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Zwift Academy 2024 Winners Announced

Eric Schlange
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2
Zwift Academy 2024 Winners Announced

Zwift Academy 2024 Winners Announced

If you’ve been following this week’s Zwift Academy Final series from GCN, you know it’s been filled with highs and lows, thrills and spills, grueling all-out efforts! On Saturday, with the release of the final episode, the winners were announced.

Congratulations to Emily Dixon (Australia) and Noah Ramsay (Canada), winners of Zwift Academy 2024!

Full Press Release from Zwift

Returning for its ninth year, the Zwift Academy talent identification and training program – in partnership with CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto and Alpecin-Deceuninck – has awarded professional contracts to two athletes who demonstrated talent above their competitors. 

Australia’s Emily Dixon will join CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto Generation and Canada’s Noah Ramsay has earned a spot on the Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team. 

The two accomplished riders are the latest names on an illustrious list of Zwift Academy alumni which includes Giro d’Italia Women’s stage winner Neve Bradbury, Luca Vergallito who was promoted from the Development team after just one year and has recent strong results in the Volta ao Algarve as well as two-time Vuelta a Espana stage victor Jay Vine.

Emily and Noah set themselves apart from more than 100,000 Zwifters who participated in the 2024 Zwift Academy competition. They were among the eight finalists invited to the respective team camps which hosted the finals — the four women joined CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto in the Algarve, Portugal and the four men linked up with  Alpecin-Deceuninck in Denia, Spain.

During the concluding round, each athlete participated in different challenges and races, both on the road and on Zwift, met with coaches and staff from both squads, as well as joining group rides with their potential future team-mates. The final challenge was to complete the same test they undertook four days earlier, with significant fatigue in their legs. 

Emily distinguished herself by combining strong and efficient power numbers, first-class riding technique, and experience beyond her age. Tackling every challenge with a calm and collected spirit, Emily’s focus was proving her talent and not letting her competitors’ performances affect her, which impressed the judges. The 18-year-old was motivated to prove her talent and determined to mark herself out as the best. 

Noah meanwhile, impressed the Zwift Academy coaches and team staff with his stand-out bike handling skills, impressive power data, and the room left for him to improve with their input. The 22-year-old approached the finals with determination and tactical thinking, sizing up his fellow competitors to set himself up well to secure the life-changing professional contract. 

Women’s winner, Emily Dixon said: “It’s been such an amazing week, I’ve loved every minute of it and am so grateful for everyone at Zwift and the CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto team — I’ve learnt so much and they have all been so kind and welcoming. I’m utterly speechless and did not expect to win the 2025 Zwift Academy at all. I’m really looking forward to getting started with the team.”

Men’s winner, Noah Ramsay said: “The Zwift Academy process was great; it was handled so smoothly and allowed me to perform at my best alongside the Alpecin-Deceuninck riders and the other finalists. I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet as I didn’t think I stood out as the best among the other riders. There will be a different type of stress this year as I step into the Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team but I’m excited for the challenge it will bring.”

Adam Szabó, Head of Sports at CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto Generation said: “Emily is an excellent all-round cyclist with impressive power and speed, as demonstrated on the racing circuit and during other varied challenges. As a rider, she has the foundations that we will be able to build on in the long term. She is the type of rider we were looking for to fit into our team.”

Kristof de Kegel, Performance Manager at Alpecin-Deceuninck said: “Noah excelled throughout the ZA finals and physically was the type of rider we were looking for. He clearly demonstrated how he will be able to fit in with the Alpecin-Deceuninck Development team during the sprint challenge where he held his own and outperformed the rest of the finalists.”

GCN captured the Zwift Academy finals unfold in a four-episode series which can be watched here.

To learn more about the finalists and to see how you can stay up to date with the latest Zwift Academy news, read more here.

Winning on Zwift: How to Save Energy and Outsmart the Competition

Benjamin Pitt
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5
Winning on Zwift: How to Save Energy and Outsmart the Competition

Winning on Zwift: How to Save Energy and Outsmart the Competition

Let’s be real, winning a Zwift race isn’t just about “pushing big watts”. If it were, we’d all just go full gas and hope for the best. But the truth is, the smartest riders beat the strongest riders all the time.

