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Zwift Racing League 2026/27 Round 1 Details: Routes, Rules, Registration + More

Eric Schlange
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32
Zwift Racing League 2026/27 Round 1 Details: Routes, Rules, Registration + More

Zwift Racing League 2026/27 Round 1 Details: Routes, Rules, Registration + More

Now in its 20th round, Zwift Racing League continues to take racing to the next level on Zwift! Registration is now open for the first round of the 2026/27 season, which begins on September 22.

This page contains everything you need to know about the current ZRL round and is updated as WTRL announces new details.

Intro to ZRL

Zwift Racing League (ZRL) is team-based racing for all abilities. It’s also the world’s largest virtual cycling competition, with over 30,000 riders of all abilities participating in each of the past two seasons!

Organized by WTRL, this is a team-based points competition spanning multiple weeks, with teams divided into divisions based on time zones and ability. Races take place every Tuesday, and the season is divided into distinct rounds with brief breaks in between.

ZRL is Zwift racing at its highest level. Its unique structure and varied race formats drive serious Zwift racers to show up week after week while providing a place for new racers who jump in and find their first team home.

Key Changes this Round

Zwift + WTRL continuously collaborate to modify ZRL’s structure and rules with the aim of engaging as many racers as possible. Heading into this first round of season, many rule changes have been made. See below for the basics, and see WTRL’s website for details.

4x 6-Week Rounds

The 2025/26 season ended with a four-week round, but this year all four rounds are full six-week affairs.

Team Size

Team sizes are being reduced from 12 riders to 10, with only 5 riders (instead of 6) racing each week.

FTS Points Expansion

Fastest Through Segment points were formerly given to the top 5 riders. They will now be awarded to the top 10 riders: 15 points for 1st, then 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, down to 1 point for 10th place. Learn all about FTS, FAL, and other points systems used in ZRL >

“Race of Truth” Format

The first race of each round will now be a “Race of Truth”. This format is scored just like a ZRL points race, but there’s one big difference: drafting is turned off (and so are TT bikes)!

Steering and Braking

For the first time ever, steering is enabled in all races. Braking will be available for TTT events only.

Road to Zwift Racing League Introduction Rides

Training events will be held every Tuesday until this round begins. Ride alongside other Zwifters and learn about team racing, what to expect when you race ZRL, and how to take the next step and join a team. No racing – just a group ride.

See upcoming events at zwift.com/events/tag/zrlintro.

In-Game Rewards

250 XP will be rewarded for every lap completed, adding up to thousands of XP across the season.

‘Rider for Hire’ System

Essentially a “classifieds” list of people looking for a team, with the ability for existing team admins to easily search the list and contact riders.

WTRL says this won’t be live until the first week of September, so if you’re looking for a team before then, visit wtrl.racing/zrl/teamhunt.

Jersey Rules Strictly Enforced

Teams must wear their chosen ZRL kit in every race. There are no exceptions, and penalties (currently not yet specified) will apply.

Additional Team Management Functionality

These upgrades are not yet fully in place, but the plan is to reduce the need for riders to click a RacePass each week. Instead, team admins can optionally select and sign up their 5 riders each week.

Actual Cadence Required

Here’s an interesting new rule:

  • 6.2.2. Cadence data MUST be derived from the rider’s actual pedaling cadence. This may be provided by a dedicated cadence sensor, power meter, Smart Trainer or Smart Bike capable of measuring actual cadence.
  • 6.2.3. Estimated, simulated or averaged cadence data is NOT permitted. Some Smart Trainers generate cadence values algorithmically rather than measuring actual crank or pedal movement. Where this is the case, a separate device capable of measuring actual cadence MUST be used.

I predict this rule will cause a lot of strife and confusion, because most of the popular smart trainers (including the Wahoo KICKR and KICKR CORE) “generate cadence values algorithmically”, meaning many riders will need to purchase actual cadence sensors to comply with this rule.

Note: the above rule was changed in the rulebook on 8/18/2026, so it no longer applies. As always, see the current rulebook (available on this page) for current rules.

Power Accuracy and Pairing Guidelines

WTRL is updating their rules to clearly state pairing and accuracy standards. Here are some excerpts from the rules:

  1. Where a Smart Trainer with a built-in power meter is used, the Smart Trainer MUST be connected directly to Zwift as the primary Power Source. A separate pedal-, crank-, spider- or hub-based power meter MUST NOT be used as the primary Power Source when the Smart Trainer is capable of measuring to a manufacturer-published accuracy of ±2% or better. The Smart Trainer must also be connected to Zwift for Resistance/Controllable. This requirement standardizes power measurement at the trainer, after drivetrain losses, and is consistent with Zwift Esports equipment requirements.
  2. Where a Smart Trainer has a manufacturer-published power accuracy worse than ±2%, a pedal-, crank-, spider- or hub-based power meter with a manufacturer-published accuracy of ±2% or better may be used as the primary Power Source instead.
  3. Division A & B racers MUST transmit power information to the game (Zwift). Suitable equipment includes:
    • Smart turbo trainer.
    • Smart bike.
    • Classic ‘dumb’ trainer with separate power meter.
  4. Division C & D racers may use any equipment including ZPower (non-smart trainers) though a power meter or smart trainer is heavily recommended for racers to enjoy the most beneficial experience.
    • Racers on ZPower will be awarded 50% of points earned in the event.
    • Racers on ZPower may only make up 40% of the team during a Team Time Trial event.

