Today Zwift released further details of their upcoming “The Grade” Watopia expansion. See below for the latest info, including a live stream collaboration with Zwift Community Live up The Grade tomorrow!
New Route Details
This expansion will bring 8 new free-ride routes to Watopia:
- Oh Hill No, 7.8km with 306m elevation – the most direct pathway to The Grade
- Coastal Crown Loop, 15km with 185m
- Glyph Heights, 25km with 537m
- Mayan Mash, 34km with 755m
- Tide and Temples, 36km with 459m
- Peak Performance, 45km with 725m
- Snowman, 44km with 577m
- Elevation Evaluation, 44km with 1493m
Note: Based on ZRL’s Summer Showdown using a “new and exclusive route” in Watopia, our guess is that this expansion includes one or more event-only routes.
Release Date
Zwift says The Grade expansion will roll out to Zwifters between June 11-13. This follows Zwift’s typical bi-weekly update schedule and phased rollout methodology: the release (version 1.67) will occur on Tuesday, June 11, but won’t reach all Zwifters until the 13th.
Community First
Zwift is inviting the community to take the lead in organizing events on the new routes. Events can start on June 13, and there’s an event request form to fill out if you’re interested.
“The Grade” FTP Test
The most interesting development in this expansion is “The Grade” and its new FTP-detection algorithm. This climb is a KOM segment like others in the game, but Zwift will compute your FTP using your average power over the segment’s duration.
Related: All About FTP (Functional Threshold Power) and why it matters on Zwift
Why the change? Zwift explains, “Traditionally, FTP tests have daunting workouts and therefore dreaded by many cyclists. The Grade aims to provide an easier and more accessible way to calculate this number by building a test into the natural terrain of Watopia’s Southern Coast.”
How does it work? Zwift analyzed over 700,000 FTP tests conducted on the platform, matching the FTP test result to the riders’ critical power curve to “create a system capable of calculating FTP on any completion time over 8 minutes.”
Your average power on the segment is shown as you ride, to help you target a particular pace. The climb is also broken up into 10 segments (like Alpe du Zwift and the Climb Portal) to help you track progress.
When you cross the finish line (up near the intersection with the Epic KOM) you’ll be greeted with a signpost displaying your detected FTP. If your FTP increases you’ll get a pop of confetti, and the game will automatically update your saved FTP value for use in future workouts.
Route Restrictions
All of the new routes will be restricted to level 10+ Zwifters, just like the other southern coast routes.
That said, if you’re below level 10 you can still join the many community-led events that will be held on these routes!
More Info
More information on this expansion can be found at www.zwift.com/watopia-expansion
See It Live
Shane Miller (GPlama) along with Zwift Community Live and Zwift Insider have been granted early access to The Grade. Shane has just published a video of his experience taking it on, including five tips for success:
Zwift Community Live’s Nathan and Gabi Guerra will live stream their FTP test on The Grade tomorrow (Tuesday, June 4th) at 11am PST/2pm EDT/6pm UTC along with Eric Schlange from Zwift Insider.
Check out Zwift Community Live’s YouTube channel or Zwift Insider’s YouTube channel to watch the live streams tomorrow!
Direct link to ZCL’s scheduled live stream >
Direct link to Zwift Insider’s scheduled livestream >
Questions or Comments?
Post below!
looks awesome. can’t await to climb.
Will we get the new GUI with the expansion? If it’s climbing heavy they better release it along with it.
Now showing a start pen at the base. Nice addition.
Why do event organizers have to make a separate submission when using The Grade? Or am I misunderstanding. Referring to ‘The Grade Event Request’ form
I think because there’s no way for them to choose those the routes themselves when editing the events in Companion or online. That’s at least part of the reason!
How does that Elevation Evaluation route work? Looks like a lot of elevation. Assume its 2 laps or something?
Zwift’s numbers (given above) are incorrect. Elevation Evaluation is actually around 24.6km long, but also has a lead-in of around 3km if you are in an event.
They changed the values in their presentation
Dang, I just noticed this. Had the wrong numbers in my spreadsheet until now.
Has the road around the new lake disappeared, or is it just not showing as it’s not on one of the routes?
All the roads are shown on the new route maps above.
Any information on lead-in distances, or badge XP, etc? I have to keep my spreadsheet up-to-date 😅
I have it, but can’t share it until it’s released. 😄 Soon!
Can work out a bunch of the lead in distances based on the preview access in GP Llamas Video which shows the route overview screen- https://youtu.be/K2c3R2sCDaw?si=Hui-eSm5jgKA2Ix0&t=78
The elevation and distance numbers for “Elevation Evaluation” can’t be right.
If you see GP Lllama’s video it shows Elevation Evaluation within Zwift as being
Length- 24.6km, Elevation 396m
I know the figures provided in the article say much higher but that’s what Zwift are publishing as well which is odd
https://youtu.be/K2c3R2sCDaw?si=LobkQidggwhd2oxC&t=107
Hmm… I’m confused. It looks to be longer than 2.2 miles with the scale of the rest of Watopia.
Thanks Eric, looks amazing!
These routes look awesome, especially Mayan Mash and Tide and Temples
How many new miles of tarmac are included in these new routes?
I think around 11km…. 7.5km on the side road, and 3.5km or so on The Grade.
I’m excited! Can’t wait. It’s going to be cool to see how the experience is including the new FTP feature.
Eric, any ETA when the new routes will be added to the downloadable map?
Oh dear, looks like a lot of climbing for all those route badges. And Zwift does not leave much space for shorter rebel routes around The Grade.
Eight minute ftp test? Sounds really short.to configure an ftp. Is there a chart of this graph?
Zwift hasn’t released the chart, no. But I’ll say this: nobody is doing this in 8 minutes. Or if you do, you need to recalibrate your power meter. 😀
Most people will be more like 15-20 minutes. Super strong riders (6 W/kg) will do it in 10 minutes, based on my tests.
Also hoping that like the existing FTP detection algorithm, this new one won’t downgrade your FTP if you just ride up casually.
Correct, it won’t downgrade your FTP setting if your result is below the current setting. It’ll only automatically upgrade you.
And if you’re in the 5-6W/kg group you probably don’t need a new way to find your FTP, you already have something that is working for you.
Hi Eric, I really appreciate the work you do with this site – I use and like it soo much!
Just a minor typo that I was wondering now for a while:
The Elevation Evaluation route has 24 km and 396 m.
There’s one mistake I found on Elevation Evaluation in this post: the arrow showing the direction is pointing toward the desert flats but doesn’t the route start by going towards the Jungle and up the new climb instead of up the Epic KOM and down the new climb
Now I see. It DOES go toward the desert but just does a turnaround at the beginning to give more of a warm-up. (Guessing it’s some sort of parking lot-type road.) Nice little addition.
Does The Grade have to be a seated effort for accurate ftp results?
No. Just ride how you normally ride. If you can manage 10 minutes standing, good luck to you.