“Accelerate to Elevate” Route Details (Watopia)
By far the climbiest of the eight routes released with Zwift’s October 2023 southern coast expansion, this point-to-point route is quite flat… until it hits the base of Alpe du Zwift!
By far the climbiest of the eight routes released with Zwift’s October 2023 southern coast expansion, this point-to-point route is quite flat… until it hits the base of Alpe du Zwift!
Route Basics
Length: 41.3 km (25.7 miles)
Elevation: 1152 m (3,780‘)
Lead-In: 0 km ( miles)
Map: Watopia
Start & Finish
Events begin at the desert start pens, while the official route begins at desert arch. Ends atop Alpe du Zwift.
Restriction: Level 10+
Achievement Badge: 825 XP
Strava Segments
Route Description
Start in Fuego Flats, zipping through the flat, fast desert before turning at the Saddle Springs roundabout and dropping down to the village of Googie Springs on the new coastal road.
Now it’s time for a flat, twisty trip along Watopia’s southern coastline. After Googie Springs you’ll travel through the Evergreen Coast, Ciudad La Cumbre, and the settlement of Sandy Village while hitting four sprint points.
Then it’s up to the dirt road of the Mayan Jungle for a quick trip to the base of Alpe du Zwift, where the real work begins!
Climb up up up, win a prize with the spinner at the top (the route ends at the KOM arch), then enjoy the descent… you’ve earned it!
with the desert turnaround this route could be looped! pace partner potential =)
This is probably my new favorite route. For years it had been Fire and Ice because the typical Road to Sky route gets to the Alpe too fast. One thing Zwift needs to fix, though, is the “estimated time” for most riders. I finished in 1:30:03 for the route and that was at 4.1 w/kg average for the route and a 45 minute and change ascent of the Alpe. It’s definitely doable in 90 minutes, but I’ll be most riders will be over that unless they’re booking it . . .
Noted on the 90 minute fix. I’ll let Zwift know…
This has bugged me for a bit, the over 90 category could be split further, and with their data, zwift could actually calculate the estimated time at your current pace from your latest efforts. I really like zwiftinsiders 2wkg estimate, it gives you a good guide how long it would take if you rake it easy. Would be helpful for zwift to put those on the description, otherwise I will just come to this site first.
Where’s the 2wkg ETA? I’m looking at the page here and at the master list and must be reading right past it. That would be super useful.
agreed, Zwift’s estimated time of <90min is ridiculous. I did it in 1h55min today at average 2.7w/kg and I note from the Strava segment that only 114 riders from 3988 have done it in under 90min. That's the top 3%. The median time is 1h57min. So I'd argue for an estimated time of 120min for the average rider going at an average pace.
Now the coastline road makes more sense! Almost 30 km lead in until the climbing starts. Nice for a pace and race! Group ride, with all out effort at the end.
Bike selection looks like a gamble for this one. Tron, climbing bike, one then swap to the other, or something in the middle ?
https://zwifterbikes.web.app/route can give you the best bike for your level and drops.
In a race situation, I guess staying with the main group will be imperative for the long “lead-in” to the Alpe, hence aero, but maybe leave the disc wheel in the garage due to weight on the long climb. For the same reason of the climb being long, switching to a climbing bike might actually be the right move, but if you start with a climbing bike my guess the race is over before you reach the foot of the Alpe.
Greetings there’s a error in the route, the finish is before the summit, then it keeps going another 2.6km to the actual finish.