First, a Bit of Backstory
Back in April 2020, Strava announced they would be making major changes to Zwift Strava segments, to “remove clutter and noise so athletes can experience the segments that matter the most.”
At that time, Strava swapped quite a few user-created segments to “private” so only the user who created the segment could see it. They appeared to backpedal a bit after the initial “culling,” with a lot of user-created segments still being visible in the weeks following their announcement.
Since that date, to the best of my knowledge, all segments created by Strava accounts other than Zwift Insider have been marked as private segments – Zwifters have no option to make a segment public. (This is why we’ve only seen Zwift Insider segments on the France and Paris maps – they were released after Strava made this change.)
Today: All Non-Zwift Insider Segments Hidden
I woke up this morning to several emails from Zwifters wondering what was going on with Strava segments. One rider said, “I rode for an hour in Watopia, and Strava only popped up with three segments. They were all Zwift Insider verified, and they were all hidden!”
It appears Strava flipped a switch overnight, marking all Zwift segments as private unless they were created by our Zwift Insider account.
To give you an idea how dramatic this change is, here are snapshots of the segment list from a particular activity – first in April 2018 (before Strava’s initial culling), the second from today after Strava’s final culling:
April 2018: 794 segments 
Today: 4 segments!
For some Zwifters, this will be a welcome change. But I also understand why others would be bugged by it, especially if you’ve been tracking progress on particular (non-ZI) segments.
(And for all the Zwift veterans, the legendary “first attempt. very intens” segment appears to be hidden once again, visible only to that long-time Zwifter who created it many years ago.)
No More (Zwift Insider verified)
As I was composing this post, I refreshed a ride just in time to catch Strava in the act of renaming all the Zwift Insider verified segments, removing the “(Zwift Insider verified)” portion of the segment name.
Got an email from Zwift’s Wes Salmon just minutes later:
Hey Eric,
Quick note about some changes Strava is making for Zwift segments … since all the official segments you’ve created are now sanctioned by Strava, they are removing the (Zwift Insider Verified) since all Zwift segments are now default verified (by you). 🙂
The URLs should not change, just the titles.
An understandable change, although it a bit of a bummer for me, since having the segments tagged with Zwift Insider was a good way to remind folks to visit this website. The segment list will certainly look cleaner now…
Got Segment Suggestions?
With only Zwift Insider segments showing up, the segment list in Strava is indeed quite short for some rides. I don’t plan to re-clutter it, but I do think there is room for some additional segments across key portions of Zwift’s maps.
To that end, I’m working on creating a set of segments for the Epic KOM as I type this. This will include (for example) segments from the start of the forward and reverse climbs to the top of the Radio Tower. Not official in-game segments, but useful and interesting nonetheless. Here’s what I created so far today:
- Epic KOM Reverse w/Radio Tower (Zwift Insider verified)
- Epic KOM Reverse to Top of Radio Tower (Zwift Insider verified)
- Epic KOM Forward Descent (Zwift Insider verified)
- Epic KOM Forward to Top of Radio Tower (Zwift Insider verified)
- Epic KOM Forward – Up and Over w/Radio Tower (Zwift Insider verified)
- Epic KOM Reverse – Up and Over w/Radio Tower (Zwift Insider verified)
I will add these segments to this page which lists all Zwift Insider-verified Strava segments.
If you have suggestions for segments beyond the official ones we’ve already created, please post them in the comments below. If your segment idea seems like a sensible one, I’ll do my best to get it created!
If you can add all the running routes / route badges as segments, that would be great.
Also WBR Climbing Route
We’ve got most of the running routes done already: https://zwiftinsider.com/verified-zwift-run-strava-segments/
Mostly the NYC routes which are run only are missing, I don’t know if I can help, since I’m a runner, but I’m willing to help if I can.
WBR Climbing Series segment created: https://www.strava.com/segments/27141288?filter=overall
It would be nice to have the (currently too short) sprint segments added. Only having a single segment per direction in Paris is a bit sad …
The link to the strava support forum(?) in your Strava segment list (Insbruck, NYC, Yorkshire) doesn’t work any more.
