Pondering the Possibilities: Points Racing on Zwift

Today, we’ll focus on a race format that is already used on Zwift and also seen regularly in outdoor competition. Let’s dive in!

Points Race Basics

In very generic terms, points races are events where riders earn points based on their ranked performance against other riders. Instead of the winner being determined by who crosses the finish line first (a classic scratch race) or who survives the longest (an elimination race), you win by amassing more points than everyone else.

This opens up a world of possibilities for race organizers and racers:

• Organizers can designate which “segments” they’d like riders to compete on, decide what sort of competition is being held (typically first across the line and/or fastest through segment), and decide how to allocate points to the finishers.
• Racers must then strategize how to maximize points based on the race’s setup, their individual abilities, and competing riders.

The Now and Not Yet

Unlike some of the race concepts I’ve written about in this series, such as elimination and relay races, points races are already happening on Zwift. In fact, they are arguably some of the most popular races on the platform, showing up in Zwift Racing League, the Tiny Races, and other community-organized leagues!

But the current state of points racing on Zwift is best described as shoehorned into the platform. Nothing in the HUD or course design elements indicates that a particular section is a points segment, or how those points work. And instead of being natively supported and displayed in game, points are tabulated and displayed on third-party websites like ZwiftPower or WTRL.racing. You don’t see points in real time on Zwift’s HUD as you race. You only see them after the entire race is over, and then only if you know where to look.

This, of course, hampers riders’ ability to race strategically. Without native points support, it’s hard to know when to push and when to conserve, to know how well you’re doing, and to identify who your real competitors are.

Points Racing Possibilities on Zwift

What would it look like to upgrade the current Zwift Points Racing experience? From the riders’ point of view, upgrades fall broadly into two categories:

1. Real-Time HUD: the first and most obvious experience upgrade would be a HUD that shows race points in an intuitive, useful, and immediate way as each unique race unfolds.
2. Custom Segments: the second, less obvious experience upgrade would happen when race organizers have the ability to designate custom start and end points for points segments. Can you imagine the variety of courses and strategies that would unfold as a result? I don’t think anyone can! And that’s the fun of it.

With a real-time HUD in place and custom segments at organizers’ fingertips, points race possibilities become endless. Of course, you could do “standard” points races like we see in ZRL today, where riders compete for FAL (first across the line) and FTS (fastest through segment) on sprint and KOM segments. The real-time HUD would just take those races to the next level, especially if team functionality is also supported. You could also level up simple events like the Tiny Races, assuming Zwift builds a structure so multiple events can be scored.

But beyond upgrading existing races, the ability to designate custom points segments on any route would lead to a wide variety of new race experiences. Maybe it’s a new timed climb where no in-game KOM has ever existed, or a downhill sprint where we’ve never seen an arch before. Maybe it’s an extra-long segment that allows more strategic riding to unfold compared to the typical “sprint the segment” approach.

Perhaps some segments are FAL, while others are FTS. And perhaps the points awarded vary in such a way as to cause riders to truly think strategically about the best approach on the given course.

As you can see, the possibilities are virtually endless.

Fun For All

How can points racing on Zwift be made more fun for everyone? This is an important question to answer when it comes to any ride format in Zwift, because Zwift needs to remain an inclusive platform where everyone can find motivation and fun, regardless of fitness level.

There are two aspects of points racing which support Zwift’s inclusive ethos: segment variety and strategic complexity.

With a variety of segments possible in points races, organizers can ensure their event (or series of events) is a balanced competition that attracts all types of riders. Mixing up flat/downhill segments with climbs would make the race attractive to lighter riders with strong w/kg as well as heavier riders with strong pure watts. Longer and shorter segments could also be used to appeal to riders with strong short-term power as well as those whose strength lies in the longer efforts.

Organizers could make their points races as strategically complex as they’d like. A higher level of strategic complexity may prove extra attractive to “thinking racers” who can use their mental acuity to get a leg up on the competition.

Why Points Races?

Upgrading the Points Race experience on Zwift is important for several reasons:

• A fresh approach: given the right tools, creative organizers could create a variety of points racing experiences never before seen on Zwift
• Improving popular existing races: as mentioned above, some of the biggest races on the platform today are points races. Making improvements to support points races natively would level up these events.
• Uniquely indoor: while points racing already happens outdoors, indoor training platforms can improve on that experience with intuitive HUDs and in-game elements, so riders are better informed and thus able to race more strategically.
• The competition is already doing it: both MyWhoosh and TrainingPeaks Virtual already support points racing natively, as shown from these livestream grabs:

Required Game Changes

What would Zwift need to implement in order to make points races work well as a native race format? With the disclaimer that I’m not a game developer or platform engineer, here are a few things I can think of:

Must Haves

• Points HUD: races would have to display a real-time points tracker in the HUD.
• Segment Visibility: it must be crystal-clear which segments in the race are being contested for points. Right now, this sort of information is (at best) buried in the event description text.
• Results Screens: the standard race results screens in game, Companion, and at Zwift.com would need to be modified to rank results by points and display those points clearly.
• Segment Designator: even if Zwift doesn’t let organizers define custom points segments, they’ll need to let them define which segments on a given course are assigned which points and based on which results (FTS and/or FAL).

Possible Extras

• Team Builder UI: I’ve called this out in some other race format posts, but if points races are going to be contested by teams, ideally Zwift would build the menus and functionality to create teams so points can be tabulated on a team-by-team basis during and after a race.
• Cross-Event Tracking: many points races are actually a series of events. Being able to view series points in the HUD, and not just points from the current event, would enhance competition and lead to more creative race series.
• Custom Segment Creator: if Zwift wants to let organizers get truly creative and define their own points segments on course, they’ll need to create the tools to do so. A simple point-and-click web-based interface similar to ZwiftMap.com is exactly what race organizers like myself would love to see!

Your Thoughts

What did you think – should the points race experience be upgraded on Zwift? Did I miss any great ideas above? Share your thoughts below!