead

It’s no secret that Zwift is making big moves as the leader in the world of cycling eSports. We’re seeing them partner with national governing bodies like British Cycling and we’ve just seen the launch of KISS Super League, the first professional eSports cycling league for men and women.

All of these efforts mean more publicity for cycling as an eSport. That publicity means more monetary investment, more exposure to cheating, and in the end more risk (and potential reward) for those who want to be a leader in this space.

It will be fascinating to see how performance verification evolves as the stakes get higher, the data gets richer, and the tools get stronger.

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Zwiftcast Episode 62

Simon, Shane and Nathan convene to discuss all the latest on Zwift.

Shane and Nathan give us a readout on the mood music coming from the big Zwift Week staff convention in Long Beach, then the Zwiftcasters move on to discuss the eagerly-awaited new feature for Group Rides which is being called The Fence. Is this farewell to flyers?

Next the podcasters move on to discuss the usefulness, or otherwise, of videos posted on YouTube giving encyclopaedic guides for how to cheat on Zwift. A cheats’ charter, or a useful contribution to the discussion around an increasingly important issue, as e-sports gets bigger and bigger?

Finally the trio move on to give their verdicts on the KISS SuperLeague as the men’s competition wraps up and the women’s contest enters its final stages. What have we learned? What could be improved?

We hope you enjoy listening.

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All About Tour of Watopia, April 2-May 26 2019

Zwift has released the details for Tour of Watopia, and the most exciting part (for us, anyway) is the new game features which the Tour will show off. First, we have new event options (see notes under stages below) which will surely be used in other events moving forward. These allow events to be run at night, to always give out helpful powerups, to be run as a TT race, etc.

Most exciting of all is the new “Tempus Fugit” flat route which will be unveiled on (or before) May 6th. This appears to be the much-anticipated Watopia flat expansion.

We’ll be publishing more about these new features as information becomes available. For now, here’s what we know about the upcoming Tour of Watopia.

This stage appears to be using a new Zwift feature which allows events to run at a particular time of day for all participants. “Night mode” will have us all riding the Jungle in the dark. Bring your flashlights! Or ride your flashlights, as everyone will be on a the Tron bike for this stage.

• Route: Road to Ruins
• Distance: 29.6km (18.4 mi)
• Elevation: 268m (905 ft)

See Stage 1 Events >

Stage 1 Details on Zwift.com >

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This stage appears to be using a new Zwift feature which allows events to hand out only helpful powerups (probably the aero helmet, van, and feather) at each arch.

• Route: Volcano Circuit
• Distance: 34.6km (21.5 mi)
  Elevation: 136m (446 ft)

See Stage 2 Events >

Stage 2 Details on Zwift.com >

For the first time ever on a Zwift stage tour, we’ll be riding this event together as a group workout. Jon’s Mix for all!

• Route: Jungle Circuit
• Distance and elevation unknown (based on group speed).

See Stage 3 Events >

Stage 3 Details on Zwift.com >

This stage appears to be using a new Zwift feature which gives the big XP bonus at each arch. Time to level up! 

• Route: Figure 8
• Distance: 29.8km (18.4 mi)
• Elevation: 234m (770 ft)

See Stage 4 Events >

Stage 4 Details on Zwift.com >

It’s new roads day!

By the looks of it, Stage 5 will have us riding on the much-anticipated Watopia expansion. Here’s what the event page says:

We have a surprise for you in Stage 5.

We’re bringing a whole new climate to Zwift. A little bit of California here. A little bit of Arizona there. Some Utah. And a dash of Colorado. Shake well and serve. We can’t wait for you to ride it. Remember to stay hydrated and keep the dust out of your eyes.

Finish this stage to unlock the 2019 Tour of Watopia kit.

The new route appears quite flat–flatter than any other route on Zwift, in fact. Perfect for a TT course! Tempus Fugit is Latin for “Time Flies” so our guess is this is exactly what Zwift has in mind. This stage looks like it will be run in double draft mode.

• Route: Tempus Fugit (NEW!)
• Distance: ~18km (11.2 mi)
• Elevation: ~25m (82 ft)

See Stage 5 Events >

Stage 5 Details on Zwift.com >

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This stage appears to be using a new “Against the Clock” event mode for TT’s. We’re not sure what this will look like exactly, but it looks like new features for TT races are being rolled out so that’s exciting.

• Route: Watopia Flat
• Distance: 30.9km (19.2 mi)
• Elevation: 162m (531 ft)

See Stage 6 Events >

Stage 6 Details on Zwift.com >

Our final stage is up Alpe du Zwift. This one’s gonna hurt!

Zwift may have something new up their sleeve for this stage, too–the event description includes this: “P.S. Keep a finger on the camera button—a snowy friend of ours is wandering the mountain. Be sure to catch him!”

Will a Yeti be joining us on our voyage up the Alpe? We’ll know soon enough!

• Route: Fire and Ice
• Distance: 28km (17.4 mi)
• Elevation: 1166m (3825 ft)

See Stage 7 Events >

Stage 7 Details on Zwift.com >

Groups

Each stage has an A or B group to join. B is for women only, while A is for anyone. Both groups will ride the same distance.

Makeup Dates

If you miss one or more stages, makeups events for stages 1-4 will be held on April 29-May 5th.

Additionally, makeup events for ALL stages will be held May 27-June 2nd.

Prizes/Unlocks

Completing 5 stages unlocks the Tour of Watopia kit (see below). Your kit will arrive in your garage after the make-up weekend finishes (after April 29).

Complete all 7 stages and you’ll unlock a Tour of Watopia paint job for your Zwift Aero bike.

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