Possible you can now add the missing “Alpe du Zwift Bend 20 to 19”, “Alpe du Zwift Bend 19 to 18”, “Alpe du Zwift Bend 17 to 16”
Strava still says they’re too short. Automated message blocks me… 😪
What about combining the short corners? 18-20 better then none at all
This is a good idea. If Eric Friggen Schlange has the clout for the only segments but not for short segments then I second the vote for Alpe segments that cover eg 21-20, 21-19. Then I can do the math.
I recommend 15-17, 17-19 & 19-21.
Since 16-17, 18-19 & 19-20 are too short and thus missing, those three segments above would cover your data needs with one subtraction each.
Ie.
For 16-17, take 15-17 and subtract 15-16.
For 18-19, take 17-19 and subtract 17-18.
For 19-20, take 19-21 and subtract 20-21.
I did this for myself with private segments, but I wasn’t able to make them public. I guess public Zwift/Strava segments cannot be created by individual Zwifters, right?
I had 20-18 and 18-16 segments working. Could redo them.
20-18 wouldn’t help very much, since both 20-19 & 19-18 are missing. See my recommendation above.
Too short segments IRL is fair enough but we need all the Strava sprints!
Zwift sprints
This took me hours to work out. So frustrating, as I was planning to make a spreadsheet so I can calculate my required pace up Alpe du Zwift to beat my PR. I want to print it out and have it up in front of me, to check the elapsed time up AdZ against the cumulative time in my AdZ PR, using the segments. If there was a Zwift ‘pacer’ for one’s PR up AdZ then that would negate this concern for me, but there’s not, and I want one, so I need my best time up each segment.
You could just calculate 3.2w/kg and make sure you hold just above that on each seg.
Some more on the French course would be nice:
1) Splitting up the Ventoux climb into say 4 smaller segments like you do for the bends on the Alpe, so it’s easier to see where you gained/lost time compared to previous attempts
2) The flattest part of the course from the Marina to Pave Sprint banners
3) The whole “Twisties” middle section from junction to junction
I agree that more segments are needed on Ventoux. Could do with the start line to the junction with Petit KOM, then from there to Chalet Reynard (or perhaps split this in two), and then Chalet to the top.
+1
Yeah if it’s going to be four, there must be a logical place to split the part from the junction to the Chalet in two. There’s the hairpin, which is where the steeper bit of the climb kicks in, but that might be too early. The end of the tunnel might be a good bet?
Or use the thumbs up signs on the road where you get boosts as markers? I don’t remember where they are, but those seem semilogical.
+10 !! Petit KOM junction to Reynard top please.
And a Reverse Innsbruckring lap (only has one going forward at the moment)
Maybe Ventoux could be split by the points where you gain bonuses on the climb?
Ahh, now I see – I think they did this yesterday – I did TdZ 5 Standard ride (NYC KOM After Party) at 6PM EST, and only got 4 results from 3 segments when I looked at about 8:00PM. I was surprised to see so so few, but since I rarely ride NYC, I shrugged and chalked it up to glass skyroads. Last night, the segments all said “Zwift Insider Verified”, but today, at least on Strava mobile, they just say “NYC KOM”, no mention of ZI.
Could you do a radio tower only segment?
there is official Radio Tower segment : https://www.strava.com/segments/14120182?filter=overall
Just an observation and some food for thought:- With these new changes being implemented there are obviously going to be a lot less segments. With that in mind it will hopefully mean the leaderboards can be better maintained with regards to those that insist on doping. I know I will never attain a top 10 placing let a lone a KOM for a segment but I think they are good to see how you measure up against everyone else and how well your improving through training. Personally there is nothing worse than putting out a sustained effort above FTP to… Read more »
Yes, they definitely need to be fixed but most aren’t caused by doping. they’re caused by a Zwift glitch in group rides. If you look at the actual rides, they’re usually just someone plodding along and suddenly they start flying at stupid speeds but they’re nearly always in a group ride. Happened to me on Saturday with Box Hill.