In my latest video, I break down “six essential tactics” to help you conserve energy, race efficiently, and drop your rivals when it counts. Watch the full video (below) for all the details, but here’s a sneak peek of the biggest takeaways.

#1: Learn to Dangle

Hanging just off the back of the group, what I call “dangling”, is an underrated but killer tactic. It lets you stay in the draft without getting caught in the “watt wasting window”. Think of it as energy banking: while the front riders are burning matches, you’re recovering and getting ready to strike.

#2: Stop Overshooting Yourself Into the Wind

When a group slows after a surge, some riders overshoot straight to the front, big mistake. That’s like volunteering to do extra work when no one asked you to. Ease up early, settle in, and let others waste their watts.

#3: Master Pack Flow

Reading the group’s rhythm is game-changing. If the front is accelerating, match it early to avoid getting dropped. If they’re slowing, back off your effort so you don’t waste energy surging forward. Smart pacing = less wasted effort.

#4: Attack Over the Top, Not From the Front

Want to break away? Don’t just blast off from the front position. That’s a free tow for everyone behind you. Instead, use momentum to roll past the group at just the right moment, forcing them to react after you’ve gained free speed.

#5: Soft Attacks Drain the Pack

Instead of going all-in too early, make a few jabs. If done right, this wears down the competition without completely draining yourself. When it’s finally time to go all-out, they’ll be too cooked to chase you down.

#6: Fully Commit to Your Final Move

When you decide to go, GO! No half-measures. If you hesitate, the group will smell blood and reel you back in. Make them think, “Nah, we’ll never catch that guy.” Even if it doesn’t work, you’ll know you gave it everything.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to be the strongest rider, you just have to be smarter than the strongest rider. Learn to conserve energy, read the race, and strike at the right time, and you’ll start bagging way more wins.

Want to see these strategies in action? Watch the full video and start racing smarter today!

All About Zwift’s New BMX Bandit Bike

Eric Schlange
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35
All About Zwift’s New BMX Bandit Bike

All About Zwift’s New BMX Bandit Bike

Zwift’s Big Spin 2025 kicked off March 3rd, and with it the much-loved prize spinner. This year’s big prize is the BMX Bandit, the first-ever BMX-style bike in game. Knowing I needed the bike in my garage in order to test it, I put the bot to work, and unlocked the Bandit on our first try. Lucky!

Here’s how it’s described in the Drop Shop:
“Rip through the pack on this throwback special that’s perfect in the dirt, the pump track, the streets, and everything in between.”

The bike is rated just 1 star for aero and weight, meaning it’s not going to perform particularly well on flat or climbs. And you can’t upgrade the wheels, since there is only one special BMX-sized wheelset in game. But you can pair it with Fire Socks and have fun laying down rubber all over Watopia, which is what I’ve seen lots of Zwifters doing in the past few days!

While riders will intuitively know that using the BMX Bandit in races against road bikes isn’t a good idea, we also know it’s fun to pull a “funny bike” out for the occasional Zwift group ride or recovery spin. So we put it through our typical speed tests, to see just how fast (or slow) it is.

See our master list of all frames in Zwift >

Here’s everything you need to know about the performance of the new BMX Bandit bike in Zwift.

Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance

The BMX Bandit isn’t the best aero performer, but to be fair, it’s probably quite a bit faster in game than it would be in real life!

It turns in a time of 52:02 on our flat test course. Compare that to a time of 51:39.5 for the Zwift Steel road frame, and you’ll probably agree that the Bandit’s performance is a bit optimistic. Which isn’t a bad thing. Because if it was slower, nobody would ever use it!

In terms of overall ranking, the BMX Bandit’s aero performance on flat tarmac places it behind all in-game road bikes, but ahead of all in-game gravel bikes. It is 37 seconds behind our “baseline” Zwift Aero frame + 32mm Carbon wheels on our test course, which is two laps of Tempus Fugit totaling 34.6km.

Climb Performance

Can you imagine climbing Alpe d’Huez on a BMX Bike IRL? At least on Zwift you can change gears!