For details on ZRL rules, including the full “Technical Guide & Rules” PDF, see the ZRL Rules page >

Routes and Dates

Each ZRL round comprises weekly races which are either scratch races, points races (including Race of Truth), or team time trials (TTT). Scratch Races and Points Races are both actually points-based in terms of final results, but Points races include intermediate segments while Scratch Race points are all earned at the finish line. TTT winners are the teams who complete the race course fastest, with team time taken from the fourth rider across the line.

Race #1: Montmartre Mixer
September 22, 2026 (Race of Truth)

The round begins with the new “Race of Truth” format on one of the new Paris routes! In this format, we’re all on road bikes (no TT bikes allowed), but drafting is disabled. So basically, a Merckx-Style TT… with FAL+FTS segment points… on Zwift! Back-to-back Montmartre climbs are going to hurt, particularly in this format.

Read our Race 1 Guide >

Race #2: Innsbruckring
September 29, 2026 (Scratch Race)

We head to Innsbruck for the first scratch race of the season, held on the popular Innsbruckring circuit. The elastic will stretch and break every time up the Leg Snapper… but who will stay away for that long final sprint?

Race #3: Makuri 40/Urumaze
October 6, 2026 (Points Race)

Our first true points races of the season are in Makuri Islands, with A/B riders on a different route from C/D. Both routes feature flat sprint segments hidden behind short climbs.

Race #4: Watopia Figure 8 Reverse
October 13, 2026 (TTT)

The only TTT of this round is on Watopia’s classic Figure 8 Reverse, a route popular in the early days of Zwift racing. Teams will take on the tricky Hilly KOM in both directions, as well as the rollers of The Esses and other pacing challenges.

Race #5: Green to Screen
October 20, 2026 (Scratch)

The second scratch race of round 1 finds us in the Big Apple, taking on the Green to Screen route for the first time in ZRL history. Get ready for big attacks on the Brooklyn Bridge KOM near the finish!

Race #6: Spiral Summit
October 27, 2026 (Points)

The final race of the round is on a brand-new route with a red-hot finish! You begin with a lovely downhill section, but then the legs will be softened on the Jarvis KOM, and fully hammered to bits by the finish up the Volcano KOM.

A cyclist wearing a helmet and sports gear rides uphill on a road bike at night, with a snow-capped mountain and a glowing volcano in the background.

Race Timeslots

Some divisions and start times are adjusted between rounds. Use the table below to find a time slot that works for your team. Please note that time slots may shift a bit – what you see below are provisional times. We will update this table once WTRL finalizes it.

A colorful table showing a schedule for the 2024/25 Zwift Racing League season, with event dates, categories, and race start times listed for different regions and time zones. The website www.WTRL.racing is at the bottom.

Teams/Registration

Team registration is already open (go to wtrl.racing/zrl/myteams/ and click “Register a Team”). Registration for round 1 closes on September 18, 2026.

ZRL is a team-based competition – you cannot sign up as an individual rider. Teams can roster up to 10 racers, but only 5 can race in each event. Teams must have at least 4 riders on their roster, and a rider can join as many teams as they’d like, but only a maximum of two teams per league category.

Want to race, but don’t have a team? Here are seven ways to find a team:

  1. Recruit friends onto a new ZRL team, then sign up your team at wtrl.racing/zrl/myteams.
  2. If you’re already a member of a larger Zwift Club, contact a senior Club representative to see if you can join one of your Club’s ZRL teams.
  3. Join an official team-lead ZRL Group Recon Ride (see below) where several teams can be found looking for more riders. These run several times a day, starting two weeks before the first race.
  4. Join the ZRL Facebook Group and post preferred race times/league, Pace Group Category, and any other preferences under the #zrlteamhunt tag where many teams are eagerly waiting.
  5. Reply to one of the #zrlrecruiting posts that teams make in the ZRL Facebook Group if you don’t want to post your own request.
  6. Reach out directly to WTRL and they can match you to a team based on race times, category, and team preferences.
  7. Use the new “WTRL Team Finder” tool once it becomes available at wtrl.racing/zrl/teamhunt.

First-Timer Tips

If this is your first time racing on Zwift, here are a few tips to get you started fast:

  1. You must create a WTRL profile linked to your Zwift account – do so at wtrl.racing/registration
  2. The minimum category you’ll race is determined by your power history on Zwift. See “Rider Categories” section here for details.
  3. Riders must use a power sensor to transmit power to the game – this would be a smart trainer, smartbike, or power meter. (You’re allowed to race C and D categories with a “classic” trainer and virtual power, but your points are cut in half.)
  4. Heart rate monitors are required. (You’re allowed to race without a HRM, but your points are cut in half.)
  5. Cadence monitors are required.
  6. You’ll want to have at least a few races under your belt before you try to join a team, so you are confident that you’re in the correct category. It causes a lot of hassle if you join a team and are forced to upgrade to a new category mid-round!