Eric. Will you accept payment in drops to reinstate a few segments I made? 😀
Ha! I’ve got 16 million drops already, with nothing to spend them on! 😂
Eric, need an article on the drops debacle. I’m on a similar score. Bought everything of use, and now ~14million in credit @ lvl50. Both the levels and drops seem a pointless exercise IMHO
20 million drop Trike would be nice. It would get you pedaling a bit extra.
Some of the race routes that are multiple lap would be good too…as would the Radio Tower or other untimed climbs, like the approach into the jungle that is often decisive etc. etc…as would race finishes like the Richmond 3 up climb finish…as would, well so many others! I can’t help thinking a middle ground, no matter how tricky to determine, would be preferable to putting all the onus and work on one man for a community that serves hundreds of thousands! p.s. I have always loved the ZI segments so don’t get me wrong and thanks for all the… Read more »
Remember, you can still make your own private segments.
This is very intens!
But not my first attempt!
I think the final 300 m to the banners where races end would be nice to have (and I am not even a sprinter)
Agreed – but I just tried to create a 300m segment and Strava says it’s too short. Got an email in with ZHQ to see if they have any ideas…
500m or 1k would be nice.
I just tested now. I was able to create a private segment that was just over 300m, at least – shows in Strava as 0.30 km. I had to extend back one click on the back button for the start point from where I thought it should be.
Alpe d’zwift bend 20 to 19
Alpe d’zwift bend 19 to 18
Leith Hill from bottom to top
Agreed! Also, Box Hill from the direction you come in the Triple Loops route (which seems to miss the start of the official kom).
Yeah, I never did understand why Zwift started the Leith Hill KOM half-way up the hill. A segment for the whole thing would be great.
Made the “Leith Hill Full Climb” segment a few days ago!
Innsbruck legsnapper is a great one minute test
Yes it is! Already a segment though: https://www.strava.com/segments/25718000
Would be nice if people riding in banded events like “meetups” weren’t included in the leaderboards.
That’s a good point, I have an anoying PR up the Alp that was from a banded ride..
Your link to the Strava fix request for the short segments doesn’t work…if that’s updated could you fix so we can help advocate for that!!
Maybe split Alpe Du Zwift into 3 parts? As suggested here: https://www.zwift.com/news/24335-race-recon-watopia-road-to-sky
With great power…
Awesome news!
I wish Strava segments indicated who created them, so we could publicly ridicule the author for bad spelling, and for making stupid segments 🤓 . I also though it would be good to have Strava appointed – or elected – moderators who could edit or delete local segments.
I too would like to see the missing Alpe du Zwift segments but I seem to remember you or someone else commenting that they were too short. I wish Zwift would create an official start and finish timer for the Radio Tower climb like they do for the other KOMs.
Just redo the 20-18 and 18-16 segments, please. then we have it all.
Definitely the Radio Tower!!! You don’t get anything else, getting a time would be nice. Used to be a “I think I took a wrong turn” (or something close to that) segment.
In the interest of cultural preservation, we obviously need “first attempt. very intens (Zwift Insider verified)”.
Team…I need to know what this segments history/story is…I’ve completely missed it!
Not to mention Your mom smells like donuts
I would say all of the KOM’s with full Zwift segment distance and name them appropriately. For instance, the Volcano Climb KOM was called The Corkscrew. Yes, that’s what it was but until you figure out there isn’t another segment with the corresponding length it’s hard to know that’s the climb you just blew a gut trying to break 8 minutes on. There are several KOM’s that don’t show up in Zpoints and so it’s hard to know when you’ve bettered your PR. Aqueduc KOM on RGV comes to mind. Reverse Aqueduc on Douche does, though and it’s a good… Read more »
We already have all the official KOMs properly labeled. What you’re talking about is a DIFFERENT Volcano segment someone else created.
And hence, the problem with letting anyone create any segment they’d like. 😅
Here’s the correct Volcano KOM: https://www.strava.com/segments/14270131
And our full list of verified segments: https://zwiftinsider.com/verified-zwift-strava-segments/
Excellent! This is way better than expected! You are The Man.