The in-game BMX Bandit turns in an Alpe du Zwift climb time of 53:05, meaning it is slower than all of the road, TT, and gravel bikes in game. It is 3 minutes and 37 seconds behind our “baseline” Zwift Aero frame + 32mm Carbon wheels on our test course up Alpe du Zwift, but it does come in over 2 minutes ahead of the mountain bikes.

Note: all test results above are from a 75kg, 183cm rider holding 300W steady.

Conclusions

Like last year’s Big Spin bike, the Atomic Cruiser, it’s probably best to treat the BMX Bandit like you would if it was in your real-life garage. It’s a novelty frame that will grab eyes and stir up nostalgia, but you definitely don’t want to ride it if you’re looking for speed!

So pull it out of your garage on recovery days and fun group rides, pop a few wheelies, nail a rad bunny hop, and remember that bikes are fun.

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike's performance relative to others may also change. We don't always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top Performers for current performance data.

Woman Racer Spotlight: Natasha Booth

Karla Williams
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Woman Racer Spotlight: Natasha Booth

Woman Racer Spotlight: Natasha Booth

Name: Natasha Booth

Hometown: Middlesex, UK

How did you get into cycling? I used to attend spin classes in the gym. When COVID hit, myself and five others formed a group and decided to take our indoor cycling outdoors, and we’ve been doing it ever since.

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? Since COVID 

Are you part of a Virtual team? Yes. The team is called ESRT and a fantastic team at that.

What do you love most about racing? Getting out of my comfort zone and surprising myself (I’m stronger than I think I am).

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)?  My favourite race style is TTT. I love the teamwork, the collaboration, the inspiration I get from the ladies in the team. 

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? I love the woman’s mini races. Women across the globe, all backgrounds and experiences coming together as one. Pushing each other and supporting each other.

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH Having technical issues on Zwift which resulted in me joining the pen after the race started. Being at the back and really having to work the legs and heart whilst not losing motivation. Eventually seeing other riders and catching up one by one. Whilst I didn’t come first, it was memorable because I could have given up before I started. I could have given up on not racing anyone for the first few km but I didn’t. Perseverance and riding my own race.

What is your favourite food to eat post race? Whatever is the nearest thing.

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Someone once told me “You lose every race you don’t enter,” and that has stayed with me. There’s no losing in entering. It’s OK to be nervous, but remember to have fun.

Any upcoming race you are looking forward to?  Iceni which is due to start in March. I’m really enjoying the ZRL races currently in Zwift.

Where can people follow your racing adventures? Natasha Booth on Zwift!

Zwift Academy 2024 Finals, Episode 4

Eric Schlange
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3
Zwift Academy 2024 Finals, Episode 4

Zwift Academy 2024 Finals, Episode 4

The finals for Zwift Academy 2024 have finished, and Zwift partnered with GCN to bring you a series of four episodes documenting the process at pre-season training camps. Who will come out on top and earn a pro contract?

The first, second, and third episodes were released in previous weeks. Today is the final episode!

In episode 4, it all comes down to the final challenge. How will they perform? And which two will earn the life-changing pro contracts?

Watch Episode 4:

(As a reminder, there are 8 finalists this year. To learn a bit about each rider, see this post.)

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

Powerup Sale Announced: Save Big on Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE!

Eric Schlange
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14
Powerup Sale Announced: Save Big on Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE!

Powerup Sale Announced: Save Big on Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE!

Today (March 7) kicks off a 10-day sale promotion on the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE. It begins with $100/$100/€100 off, but affiliates (including Zwift Insider) can share an additional discount code for another 5% (-$60/£55/€60) discount.

That discount code is POWERUP. If you’ve been considering buying the full Zwift Ride package, this is the best price we’ve seen in a while. US, EU, and UK-based Zwifters can click below to order now!

Buy the Ride

Click to shop at zwift.com

Note: if you purchase Zwift Ride via the link above, Zwift Insider will be paid an affiliate commission by Zwift to help support this site. Thanks!