2026/27 ZRL Dates

  • Round 1: September 22-October 27, 2026
  • Round 2: November 17-December 22, 2026
  • Round 3: January 12-February 16, 2027
  • Round 4: March 2-April 6, 2027

Questions or Comments?

We recommend checking out WTRL’s Zwift Racing League page for rules, team registration, results, and more. They also have a Help Center with lots of useful info, and their Facebook page is the place to go for discussion of all things ZRL.

You may also share questions or comments below!

Zwift Update Version 1.120 (164452) Released

Eric Schlange
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37
Zwift Update Version 1.120 (164452) Released

Zwift version 1.120 begins its phased rollout today. This update includes new Shimano DURA-ACE wheels, more route badges for runners, and some minor tweaks and fixes. Read on for details!

New Shimano Wheels

The following new wheels are now available in the Drop Shop:

These are the in-game versions of Shimano’s latest DURA-ACE wheelsets, which are labeled as “coming soon” on their website. Watch for speed test results here on Zwift Insider this week, and news coming soon of upcoming Zwift races featuring these wheels!

Shimano DURA-ACE C36
Shimano DURA-ACE C50
Shimano DURA-ACE C60
Shimano DURA-ACE C99/Disc

The older versions of the C36, C50, and C60 have been removed from the Drop Shop, so they are no longer available for purchase, although they will remain in your garage if you’ve already purchased them.

Saving Wheelsets to Frames

Here’s a nice little update we didn’t see coming. Zwift’s release notes say, “Equipping a wheel set in the garage will save it to the equipped bike. Each owned bike in the garage can have a unique wheel set saved.”

Now you can easily set up, say, a climbing bike (Specialized Aethos with Princeton Alta wheels), a TT rig (Canyon Speedmax CFR with DT Swiss disc), a gravel bike (Cannondale SuperX LAB71 with Roval Terra Aero CLX wheels) and an all-around racer (Tarmac SL9 with Princeton Wake 6560 wheels). To swap from one bike to the other, just choose the new bike in your garage. Voilà! It already has the right wheels attached.

We’ve got two more garage requests for Zwift – an easy one, and a tougher one:

  • Save our bike colorways, so we don’t have to click and pick it each time we swap back to that frame.
  • Let us archive or delete eqipment from our garages so they aren’t so crowded. (Or better yet, let us sell items back for half price.)

New Route Badges for Runners

Zwift has added four new route badges for runners, continuing the trend they started in the v1.119 release. Once you’ve installed version 1.120, the following routes will have achievement badges and XP available for runners:

Unmentioned Tweaks

Not mentioned in the release notes, but worth putting here just for the record:

Release Notes

Zwift supplied these additional release notes:

  • Fixed an issue where non-supported emojis used in the ride leader name would change the name to display as ‘Ride Leader’
  • Fixed an issue where equipping a different bike colorway would reset the equipped bike to stock paint.
  • You can now choose not to upload any screenshots at the end of a ride.

Discuss this update in Zwift’s forum >

Questions or Comments?

If you spotted any other changes or bugs in the update, please comment below!

Zwift Shorts Challenge Announced: Quick Sessions, Easy Progression

Eric Schlange
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51
Zwift Shorts Challenge Announced: Quick Sessions, Easy Progression

Zwift Shorts Challenge Announced: Quick Sessions, Easy Progression

Today, Zwift unveiled a simple new challenge, fittingly titled “Zwift Shorts”. The goal? Complete eight very short event-only routes that are typically unavailable for free riding:

These routes are easily accessible during the challenge (which ends September 27, 2026 at 23:59 PDT), making them ideal for quick sessions and easy progression.

Eight Short Routes

Here are the routes included in this challenge:

Note: Route lengths on the in-game challenge screen shown above include event lead-ins, but when you free-ride most of these routes the game puts you at the end of the lead-in, so the actual route length is shorter than shown. Our lengths listed above are accurate, meaning this challenge requires ~31km of riding. Most riders could knock out this challenge in one solid session! Are you up for it?

You’ll get a green completion banner popup when you finish each route. Make sure you keep riding until you see the popup, to ensure you’ve completed the route!

Cyclists race through a virtual outdoor course lined with trees in Zwift. On-screen stats, maps, and leaderboard are visible. A banner indicates completion of Zwift Shorts 8/8 at the bottom.

You will get credit for completing a route whether you do it in an actual Zwift event (like a race or a group ride), or just click the “Zwift Shorts” card on the home screen and free-ride it.

Rewards

Up to 1000 bonus XP is rewarded as you progress through the challenge:

  • Complete 2 routes: 250 XP
  • Complete 4 routes: 250 XP
  • Complete 6 routes: 250 XP
  • Complete 8 routes: 250 XP

Questions or comments?

Share below!

