This is the newest addition to our list of “Rebel Routes”–Zwift rides which are not available on Zwift’s routes list, thus requiring manual navigation.
The reward for your rebel ride? Exploring a new route, knowing you’ve gone where few Zwifters have gone before. And a Strava segment rank in the tens or hundreds instead of the thousands!
Route Description
This perimeter route is just like Bigger Loop except it adds the radio tower and Alpe du Zwift climbs. Suggested by Zwifter Jeff Cottrell, the goal of this route is to ride the entire perimeter of Watopia.
We begin at the downtown start/finish and proceed to Fuego Flats, starting off nice and flat before we hang a left and head up the Epic KOM. And it’s not enough to finish the Epic KOM–once you ride through the banner it’s another left onto the much-hated radio tower climb!
But our reward awaits–next we get to go screaming down the radio tower descent, and continue our descent on the Epic KOM. Then it’s over to the jungle so we can start the toughest feature of this route: the mighty Alpe du Zwift.
Once you’ve made it to the top of the Alpe, take a deep breath and enjoy a quick breather while you descend. Once you’re at the bottom, to finish the other half of the jungle circuit. After climbing out of the jungle we descend to the docks, through the fishing village, and past the Italian Villas so we can make our way around the outside of the volcano before heading back to the start/finish.
Profile
This route is actually quite flat, except where it’s not. The Epic KOM and Alpe du Zwift climbs account for ~15 miles of the 51-mile route, and everything else is either flat or downhill apart from those climbs.
Getting Started
When freeriding, select the “Bigger Loop” route to begin–this reduces your number of manual turns required to just 3. You will spawn just before the downtown start banner.
Turn by Turn
There are many intersections of this route, but since the route is very similar to Bigger Loop only 3 manual turns are required. All other turns will route you correctly by default. Here are the manual selections you’ll need to make:
- After the Epic KOM banner, turn left to “Bonus Climb (aka “Radio Tower”). 15.3 miles from start line.
- After descending through the Mayan jungle, turn right to Alpe du Zwift. 23.1 miles from start line.
- After the Alpe descent, turn right to Jungle Loop. 39.6 miles from start line.
Route details:
Distance: 82.3km (51.2 miles)
Elevation Gain: 1874m (6,147′)
Strava Forward Segment
Rebel Route Suggestions
Got an idea for a great rebel route? Share it below and maybe we’ll publish a post about it!
I’d have thought that the logic of it being a perimeter route should mean you go round the Jungle Loop in reverse, surely?
You’re right! I did it this way because that’s how it automatically routed me, so I figured that would result in the least number of manual turns. But I actually think it may still be just three turns if we go the other way. So I’m redoing the route now in the other direction around the jungle to find out…
This is my rebel route: https://www.strava.com/activities/2334177820
Nice!
I did the route yesterday, in the way Steve R comments (just like he thinks is the most logical). The number of manual turns is the same as the route originally proposed by Eric, that is, just 3 manual turns.
P.S., Eric, yesterday we pedaled together for a while when I was going to Alpe: https://framapic.org/1lt3qqKRUQsx/USV3gSxWhomc.jpg
Interesting. I tried it in the other direction and it was MORE manual turns.
It’s becoming apparent that Zwift doesn’t route consistently. Triskel, your comment on spiral into the volcano confirms this. It’s really odd…
I will try to repeat this route also and I inform you 😉
Yesterday I did the repeat of Triple Flat Loops and the manual turns didn’t match those of the first time. I think it’s better not to put the manual turns in the route description because that information is not reliable.