Zwift Ride Usage Stats

Zwift hasn’t revealed sales numbers since releasing the Ride back in in June of 2024, so I reached out to see what they’d be willing to share in terms of user stats. While they declined to share precise sales numbers for obvious reasons, they did offer up two fun stats:

  1. Zwift Ride owners have already logged over 41 million kilometers on Zwift
  2. Zwift Ride owners find it easier to navigate the platform and as a result award 82% more Ride Ons than the average Zwifter

Zwift Ride Reviews

You can find lots of customer reviews on the Zwift Ride homepage (4.9 stars out of 5), but I wanted to look elsewhere, so I dug through the Zwift subreddit. Here are just a few of those…

“I love mine, it’s been a real game changer for my fitness, just so easy to use.”

“If you’re lazy and want a permanent available option, it’s awesome. If you have multiple riders with different sizes, it’s also great. But the always available is enough for me.”

“Is it worth it? In my case, every single penny. I love it.”

“I only own a heavy mountain bike and it’s a pain to move around if I want to train. With the Zwift ride I can just hop on.”

“I’m a beginner cyclist (started in August). I got the Zwift Ride for winter training since I have zero knowledge on bike maintenance and thought a Zwift Ride would be the best easy option. And it is. It’s quiet enough, easy to assemble or change seats/pedals or your “settings” how far the reach is etc. Would definitely recommend, as you can skip all the hassle a normal bike would require. I absolutely love riding on mine.”

Lastly, I found a helpful review titled “Zwift Ride 500 mile update”. Here’s how it starts:

“I’ve ridden the full Zwift ride set up 500 miles. I’ve used it for free rides, structured workouts on both ERG and Zwift protocol shifting, as well as some racing. May get some hate for this, but this set up is significantly better than my Tacx Neo 2T with carbon road bike frame and Ultegra group.” Read the full post >

You may also be interested in reading my full Zwift Ride review from back in June 2024, or watching the video reviews from GPLama and DCRainmaker below:

Notable Zwift Ride Features

  • Virtual Shifting: flawless, instant, silent shifting via the handlebar controllers includes in-game gearing and shifting customization
  • Easy Adjustability: use the integrated Zwift Key to easily adjust saddle tilt, height and fore/aft as well as bar height and fore/aft
  • Real Feel: resistance changes to match in-game gradients, and Erg mode capability helps ensure you hit the right power numbers for your customized workouts
  • Always Ready: with its small footprint and easy one-time setup, you don’t need to bother with moving your bike on and off the trainer

Specifications:

  • Power Accuracy: +/-2%
  • Max Power: 1800W
  • Max Grade: 16%
  • Rider Fit Range: 5’-6’6” (152–198cm)
  • Max Rider Weight: 265 lbs/120 kg
  • Product Weight: 78 lbs (frame + trainer)

Wrapping It Up

Click the button below to shop for the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE over at Zwift.com. And don’t forget to use the POWERUP discount code for an extra 5% off!

Shop Zwift Ride at zwift.com

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of March 8-9

Eric Schlange
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Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of March 8-9

Quite a mix of events this weekend, from a long ride celebrating a teammate who left us too soon to a popular chase race for International Women’s Day to some marquee Zwift events… there’s something for everyone. Ride on!

🤝 BMTR Flat 100 – Celebrating Michael Lander

Top-down view of three cyclists in matching black BMTR jerseys riding on a road, with the BMTR logo featuring a bear on the left side of the image.

✅ Good Cause 　✅ Popular 　✅ Endurance Challenge

BMTR’s popular weekly imperial is a regular feature in our notable events posts, but this Saturday’s ride is particularly poignant as the team celebrates the life of Michael Lander, a “BMTR Sweep Leader and friend to all” who passed away recently.

Four pace options available, and each option has its own route selection. The ride will be livestreamed so Michael’s family and friends can join the celebration.

Saturday, March 8 @ 1:10pm UTC/8:10am ET/5:10am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/4877885

🥇 International Women’s Day Chase Race

✅ Women Only 　✅ Popular

Jump into the biggest women’s peloton of the weekend and celebrate International Women’s Day! This is a chase race on Douce France (24.2km, 137), so slower groups will be released ahead of faster groups, with time gaps set so all the groups come together near the end of the race for an all-out finish!

Saturday, March 8 @ 2pm UTC/9am ET/6am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/4863549

🤝 Zwift Big Spin, Stage 1

✅ Popular 　✅ Fun Unlocks

The Big Spin series kicked off early this week, and riders are showing up en masse for fun group rides with a prize spinner at the end!