Tour de Hisp 13-Stage Daily Tour Announced Beginning August 24

Eric Schlange
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23
Tour de Hisp 13-Stage Daily Tour Announced Beginning August 24

Tour de Hisp 13-Stage Daily Tour Announced Beginning August 24

Recently the HISP Club announced the 5th edition of their popular “Tour de Hisp” – a 13-stage daily tour running August 24-September 6. Here are all the details!

The Basics

  • Time-Based GC: Series rankings are based on your total time to complete each race. Official GC standings hosted by ZwiftPower at zwiftpower.com/league.php?id=3324
  • ZRS-Based Categories: Races are mass-start events, with riders broken out into these Zwift Racing Score-based groups for results:
    • A: 690-1000
    • B: 520-690
    • C: 350-520
    • D: 180-350
    • E: 0-180
  • 6 4 Daily Start Times: Scheduled to suit many time zones. You can race whatever time you prefer, or race at varying times if you’d like. Your fastest time for the stage will be used for the GC.
    • 8:30am UTC/4:30am ET/1:30am PT
    • 2pm UTC/10am ET/7am PT
    • 5pm UTC/1pm ET/10am PT
    • 7pm UTC/3pm ET/12pm PT
    • 11pm UTC/7pm ET/4pm PT – new time added for Americas!
    • 1am UTC/9pm ET/6pm PT – new time added for Americas!

Route and Schedule Details

  • Stage 1 – Mon, Aug 24: Richmond’s Libby Hill After Party
    • 33.9km, 160m elevation
  • Stage 2 – Tue, Aug 25: Watopia’s Big Loop
    • 42.8km, 663m elevation
  • Stage 3 – Wed, Aug 26: Scotland’s Muckle Yin
    • 23.7km, 282m elevation
  • Stage 4 – Thu, Aug 27: Yorkshire’s Royal Pump Room 8
    • 25.1km, 580m elevation
  • Stage 5 – Fri, Aug 28: Makuri Islands’ Turf N Surf
    • 25.1km, 19.4m elevation
  • Stage 6 – Sat, Aug 29: Innsbruck’s Achterbahn
    • 47.7km, 988m elevation
  • Sun, Aug 30: Rest Day
  • Stage 7 – Mon, Aug 31: Watopia’s Three Little Sisters
    • 37.7km, 434m elevation
  • Stage 8 – Tue, Sep 1: London’s Greater London Loop
    • 25.5km, 255m elevation
  • Stage 9 – Wed, Sep 2: Makuri Islands’ Yumezi Grit (3 laps)
    • 26.5km, 318m elevation
  • Stage 10 – Thu, Sep 3: France’s Casse-Pattes
    • 25.2km, 155m elevation
  • Stage 11 – Fri, Sep 4: Watopia’s Mountain Route
    • 29.5km, 682m elevation
  • Stage 12 – Sat, Sep 5: Watopia’s Tempus Fugit (iTT)
    • 19.6km, 31.8m elevation
  • Stage 13 – Sun, Sep 6: Paris’ Montmartre Mixer
    • 25.2km, 190m elevation

How to Sign Up

Sign up for Tour de Hisp events like you would any other Zwift event – online or via the Companion app.

See upcoming Tour de Hisp events at zwift.com/events/tag/hisp

More Rules

  • Steering enabled
  • Smart trainer/power meter required
  • ZwiftPower registration is required to be included in overall GC

Questions or comments?

Learn more at the Tour de HISP 2026 homepage. You may also post questions and comments below!

Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of August 15-16

Eric Schlange
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2
Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of August 15-16

This weekend wraps up a few different event series: Tour Fever, Tour de 4, and Tugaz Tour 2026. We feature all three below, plus a couple more! Scroll down for our picks…

🤝 Sir Chris Hoy’s Tour de 4

✅ Good Cause 　✅ Popular 　✅ Kit/Cap Unlock

With more signups than any other event this weekend, the Tour de 4 ride with Sir Chris Hoy is as popular as ever! This is the last Tour de 4 events of 2026, so don’t miss it.

Donate to Tour de 4 >

Join Sir Chris and special guests for an open-paced 45-minute ride on the Makuri Islands Island Hopper route. Finish the ride to unlock the in-game Chris Hoy Tour de 4 kit and the new 2026 Tour de 4 cycling cap.

Saturday, August 15 starting @ 9am UTC/5am ET/2am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/tourde4

🤝Shokz x Mountain Massif: Ride Open, Ride Together

✅ Prize Giveaway

Here’s a one-off ride from Zwift Insider friend and longtime ride organizer Tim Perkin. This ride, led by Tim at C pace on Watopia’s Sand and Sequoias (22.4km, 181m) includes a prize giveaway for one finisher: a pair of Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 headphones!

Saturday, August 15 starting @12pm UTC/11am ET/8am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5672242

🥇Tugaz Tour 2026 – Volta a Portugal

✅ Popular 　✅ No Powerups

The popular Tugaz Tour 2026 consists of 15 standalone races, and this is the last one! And it’s a big one, on Watopia’s The Pretzel (72.9km, 1362m). This is a mass start event using W/kg-based categories. There are no powerups, no steering, and no braking.