I look forward to not having to wade through a bunch of segments with names that bear no relation to what and/or where the segment is.
Thank You!
Love it, looks much cleaner and easier to navigate. A move in the right direction. Thank you Eric!
So why does the Watopia Short Course Figure 8 Reverse still indicate Zwift Insider Verified? I re-rode the course today in a free-ride from the drop in screen and no Strava Segment appears (with or without ZIW indicator). And ALL cyclists previously completing the course in the VeloViewer RouteHunter leaderboards went missing! Here’s the link to my activity. https://www.strava.com/activities/4714679198
That’s because that segment was created after strava made their changes to the segments. (look at the segment number, it’s very recent)
The Veloviewer leaderboard is matching a wrong segment for Figure 8 Reverse. The segment it is pulling is named Figure 8 Reverse (Zwift Insider Verified) but it does not correspond to the route. It does not seem to be a Strava bug or error, seems like the correction needs to be done by ZI.
I’ll be taking a look at (and fixing) this today, all.
This is great, I would have to do a search on “Insider” and unhide the segments, now I don’t have to do that.
Volcano Climb?? There’s no VOLKOM segment.
All sprint segments in all worlds
Volcano KOM segment is here: https://www.strava.com/segments/14270131
Hopefully, this will allow Strava to remove all the junk results/KoMs from the top of the lists. I know some people believe these to be from cheaters but many aren’t. Currently, I sit 6th on the Box Hill (Zwift Insider verified) segment with 3min 59sec while only doing 172W. It’s clearly complete rubbish, a Zwift glitch in group rides. I notice many of the top positions are held by people doing group rides, riding at low power. In my case, 2 of us did 6 laps at 9-11mins each time up Box Hill – a slow, steady ride. 6th lap… Read more »
Totally separate issue. I don’t see Strava changing/fixing this any time soon…
That’s a shame as it undermines all the excellent work you do with these; create the right segments then the leaderboards get filled with junk results. I’m delighted with my “real” time of 7:19 up Box Hill but embarrassed about the 3:59 result because it’s fake. I presume it’s a Zwift problem but causing a headache for Strava?
group rides and moreso meetups do cause unrealistic speeds as they try to keep the groups together unnaturally. its a problem zwift created that strava has to deal with (or not do anything about)
Could you delete the embarrassing 3:59 ride from Strava?
Just mark your activity private
Just set that ride under ‘private’ and it won’t show on the leader boards.
I can’t mark the ride as private as it was part of a charity ride to do as many miles as we could over the weekend. I generally only use Strava on an iPad but I’ll go to the web page and see if I can remove it somehow. Still doesn’t fix the hundreds of similar others that exist though (I do wonder if some of the riders are even aware they’ve got a weird KOM). The leader boards are just littered with these sort of results though.
If you have an issue with an unrealistic PR of your own, you can always set the visibility of that particular Strava activity (but unfortunately not an individual segment) to “followers only” – this way, it won’t be considered for challenge and segment leaderboards (but might still count towards challenge goals, that depends on the settings for the particular challenge).
Yep, that seems to have got rid of it while keeping my ride in place. Good suggestion, thanks.
Most annoying thing about it was I was going to attempt the full 170km route till this happened and so I abandoned at 90km.
They could also remove all the old rides from the jungle leaderboards from before the wheel resistance change.
That’s a good idea. We need two segments, one before the resistance changes and one after so we can get an actual decent comparison.
Been waiting for this change since starting on Zwift a few months back since the segments were garbage and all the ZwiftInsider segments were hidden, but I wish Strava gave ZwiftInsider some credit since it is a great resource overall and those segments were a lifesaver before today’s change.
in richmond, each of the 3 climbs and in reverse, and the combo of the 3 climbs together. and sagan’s attack which i think is actually just 23rd st to the finish
Good ideas! There are a couple Richmond climbs we haven’t done since they weren’t official segments. I’ll add them to the list. And Sagan’s attack… that sounds like a fun one, too.
