Zwift released a minor update this morning which includes new Alpe du Zwift timing features and lots of minor bug fixes. It also includes a redesigned login screen (see above) which looks great!

Bend to Bend Timing

A sector stats panel is now visible while riding up the Alpe. This displays your PRs for upcoming bend to bend sectors, and as you complete a sector it shows your time as well as average heartrate and wattage.

This new panel fits right into Zwift’s approach to indoor fitness: making it more engaging, more challenging, more rewarding. One way Zwift could further improve this new panel is to show estimated completion time on the current sector, as it is difficult to know whether you are ahead or behind a PR based simply on current time–especially on longer sectors.

Showing estimated completion time for all timed segments would be nice, for this same reason. A simple timer doesn’t tell you much!

Improvements (or Bug Fixes) Needed

It appears there is a bug in the wattage display for the current segment, since it only show your current wattage (which is already displayed at the top-left of the screen) and not your average wattage for the segment. Once you complete the segment your average is displayed, but not while you’re actually riding it. I assume it does the same for heart rate.

Additionally, while riding a sector your PR time is not visible. It would be nice if you could see your PR, current time, and estimated completion time for the current sector.

Powerup Timers

There are three powerup locations during the Alpe climb, denoted by a thumbs up on the asphalt. Now as you approach each powerup location a countdown timer is displayed on the map. You must now reach the powerup location before the counter runs out in order to receive the powerup.  Get moving!

How are the powerup time cutoffs calculated? According to Game Master Jon Mayfield they are “are based off some of your previous efforts, plus or minus a random amount of time.”

Jon included this little teaser in today’s update notes:

Our next release will include a larger feature we’re finishing off now, so stay tuned.

Ride on!

See full update notes >