Sunday, August 16 @ 9:05am UTC/5:05am ET/2:05am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5370628

🤝Stage 4 – Tour Fever – L’Etape du Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift

✅ Ventoux　 ✅ Popular　 ✅ Unlocks

This weekend is our last chance to knock out stages in Zwift’s Tour Fever series! Make-up events are scheduled all weekend… see upcoming events at zwift.com/events/tag/tourfever2026.

The events I want to highlight, though, are on stage 4’s long route. These are special L’Etape Femmes events on the challenging Ven-Top route (21.1km, 1534m ). Finishers receive an exclusive L’Etape Femmes kit unlock, along with any applicable Tour Fever unlocks.

Multiple time slots this weekend
Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/tourfever2026stage4

🤝 Bikealicious Weekend Social Mixer

✅ Banded Ride 　✅ Beginner-Friendly 　✅ Route Badge 　✅ New Route

The friendly Bikealicious crew is leading a banded group ride on New York’s Stay Puft Pursuit route (32km, 416m). Grab this route badge if you haven’t done so yet, which comes with a 625XP bonus.

Saturday, August 15 @ 9pm UTC/5pm ET/2pm PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5670213

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!

Tiny Race Series – August 15 Routes – Forward-Reverse

Eric Schlange
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0
Tiny Race Series – August 15 Routes – Forward-Reverse

Tiny Race Series – August 15 Routes – Forward-Reverse

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

Vuelta-Inspired SISU Punainen Stage Race Announced

Eric Schlange
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23
Vuelta-Inspired SISU Punainen Stage Race Announced

Vuelta-Inspired SISU Punainen Stage Race Announced

SISU Racing has just announced its boldest challenge yet: SISU Punainen, a Vuelta-inspired, seven-stage race series built for riders who thrive when the road tilts skyward. Set entirely in Watopia, this inaugural edition is unapologetically brutal, beautifully relentless, and designed for the mountain goats of the virtual peloton.

Riders will compete for four individual classifications, ensuring every stage offers something to race for. The coveted Punainen (red in Finnish) Jersey rewards the overall General Classification leader based on cumulative elapsed time across all seven stages. The Sprintteri Jersey recognizes the fastest riders through the designated sprint segments, while the Vuorikauris (Mountain Goat) Jersey celebrates the strongest climbers. The Johtaja (leader in Finnish) Jersey recognizes the overall leader in each age category. Whether you’re an all-rounder, a sprinter, a pure climber, or racing within your age group, there’s a jersey to chase!

Stage and Schedule Details

Stages are scheduled in multiple time slots each weekend (Saturday-Sunday) and Tuesday-Wednesday.

Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/sisu >

Open and Women-Only Options

The inaugural SISU Punainen features both an Open Punainen and a Women’s Punainen, reinforcing SISU Racing’s ongoing commitment to supporting the advancement of women in cycling esports. By providing dedicated racing opportunities for women alongside open (mixed) events, SISU hopes to keep building a more inclusive racing community where every rider has the opportunity to compete for prestigious jerseys and overall honors.

Zwift Race Score

This series uses Zwift Racing Score (ZRS) for categorization, following a format similar to the recent Zwift Tour Fever series to create tighter, more closely matched fields.

  • A Grade: 701-1000
  • B Grade: 551-700
  • C Grade: 401-550
  • D Grade: 251-400
  • E Grade: 1-250

Riders who upgrade during the first six stages will be classified in their higher grade.  Riders who upgrade in Stage 7 will not be re-classified.

The Jerseys

There are multiple leader jerseys up for grabs:

  • The General Classification (GC) is decided by the cumulative elapsed time taken to complete all seven stages.
  • The Team Classification is based on the combined time of each team’s fastest three riders on every stage.
  • The Sprintteri and Vuorikauris (Mountain Goat) classifications are determined by a rider’s cumulative time through all designated Sprint and KOM/QOM segments of Stages 2 to 7. Where a stage includes the same segment multiple times, only the rider’s fastest time through that segment will count toward the classification.
  • The Johtaja (leader in Finnish) classification is decided by the cumulative elapsed time taken to complete all seven stages in each age category.

More Details

Separate Open Punainen and Women’s Punainen events are offered, with each having its own General, Team, and Jersey classifications.

  • Each event is a mass start with all riders visible on the course.
  • TT bikes are mandatory for the iTT. Draft will be disabled.
  • ZPower and riders without heart rate data will be excluded from the results.
  • A rider’s best time will count if they race the same stage multiple times.
  • To be included in the GC, riders must have a ZwiftPower profile.

Questions or comments?

For more information and results, visit sisu.racing/punainen.

The Original Zwift Pinarello Dogma F8 Is for Sale

Eric Schlange
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2
The Original Zwift Pinarello Dogma F8 Is for Sale

The Original Zwift Pinarello Dogma F8 Is for Sale

In June 2015, Zwift held what may have been their biggest promotion up to that point: a Pinarello Dogma F8 giveaway, held in conjunction with Jaguar to celebrate Bradley Wiggins smashing the hour record days earlier (see original Facebook post). Back then, 10 months into Zwift’s beta period, the platform and its community looked very different from what they do today.