Learn all about the Big Spin >

Stage 1 is 70’s themed and held on London’s Greater London 8 (24.3km, 280m).

Hourly events this weekend
Sign up at zwift.com/the-zwift-big-spin

🥇 Zwift Games, Stage 2: Scotland Smash

✅ New Route　 ✅ Competitive Fields　 ✅ Kit Unlock

The Zwift Games also kicked off this week, and racers everywhere are taking part thanks to various categorization options, free routes, and big competition.

Learn all about the Zwift Games >

This weekend is stage 2 on the new Scotland Smash route (18.1km, 166m).

Hourly events this weekend
Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/zwiftgames2025stage2

🤝 JETT Endurance Ride 100km 2.5~3.3w/kg

✅ Endurance Challenge　✅ Pace Options

Here’s a popular long ride with two pace options: B group at 3-3.3 W/kg, or C at 2.5-2.9 W/kg. Both groups will be riding 100km on Watopia’s Navig8 route. Choose your desired pace, listen to the ride leader, and get that endurance work done!

(Both categories have a leader (yellow beacon) and sweepers.)

Saturday, March 8 at 8:05pm UTC/3:05pm ET/12:05pm PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/4877995

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!

Top 5 Zwift Videos: Zwift on Apple Vision Pro, Zwift Academy Finals, Race Wins

Oli Chi
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0
Top 5 Zwift Videos: Zwift on Apple Vision Pro, Zwift Academy Finals, Race Wins

Ever wondered what it’s like using Zwift on a VR headset? In this week’s top video, one Zwifter tries using Zwift on the Apple Vision Pro and shares his thoughts.

We’ve also selected videos about Zwift Academy Finals, race wins, and climbing Alpe du Zwift.

Zwift on Apple Vision Pro – Does It Even Work? Is It Worth It? Check Out My Demo

The Apple Vision Pro was released a few years ago, yet no official Zwift VR experience exists. The ModernTriDad gives Zwift on the Apple Vision Pro a go and shares his experience with it.

Have The Finalists Got The Skills To Cut It As A Pro? | Zwift Academy 2025 Ep. 2

Join the GCN and the Zwift Academy Finalists as they tackle some technical skills to see who has the skills to race on the road.

Insane Watts for My First Zwift Win in 3 Years! (Unreal Finish!)

Paul from ViveLeVelo hasn’t won a race in his three years on Zwift. However, he is determined to change this. Watch as he provides commentary over his first win!

Will team tactics help me finally win a Zwift race?

Top e-sports cyclist Oliver Dowd hops into a Zwift race and finds himself in a breakaway. Can he work together with these riders to pull off a win?

Give Me 9 Minutes, And You Will Climb Alpe du Zwift Under an Hour

Climbing Alpe du Zwift in under an hour might be one of the most popular goals amongst Zwifters. Adam from Road to A shares tips and tricks on how to achieve this feat. 

Got a Great Zwift Video?

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

How the Race Was Lost: Zwift Games Stage 1 on Makuri Madness

Eric Schlange
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How the Race Was Lost: Zwift Games Stage 1 on Makuri Madness

How the Race Was Lost: Zwift Games Stage 1 on Makuri Madness

It’s been a while since I’ve regaled you, dear readers, with a thrilling tale of Zwift race loss. But the Zwift Games are upon us, and with them big race packs on fresh routes. A Zwift racer’s dream! So today I’m unpacking my story of racing stage 1…

The Warmup

It was the middle of my workday, and I was two espressos to the wind as the lunch hour approached. First I gave myself a front-row call-up, then I spun for around 20 minutes with RoboPacer Coco until my legs were warm and my heartrate was up. While I spun, I thought through the upcoming race…

The Makuri Madness route is new in Zwift, and I hadn’t ridden it yet. So I did a bit of online recon, ironically reminding myself of the route’s details by looking at the page I’d built weeks ago.

The route lays out quite simply: it’s 10km of flat, a 2km descent through Pain Cavern (which could be named “Recovery Cavern” in this direction), 2km more of flat road… and then the action begins. You hit the one climb in the whole race, a counterclockwise dusty corkscrew on Mech Isle, then descend the other side onto a flat run-in to the finish on the Boardwalk Sprint.