@eric Schlange FYI it looks like the Libby Hill KOM After Party Segment finishes a couple corners short of the banner…noticed this after doing the TdZ Stage yesterday.
Are you looking at the segment match on your activity or the segment page itself? Looks like a quirk of how strava matches segment, that one it matches the end a couple corners before the end, but the segment page shows it keeps going.
Zwift sourced strava segments are worthless and not based on any sense of reality. You look at the top 10 results of any segment and the problems/anomalies are obvious.
yes they are not reality based, and the top 10 is usually nonsense cheaters or zpower. but they are far from worthless. people use segments to track power progress etc. as others said leg snapper in innsbruck is a perfect 1 minute max power test. being able to track these numbers over years is very helpful. and comparing them to other people you know is important too.
okay, fair comments. it’s just frustrating that the “cheaters” or people with legitimate problems number in the 10’s of thousands.
I don’t think most are cheaters. Zwift occasionally gives people in group rides some silly times. You can tell by the fact there’s been no attempt to hide the result – they were mostly just plodding along at 150-200W when Zwift went crackers. You can go into most of the rides and see what it’s done.
I’m mostly happy with the cleanup, but we do need some more segments added back. Somehow my. TdZ Stage 5 Longer Ride activity includes no segments? Also, interesting observation: the 2019 UCI Worlds Harrogate Circuit route doesn’t include a ZwiftInsider segment at all, but does include 4 segments with “Fulgaz” on the end. You might want to ask Strava why they’re stripping your site’s name off your segments but not doing the same for others. Personally I think it’s fair for your segments to have ZwiftInsider in the name since you put the effort into making them, and they provide… Read more »
Eric, surely every climb from the KOM upwards should have segments.
Every sprint should have a segment (made lo get if necessary).
All routes should have a segment.
All good areas where you have to kick it like rolling courses, Baloon fields, tTirans Gorge etc should have a segment.
Downhills, – well you just go fast on them… But maybe.
Know it’s hard work for you, but hey ho, your going to be famous. 😁😁
Some sprint segments would be pretty pointless, thousands of people all posting 15 seconds or 20 seconds, not enough differentiation between far too many places.
You can compare against your friends, which is pretty fun little competition.
I think they overdid the culling last night as I did the Innsbruck Afterparty because, when I was done, the Innsbruck KOM wasn’t on there. They appear to have added it back this morning.
I know some are too short, but I miss the sprint segments. Since Zwift only keeps data for a month, I am always going to strava to see how I compare to previous on those (as a fat sprinter those are something I care about).
A new climbing route option presented by the addition of the cliff side KOM by-pass is Epic KOM laps. The issue is the intersections at both ends are inside the current KOM Segment markers.
I did this ride a few weeks ago and noticed that the “Original” Epic KOM segment started after the by-pass intersection. I think it was a ZwiftInsider segment at one point but I’m not sure if it still was.
If not I’d love to see that shorter by-pass to Banner for both Epic KOMs added as a Strava segment.
“I think this is where Anakin fell in” needs to be brought back. My fave segment ever!!
i just looked at “my results” for leg snapper and strava only has 2 efforts listed. i don’t know how many i had but it was probably in the 50+ range. maybe strava is re-calculating everything, or they changed something so old efforts aren’t showing up. if they don’t show up in a few hours i’m going to assume strava royally f-d something up.
This is actually a move I agree with. Zwift segments have gotten out of control. A simple lap around the volcano circuit, for example, probably yields 30 segments or more, little strips of virtual road with asinine names. The Zwift Insider segments are the only ones that matter anyway.
Every Zwift KOM, Loop, and Sprint section/segment?
Apologies if these are all already included.
They already are, except when Strava won’t let us create a sprint segment because it’s too short (their limit is around 300 meters).
This is going to be about efficiency, it must have taken massive amounts of processing power just to keep up with every new uploaded ride. And let’s be honest, most of the created ones were rubbish. The Rickroll one (around Richmond?) for example? No flowers.
