Team dZi is one of the most active, global teams on Zwift in terms of riding, racing, and organizing events for other Zwifters. You likely have seen them riding in their distinctive Nepalese Red, Le Col sponsored kit with “dZi Riding for Nepal” written on it.
I recently chatted with founder Kevin Connors about dZi’s slate of popular group rides–here are the details of each ride:
Weekdays: dZi’s Daily Zwift Igniter (DZI)
Less than 60 minutes long at a moderate pace (2.5 w/kg on flats, 3.0 w/kg on hills) with efforts made to keep dropped riders to a minimum. Usually led by Frederic Jacquemin or Bruno Fernandez-Ruiz. Each day features some different sprints or other efforts which are always voluntary and announced by the Ride Leader. The group comes back together after all efforts.
Start Times:
- 21:30 PDT (Monday for USA-West)
- 00:30 EDT (USA-East)
- 05:30 GMT (UK)
- 06:30 CEST (Europe)
- 14:00 ACST (Australia – Adelaide)
- 14:30 AEST (Australia – Sidney)
Weekends
Saturdays: dZi’s Watopia Group Ride (WGR)
This is dZi’s most inclusive weekend ride, with a pace of 2.5 w/kg. Every effort is made to keep the group together, so there are no sprint sections or raced sections. Ride length is just 3 laps of the Watopia’s flat route (~30km).
This is a great event for someone trying their first group ride and keen to learn how to draft efficiently. Team dZi’s Cassie Baldi is the regular leader, but other Team dZi members will lead at times too.
Start times:
- 07:30 PDT (USA-West)
- 08:30 MDT (USA-Mountain)
- 09:30 CDT (USA-Central)
- 10:30 EDT (USA-East)
- 15:30 BST (UK)
- 16:30 CEST (Europe)
Pro-Style Events
Both of dZi’s pro-style events below are uniquely set up to help you train like a pro. These rides have “tempo” riding at 3-3.5W/KG to get rider hearts and muscles pumping. They then add 1-2 sprint intervals per lap. Finally each event closes with a full gas race of the fifth and final lap. This combo of high tempo, interval, and full effort riding/racing for approximately 50km is very similar to how pro teams train to drive improvement.
The results of the raced sections are displayed via ZwiftPower technology on that and Team dZi’s website. Race results will be part of the JZRA rankings too.
These rides are usually led by Frederic Jacquemin, Bruno Fernandez-Ruiz, Kevin Connors, or Hugo Vegter and take place on Watopia’s flat route.
Saturdays:Â dZi’s Aussie Watopia Roll (AWR)
Start Times:
- 09:00 BST (UK)
- 10:00 CEST (Europe)
- 15:00 AWST (Australia-Perth)
- 17:30 ACST (Australia-Adelaide)
- 18:00 AEST (Australia-Sydney)
Sundays: dZi’s Oz Sunday Spin (OSS)
Start Times:
- 09:00 BST (UK)
- 10:00 CEST (Europe)
- 15:00 AWST (Australia-Perth)
- 17:30 ACST (Australia-Adelaide)
- 18:00 AEST (Australia-Sydney)
Monthly: dZi’s Nepalese Summit Race (NSC)
The very popular Nepalese Summit Race happens on the second Monday of each month. This is an all-inclusive multi-category race (9 different categories!) with a staggered start so riders come together on the final climb.
The race features a significant amount of climbing since it ends at the very peak of the Radio Tower climb. It is named the “Nepalese Summit Race” because of the race’s long and steep finishing climb, but also because of Team dZi’s link to its eponymous foundation supporting mountainous Nepal. This race is a true dZi team effort, with all of dZi’s almost 30 team members contributing in different ways to make the event happen.
Team dZi is obviously putting a lot of effort into these events for us Zwifters. They are doing this to help the Zwift community, but also to create exposure for their title charity sponsor, dZi Foundation, who helps some of the world’s most remote communities with agricultural assistance, sanitation improvements, transport efficiency, and education in Nepal. All help for Nepal and dZi Foundation from the Zwift community is very welcome!
You can sign up for all of these events beforehand or even while Zwifting up until just before they start on the Zwift Mobile App under the brand new Events tab. Learn more about joining group rides >
These dZi events are hosting between 300-500 riders each week, so it seems the Zwift community understands that daily, pro-style, and race training in combination is a great way to improve fitness while having some fun in a group. Thanks to the Zwift platform and organizers like Team dZi this training is now available even to time-crunched or weather-bound riders.
Feedback on the events or those with interest in Team dZi can get in touch via www.teamdzi.org.