Riders were instructed to first unlock the Jaguar kit in game (code “JAGUAR”, which is no longer valid), then ride Zwift for at least 1 hour, take a screenshot, and share it on social media:

Danish cyclist Bo Ekkelund was the lucky winner (see Zwift’s Facebook announcement), and unlike many unique prize bikes, the Dogma did not spend the following years hanging on a wall.

It was ridden.

A lot.

Over the following decade, the distinctive Zwift Pinarello became Bo Ekkelund’s main road bike, covering thousands of kilometers while Zwift itself grew from a relatively small indoor cycling experiment into the platform familiar to millions of cyclists today.

The bike is not a replica or a later custom paint project. It is the original factory-painted Pinarello Dogma F8 supplied as the prize in Zwift’s competition, making it an unusual physical reminder of the company’s early history.

And now, after many years on the road, it is looking for a new owner.

From Competition Prize to Everyday Race Bike

The Dogma F8 was Pinarello’s flagship race bike when the Zwift competition took place. In fact, this is the same model Chris Froome rode to Tour de France victory in 2015 and 2016!

But despite its unusual provenance, Bo never treated the Zwift bike primarily as a collector’s item. It became a working road bike. Over the years it was ridden extensively and adapted along the way, while retaining the unmistakable Zwift-branded frame at the center of the build.

That history arguably makes the bike more interesting today. It represents a particular moment in Zwift’s development, but rather than being preserved untouched from that period, it has continued to accumulate its own cycling history ever since.

Why sell it now?

The decision to sell has less to do with the bike itself and more to do with its owner.

A combination of injuries and a recent professional bike fit has pointed Bo toward a bike with a higher front end and a somewhat different riding position. The F8 has already been adapted to bring its position closer to the recommended fit, but there are limits to how much the geometry of a pure race bike can be changed.

After years of riding his beloved Zwifty Dogma, Bo finally decided to put the bike up for sale.

A Small Piece of Zwift History

There are plenty of Pinarello Dogma F8s in the world. There are considerably fewer factory-painted Zwift versions with a documented connection to the platform’s early beta era!

That is what makes this particular bike interesting beyond its specification or value as a used road bike. For someone who was part of Zwift during those early years, it is an unusually tangible piece of the platform’s history. For a Pinarello enthusiast, it is also a distinctly different version of one of the most recognizable race bikes of its generation.

Bo has now listed the bike on Buycycle, where interested buyers can find the full specification, detailed photographs, condition information and the practical details of the sale. The original matching Castelli Zwift cycling kit has also remained with the bike and is being included with the sale.

Full listing: buycycle.com/en-dk/product/dogma-f8-dura-ace-di2-bike-2015-zwift-branded6a6deefde9778-59755

Whether its next owner chooses to continue riding it or eventually turns it into a display piece remains to be seen. But either way, after spending more than a decade with the person who originally won it, one of the more distinctive bikes from Zwift’s early years is ready to begin its next chapter.

Questions or comments?

Yes, anyone can unlock the Dogma F8 in game via the Tour Italy challenge. But who will unlock this IRL Zwifty Dogma F8? Share your thoughts below!

Zwift Insider Tiny Race Stats: Rider Counts, Naughty Countries, Prolific Racers

Eric Schlange
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12
Zwift Insider Tiny Race Stats: Rider Counts, Naughty Countries, Prolific Racers

Zwift Insider Tiny Race Stats: Rider Counts, Naughty Countries, Prolific Racers

With another year of Tiny Races under our belt, it’s time to crunch some numbers and share fun Tiny Race stats. How would recent numbers compare to last year’s stats? What do the week-to-week participation trends look like? Which country is home to the most well-behaved riders (and the naughtiest)? And who completed more Tiny Races than any other rider on Earth this year?

Let’s dive in and find out!

Overall Data

With Tiny Race results saved since October 2022, we’ve got 147 weeks of data to work with. Here are the total number of races finished each week since I began saving the data. This is broken down by time zone into the three event timeslots we run (Zone 1 at 2am, Zone 2 at 8am, and Zone 3 at 2pm Pacific time, although these times may shift by an hour when clocks change):

January 3, 2026 saw the most race completions ever from a single zone: 2069 in Zone 2! That’s fun.

Zones 1 and 2 track closely to each other, with zone 1 being popular with UK/Europe riders and Zone 2 being popular in the US/Canada. Zone 1 used to be more popular than Zone 2, or at least it was neck-and-neck. But in the past year or so, Zone 2 has been more popular.

Zone 3 is always much smaller. While Zone 3 mostly exists to cater to Australia and New Zealand, it’s interesting to note that Zone 3’s numbers follow the same trend as Zones 1 and 2, indicating that a good portion of Zone 3’s racers aren’t in the southern hemisphere, where you would expect traffic patterns to be inverted from the northern hemisphere.