Or to simplify it even more, for “overmuscled” riders like myself: the first 14 kilometers are easy, and the last 2 are hard work.

Along with new routes, there are three things worth noting about Zwift Games races that make them different from a typical Zwift race:

  1. Equipment is neutralized: use any bike and wheelset you’d like. They all roll the same.
  2. Everyone gets one powerup, in the pens. And that’s all you get.
  3. Steering is disabled: I don’t know why this is, but I think it’s a bummer. Steering makes racing more fun!

Category Choice

With a racing score of 532, I decided to join the 450-570 group. I knew that meant I wouldn’t get a great GC time (read more about Zwift Games GC strategies here), but I also wanted to see if I could get on the podium in what should, in theory, be the easiest possible group for me, on a route that suits me nicely.

For most riders participating in the Zwift Games, that’s the choice you have to make: do you pick the event/category where you have a shot at the podium (so, competing against a smaller number of riders, with lower scores)? Or do you pick the event/category that will give me the fastest GC time (a larger number of riders, with higher scores)?

Having chosen my category, it was time to race. Let’s go!

The Easy Bit

We blasted out of the start pens with 72 riders, but that quickly dropped to 57. Based on the number of aero powerups I saw flying in the first minutes of the race, clearly some riders hadn’t gotten the powerup memo:

The group settled into a tempo pace as we spun around the perma-night urban flats of Neokyo. With 57 riders in the group, it seemed everyone knew they couldn’t get off the front and stay away… so nobody even tried. That meant the pace stayed steady, with my heart rate comfortably staying in a zone 3 range of 145-160 all the way to the final 2 kilometers.

It was fun to chat with some of the riders in the pack, a few of whom were definite Zwift Insider fans. We joked about the impossibility of starting the race at sea level, then riding downhill and still being… at sea level. And we made good-natured fun of riders burning their aero powerups early.

Soon enough we were approaching the 14km mark as we crossed the land bridge onto Mech Isle. Everyone knew it would soon be on like Donkey Kong. Deep breath…

The Finish

As we neared the corkscrew climb, I positioned myself a few bike lengths from the front. This would give me the benefit of the draft, while allowing me to sag and stay in touch even if the front was too fast for me to hold.

I revved the power up, knowing the effort would only last for a minute. And as we flew up the climb and came over the top, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself comfortably near the front!

65 seconds at 477W got me a Strava segment PR over the climb and left me well-positioned near the front of the pack.

One rider “H. INOX” attacked off the front as we descended the other side, and the pack began to stretch as the front gave chase. Soon the elastic snapped, and our strung-out group of 53 became a compact group of 33 as we began to reel in Mr. INOX.

This is where riders who didn’t fancy a short pack sprint began to show their cards. One rider in green, “B. Amin (JOIN.cc)”, executed a masterful jump, bridging up to INOX quickly by going all-in with his aero powerup as he accelerated away from our group and through the draft of INOX.

But the day wouldn’t be his. No, the win would go to the next rider, one Marc Visser, who jumped with 500 meters to go. Visser (despite only having 14 races to his name in ZwiftPower) executed a perfect bridge up to INOX before powering past Amin, never to be seen again.

For my part, I jumped a bit too hard, too early. My aero powerup timing was solid, but I overcooked it and quickly went off the front of the pack! I looked up at the screen after sprinting for a bit, and the finish arch seemed so far away. 160 meters to go. I figured I would get swamped by the chasers, but nobody was coming around…

I flew past Amin and into 2nd place with 133 meters to go, but with 50 meters left, “G Mraz (OTR)” slingshotted around me with a well-timed effort to grab silver.

I would finish 3rd, just barely grabbing a podium slot. But out of 72 starters, I won’t complain!

See my ride on Zwift.com >
See my ride on Strava >

Watch the Video

Takeaways

This was a fun race, on a course that is just about perfectly suited for me. Too bad stage 1 only lasts three days!

Visser got the well-deserved victory, risking it all in a long attack. I could have possibly finished higher if I’d done the same, but I’ve always struggled with committing to an all-or-nothing attack. Chapeau, Visser.