This move by Strava has made me question my membership with them, no point paying anymore and think I may just stop uploading my data to them. After tonight’s zwift 40KM ride on Watopia I was greeted with 2 segments! Last night on same route there were a good 30 which was acceptable, with the option to add some back in easily, which has disappeared tonight, replaced with a bad selection window. Haven’t the time for that. It’s probably costing them money processing these virtual rides, They probably needed more hardware to process or the other option (which is free!)… Read more »
I stumbled on this too, now understand what happened. I rode on Richmond and segments I am missing at Libby Hill ( last part cobbles), the Governor Street Climb and the last part of the UCI route which climbes to the finishline
I’d love to see a segment from every road junction to the next choice. That way, whenever I ride, I’ll have some previous efforts to compare to.
For the too-short sprints, I’d make a “last500m” segment instead. I’d rather have a segment longer than the timed section than no segment at all, since Zwift doens’t keep records past a month.
I am missing „Last 1k / 300m“ to finish banner, all the small bumbs (like leg snapper which is still there) e.g. out of the jungle, first hill to epic kom until the bridge or German village and so many others. I love Stravas idea but in my opinion they deleted to many, now segments are boring and useless since ZP records KOMs too.
Wouldn’t the Mountain 8 and Mountain Routes include all of your Epic KOM Forward and Reverse segments listed above? I’ve done both routes on Zwift a number of times and Strava doesn’t show me doing a few of them. I’ve also done the Two Bridges Loop route multiple times on Zwift on two accounts and Strava doesn’t show any efforts attempted for the ZI Two Bridges Loop segment.
If you’ve only done them as single laps, you start the Two Bridges Route after the start banner so you never do the full segment unless you do multiple laps. That’s a Zwift thing where they should move the start back to behind the banner so you do a full lap.
Please can you check the Aquaduct KOM in France – I think the forward and reverse segments are mixed up between Zwiftpower and Zwiftinsider / Strava. ie whats forward on one is reverse on the other.
For London after Box Hill the Punchers Paradise, a leg snapper after short initial descent. Also the sunway stairs later on are a great segment to have since one can make a difference there
Don’t know if they are still cleaning up the segments but looks like Veloviewer segments are also still up? https://www.strava.com/segments/24696301?filter=overall
Is there a full Ven-top segment btw?
Nvm, found it 🙂 https://www.strava.com/segments/24682608
Many KOMs should have intermediate segments. Not only Ven-Top, but also Epic KOM, Innsbruck, Volcano, NYC…
I will also be missing segments for many non-KOM climbs like Northumberland Av., all those in Yorkshire, those in the jungle, or the very first part of the reverse epic KOM to the junction after the bridge.
Considering it’s a subscription service and there is less segments for Strava to bother with perhaps they could sort out the “following” leaderboard
Good to have cleared out all the dross, but shame they renamed them as this was both testament to your hard work and also a way to search for them…
All of these suggestions are going to be for Watopia except the one, just FYI. I would appreciate if you could add back the Fuego Flats segment from the banner after the sprint that’s already there, to the turnaround. Both the loops in the desert for Tempus Fugit would be appreciated too. Going from there, a segment for the climb out of the desert up towards Titan’s Grove. I’d say another good one would be from the junction after climbing out of Ocean Boulevard, through the gradual incline switchbacks, and ending at the junction of the reverse hilly KOM. A… Read more »
Sorry, I missed the France one somehow. The twisty section in both directions as a segment was what I was gonna say for that. I feel France needs more, but it’s hard to figure out where exactly good places would be for segments there, as opposed to Watopia, where I had pretty clear ideas of spots to put them.
Col du Saddle Springs for sure.
A while ago, Strava removed the ability to view segment times of Zwifters you ‘follow’ on iOS app. Don’t know if this also applies to other mobile platforms but still available on PC/website. Not sure why they did this? 🤷♂️
Suggestion: Ven-top from the top of the Petit KOM to Chalet Reynard, such that you hit it both on Ven-top and La Reine