Next, we examine the number of unique riders who participated each week, combined across all three zones. We see a similar trend to the chart above, with numbers decreasing in summer months.

A few trends/data points that stand out to me:

  • The huge peak of 1636 riders on February 18, 2023, which was the second week of our special Worlds Experience races.
  • “Peak Zwift” season this year was down a bit last year. November 2023-February 2024 saw 14,169 riders, November 2024-February 2025 saw 16,431 riders, and November 2025-February 2026 saw 15,659 riders (if I remove the last race in February, so each year includes an equal number of Saturdays).
  • Our lowest numbers ever in recent months: May 23 and July 11 2026 are both lower weeks than we’ve ever had in the history of Tiny Races.

This Year’s Data

If we narrow our scope to the past 12 months (August 2025 through July 2026), we can simplify the charts and concentrate on more recent trends.

The only major change we’ve made to affect this chart is moving from three categories to five on September 13, 2026. That’s why categories E and D are zero for the first few weeks of the chart.

Next, we wanted to break down participation by location. Which countries participate the most in Tiny Races?

It may appear that the USA is way ahead in first and Great Britain firmly in second, but if we look closer, Zwift breaks out England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales as separate country flag options. If you add their numbers to those riders who select “United Kingdom” as their flag in Zwift (which is coded as GB in ZwiftPower, where the above data comes from), GB is essentially tied with the US (26,356 race completions for GB vs 26.367 for the US).

The Naughty List

The intention of the Tiny Races is to complete 4 back-to-back hard races in one hour, but early on we found some riders were jumping into later races in the set so they could get a better result against fatigued riders. Therefore, we developed a unique “no sniping” rule that basically says “You can’t skip a race then return.”

How many disqualifications do we issue to snipers? A lot, sadly:

We’ve noticed a trend over the years: Zone 1 typically gets less DQs than Zone 2, who gets less than Zone 3. Why? We’re not sure. But the good news is, the DQ rates of each zone have decreased in the past year. Nice!

Disqualification rates by zone for the past 12 months:

  • Zone 1: 6.57% (down 0.36% YoY)
  • Zone 2: 7.25% (down 0.66% YoY)
  • Zone 3: 7.75% (down 1.24% YoYo)

Going further down the rulebreaking rabbit hole, here’s a list of countries whose riders participate in the Tiny Races, sorted by who is naughtiest (or nicest, depending on how you look at it) in the past 12 months. This shows the percentage of race finishes which end up being disqualified for sniping. (Keep in mind you have to be registered on ZwiftPower to even show up in the results, so this chart – and all of the charts on this page – leaves out data from riders who aren’t on ZP.)

Brazil makes a surprise appearance at the top of the list. And in second place we have Italy, who is typically the first major participant (2000+ race finishes) with a bad score.

Kudos to Turkey for having the lowest overall DQ rate by a good margin for the second year in a row. Also, a shout out to the good people of Sweden, who just like the last three years have the lowest DQ rate of any major participant, coming in at 4.8% with over 6000 race finishes.

Most Prolific Riders

Lastly, we wanted to see which riders had raced the most Tiny Races over the past year. The results are impressive, with the top two riders from last year greatly increasing their total races, and C OOLHAND moving up in 1st place after Nozaki holding the position for the past two years:

  1. C OOLHAND: 380
  2. Naofumi Nozaki (AHDR): 370
  3. Stephen Mulrine (HERD): 192
  4. Robin Andersson [eSRT] CRP: 191
  5. Michael Boardman [mTNT]: 186
  6. Gregory Whitehead: 184
  7. Ben Dusinberre: 181
  8. . # Zwift_drafter: 179
  9. D Macca: 177
  10. Michal Satura: 168
  11. Henry Li-Zwift Fighter: 168
  12. Todd Sheaman (DIRT): 167
  13. L Tait Age 68 WWCC: 158
  14. Head Wound: 158
  15. Matt Hold: 156
  16. Chris Keogh: 156
  17. Berk Kayin: 151
  18. Douglas Cameron: 150
  19. Noheya MONIO [TMR]: 146
  20. Michel LAURENT: 144

Looking a bit deeper, 68 riders have successfully completed 100 or more Tiny Races in the past year. Awesome! Thanks to all who have participated in the Tiny Races this year.

Three Requests for Zwift

The Tiny Races have always pushed the boundaries of Zwift’s race events. For example: did you know we had to customize the events to only remind you of the next race 1 minute before it starts? This avoids riders getting reminders popping up as they near the finish of an earlier Tiny Race, or worse, being taken to the next race before they finish the current one.