Looking ahead, my chance at good stage results will be dropping as we progress through the Zwift Games and the climbing intensifies. But that’s alright. It’s all training!

My 3rd place finish earned me a racing score upgrade from 532 to 543, and a finishing time for the Zwift Games GC of 22:17. That time is not even close to the top times among riders with a racing score of 500-600. No, all of the top times are from riders who jumped into the advanced races to sit in the draft of the big dogs! Smart. Their lap times are in the 20 minutes range, with a few even sub 20.

I also earned a nice 2025 power curve bump in the 2-5 minute range, which basically covered the final 2 kilometers of the race. Yup… those final 2 kilometers are hard work.

Your Thoughts

Did you race Zwift Games stage 1? How did it go? Share your experience below!

Zwift Games Leaderboards Deep Dive: Tips, GC Tricks, and the End of ZwiftPower?

Eric Schlange
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41
Zwift Games Leaderboards Deep Dive: Tips, GC Tricks, and the End of ZwiftPower?

Zwift Games Leaderboards Deep Dive: Tips, GC Tricks, and the End of ZwiftPower?

The Zwift Games kicked off this week, and with it a new feature for 2025: web-based GC leaderboards!

See the Zwift Games leaderboards at zwift.com/zwift-games/races >

Let’s dive into how these leaderboards work, along with some tips for moving up the rankings and (of course) ideas for how future leaderboards could be improved.

Leaderboard Basics

It may be helpful to start by understanding that the Zwift Games leaderboards are simply showing your best finishing time for each of the 5 Zwift Games stages, and ranking it against other riders’ times.

The leaderboards do not take into account which category or timeslot you raced, whether you’ve got a heartrate monitor, whether you’re on ZwiftPower, how old you are, what team you’re on, whether you cheated and lowered your weight just before the event, how accurate your dual power recordings may be, etc.

Your Zwift Games dashboard shows which stages you’ve completed, and your global ranking (based on your best finishing time) in each stage:

Click one of the 5 “Stages” cards on the homepage and you’ll be taken to the leaderboard for that stage. Click one of the “Classification” tabs on top and you’ll be taken to those respective leaderboards:

  • Sprint combines stage 1 and 2
  • Climb combines stage 3 and 4
  • Epic is for stage 5
  • Overall combines all 5 stages

Whether you’re viewing a Classification or a Stage leaderboard, your filter options are the same. You can filter by any combination of Gender (view all or female only), Country, and Racing Score (in bands of 100 points):

Want more detail? Clicking a rider’s name or profile pic takes you to their main profile page, while clicking the stage time takes you to the results page for the particular event they raced.

Some Notes About Racing Scores Shown

There’s been a bit of confusion about the racing scores shown for each rider in these leaderboards. First, to be clear, the racing score shown is the rider’s score, apart from any seed score changes due to new power PRs, at the completion of the most recent race shown in the leaderboard. That means:

  • The score shown is not necessarily the rider’s current racing score. If a rider finished another scored race after the one shown, their score will probably be different than what’s shown.
  • If a rider raced the same stage multiple times, the leaderboard uses the rider’s fastest finishing time. The score resulting from that particular effort is what you’ll see on the leaderboard.
  • If you’re looking at a Classification leaderboard that uses two different stages, such as the Sprint Classification, the score shown will be the rider’s result from his fastest completion of the most recent stage. (So it only shows stage 1 in the Sprint Classification as of today, March 5, since nobody has raced stage 2 yet. But once riders have finished stage 2, the racing score shown will be from their best result on stage 2.)

One big gotcha here is that the score shown in the leaderboards does not show score increases due to new power PRs, since those are computed when your activity is saved, while the race result score is saved for the leaderboards as soon as you finish the race. So you may see riders with a result of (here’s a real example) 193, but an actual score after the event of 364 due to a big new power PR that bumped up their seed score. The race result is shown in the leaderboard, but if you click the time and see the racing score on the event results page, it will include any seed score increases.

The Racing Score filter in the leaderboards filters the results based on the rider’s racing score result for the races in question. It doesn’t look at which category (score band) the rider raced for the event. So if you filter based on a racing score of, say, 500-600, you may see riders who raced in any number of pen groupings. There are 16 different ways riders are grouped together for Zwift Games events, and riders are free to race any group at or above their current racing score:

  • Range 1: 0-159 | 160-269 | 270-389 | 390-509 | 510-649
  • Range 2: 0-209 | 210-329 | 330-449 | 450-569 | 570-699
  • Advanced Races: targeting 650+, but anyone can join
  • Women-Only Ranges: 0-199 | 200-299 | 300-399 | 400-499 | 500+

GC-Topping Tips

We’re only a couple of days into the Zwift Games, but riders are already starting to figure out what it will take to be a leader in the GC. It’s all about joining a fast group.

A simple illustration: if I filter Stage 1 results by Racing Score to show riders between 500-600 (my range), the top 10 all raced in an Advanced event which supposedly is for riders at 650+. (I didn’t click past the top 10, but my guess is most or all of the top-ranked riders did the same).

Topping a time-based GC that takes into account hourly events requires a primary focus on finding and hanging with the front of the fastest group. Whether you finish on the podium or not doesn’t really matter, unless you’re one of the very highest-ranked riders. What you need is a fast pack, so your overall course time is low.

My first stage 1 race (watch it here) was with the 450-570 group, and I turned in a time of 22:17 with a 3rd place finish. It basically felt like a tempo ride, with a hard effort in the final 2km. If I want a faster time, I need to join a faster group (say, 510-650, or a 650+ race) and suffer hard to hopefully hang with the front all the way to the finish. That’s how the current leaders in the 500-600 band with sub-20 minute times did it.

The fastest groups will be found in the Advanced races, and (assuming typical levels of rider cooperation) the larger those Advanced groups are, the faster they’ll be! Glancing at ZwiftPower results (which show rider counts, making research easy) the largest advanced groups are at these times:

  • 10:15am UTC/5:15am ET/2:15am PT
  • 5:15pm UTC/12:15pm ET/9:15am PT
  • 6:15pm UTC/1:15pm ET/10:15am PT
  • 7:15pm UTC/2:15pm ET/11:15am PT

Tuesday will probably see the highest race turnouts, but that remains to be seen, and the stages only last three days apiece.

Leaderboard Improvement Ideas

I love what Zwift is doing with these new leaderboards, but of course, it’s really just a first draft. How could they be improved? Here are a few simple upgrades.

My biggest wish would be for the leaderboards to indicate my rank when filters are applied. Currently, if I apply a filter (say, 500-600 Racing Score) to a leaderboard, I have no idea where I’m at, unless I scroll through the entire list, page after page, until I find my name. The filtered results should show my name at the top or bottom of every page, along with my filtered rank, sort of like Strava does with segment leaderboards.

It would also be helpful to have my leaderboard filters saved, so as I bounce between leaderboards, the same filters are always applied.

With multiple stages used for some of the classifications, a bit of explanatory text at the top of the Sprint and Climb classification leaderboards would be in order. Something like “The Sprint Classification is based on combined rider finishing times for Stage 1 (Makuri Madness) and Stage 2 (Scotland Smash).”

Lastly, I’d like to be able to save/send a URL of a particular filtered leaderboard. This would require passing the filters in the URL.

The End of ZwiftPower?

The Zwift racing community has been talking for years about how Zwift will probably move away from ZwiftPower as the source of final race results. But truth be told, we haven’t seen much movement, apart from Zwift beginning to show race results on event detail pages at zwift.com.

With that backdrop, it would seem that providing these Zwift Games leaderboards is a big step, removing ZwiftPower from the equation entirely, at least when it comes to Zwift Games results.

That said, Zwift has a long way to go before certain racers and race organizers can move away from ZwiftPower, so it’s unclear how or when that would ever happen. We need team functionality, the ability for race organizers to customize their events (including DQ criteria), series/league functionality for grouping races, global rider rankings, and much more.

So I don’t think ZwiftPower is going away anytime soon. For Zwift Games 2025, though, the final results live at Zwift.com… and that’s big news.

Questions or Comments?

What do you think of the new Zwift Games leaderboards? Are they a step forward for Zwift racing? A step back? Or something else? Share below!

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