There are three features I’d love to see from Zwift because they would simplify the signup process, greatly reduce sniping, and help me improve the experience for everyone:

  1. Sign up for all 4 events at once: I get it, the idea of signing up for 4 race events isn’t exactly intuitive. I’d love it if Zwift could design it so you do one signup, and you’re signed up for all 4 events. This would reduce confusion and reduce the number of snipers.
  2. Don’t automatically move riders to an event when they’re already in one: if you do get within that 1-minute time window, Zwift might pop up the reminder of your upcoming Tiny Race then take you out of your current race and into the next one before you’re finished. That’s not ideal. It seems like an easy fix: if the rider is currently in an event, don’t automatically take them out to the next one. Force them to choose that option. This is how it should work throughout Zwift.
  3. Give me participation data: It’s painfully difficult to extract useful event data from Zwift’s systems. (I’m only able to generate the data above because I have it stored in a custom database which I use for crunching numbers and disqualifying snipers.) As an event organizer, I would love to have access to a portal that displays participation numbers, rider satisfaction scores/comments, and other relevant statistics from my events. This type of actionable data would help me create a better experience for racers, which would be a win for everyone involved.

Wrapping It Up

The Tiny Races have always been about trying something different. I’m not interested in holding “just another Zwift race,” which is why these races have such a unique setup. It’s also why I jump at the chance to test beta features like pack dynamics and custom category boundaries.

Thank you for trusting me enough to race the races and share your feedback. It means a lot.

As we head into peak Zwifting months, we’ll continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in Zwift racing. This includes some test races on Gravel Mountain, once Zwift releases it again. See you on course!

Haven’t raced the Tinies yet? Sign Up Here!

Questions or Comments?

Did you find any of the data above particularly interesting? Got a Tiny Race question or comment? Share below!

Racers: Iceni Women’s Series Begins August 25

Eric Schlange
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2
Racers: Iceni Women’s Series Begins August 25

Racers: Iceni Women’s Series Begins August 25

The popular Iceni Women’s Series is back for another 4 weeks of racing! Inspired by the legendary Iceni tribe and their fearless queen, Boudicca, this series is built on courage, resilience, unity, and the unbreakable spirit of women. Here are the details…

Schedule and Routes

Races happen on four consecutive Tuesdays in two time slots: 17:30 UTC (18:30 BST/13:30 ET/10:30 PT) and 23:00 UTC (00:00 BST/19:00 ET/16:00 PT).

Challenge 1 – August 25: Neokyo All-Nighter (1 lap)

  • Length: 24.6km
  • Elevation: 168m
  • Powerup: Aero & Feather
  • Sprint & QOM Segments:
    • Castle Park Sprint
    • Alley Sprint Reverse
    • Tower Sprint
    • Rooftop QOM

Challenge 2 – September 1: Sand and Sequoias (1 lap)

  • Length: 26.6km
  • Elevation: 232m
  • Powerup: Feather & Aero
  • Sprint & QOM Segments:
    • Titans Grove QOM
    • Fuego Flats Sprint

Challenge 3 – September 8: Innsbruckring (3 laps)

  • Length: 26.6km
  • Elevation: 231m
  • Powerup: Feather & Aero
  • Sprint & QOM Segments:
    • Leg Snapper QOM
    • Innsbruck Sprint

Challenge 4 – September 15: Double Espresso (1 lap)

  • Length: 33.7km
  • Elevation: 231m
  • Powerup: Burrito & Aero
  • Sprint & QOM Segments:
    • Lutece Sprint
    • Eglise Sprint 
    • Montmartre QOM
    • Tchou Tchou Sprint
    • Monceau Sprint

Individual and Team-Based Competitions

Individual rankings will be determined by the cumulative points across all four challenges. In the event of a tie, the rider with the highest total QOM points will be declared the winner. Full results can be viewed in the ZwiftPower League section.

For Team GC, the top three riders from each team will combine their points to determine the overall team ranking.

Prizes

Stay in the hunt by riding every stage and you could be packing your bags for a cycling getaway to Spain! Complete all four weeks of the series to earn an entry into the grand prize giveaway: an unforgettable 2-night stay at Rocacorba Cycling in Girona, one of Europe’s most iconic cycling destinations.

Sign Up

Signup numbers are already high, even though the series is weeks away. Numbers attract numbers, so why not add your name to the list?

Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/iceni >

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.

Categories and Key Rules

All races will have a mass start containing all categories. Categories are based on Zwift pace categories:

  • Cat A: 3.88-6 W/kg
  • Cat B: 3.36-3.87 W/kg
  • Cat C: 2.63-3.35 W/kg
  • Cat D: 1-2.62 W/kg

Key rules include:

  • All entrants must have a ZwiftPower account with an assigned race category.
  • Heart rate monitors are mandatory.
  • A power meter or smart trainer is required. No virtual power.
  • Riders exceeding 5 W/kg may be reviewed by the organizers. 
  • Steering is disabled.

See race guide for complete details >

About the Name

The Iceni tribe was ‘peacefully annexed’ by the Roman Empire at some point before 47 AD, though it was allowed some autonomy. When the king died and Boudicca I became High Queen of Iceni, the Roman Empire saw her unfit to rule and invaded the region. Iceni led a revolt against the Roman Empire and regained its independence, along with the independence of several other tribes. This led to the subsequent formation of the Comhairle, an alliance of the British tribes. Iceni had a major say in Comhairle affairs and became an important center of trade, military, and leadership.

Questions or comments?

See the race guide for more info, and post questions/comments below!

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