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The fifth race of Zwift Racing League 2025/26 Round 2 happens Tuesday, December 2, and we’re in Scotland for sharp laps of the Glasgow Crit Circuit.
With two intermediates per lap, including one just seconds after the race begins, there’s much to discuss along with our usual topics of bike choice, strategic options, and crucial segments. Let’s go!
Don’t understand how ZRL points races work? Read our explainer >
Looking at the Route
A/B categories are racing 10 laps of the Glasgow Crit Circuit route for a total race length of 30.4km with 331 meters of elevation, while C/D categories will race 7 laps for a total of 21.3km with 232m of elevation.
Here’s a 3D view of the route:
And here’s a simple route profile:
I won’t give you a turn-by-turn tour of the circuit, as that would make things more complex than they need to be. I’ll just walk you through the key sections.
Champion’s Sprint
The first points segment on this circuit will be contested straight out of the gate, so be ready for a hard start! You’ll need to be sprinting (or close to it) for the first 40 seconds to stay with the group through the Champion’s Sprint banner, which is also the Glasgow Crit Circuit finish line.
The Champion’s Sprint is only 200 meters long and slightly downhill. Expect the pace to pick up before that each lap as the group turns left and hits the sprint’s straightaway. Use your aero powerups just before the start line for maximum effect. My guess is the Champion’s Sprint at the end of lap 1 will turn in the fastest FTS times, because the pack size will still be large, and riders will have aero powerups at the ready.
The final time through the sprint is also the race finish, so those FAL sprint points are effectively finish points.
The Clyde Kicker
Our second points segment, and the key “selection section” each lap, is The Clyde Kicker. This 300-meter, two-part KOM begins about 1km after the Champion’s Sprint. Punch, rest slightly, then punch again. The big push tends to be up the second, longer, steeper bit, which is approximately 100 meters at 8%.
Most riders will use their feather powerup on this segment each lap. Feathers last for 30 seconds, so if you trigger it just as you cross the start line, it should stay activated until the arch. (A category riders may want to trigger it a bit sooner, and D category riders may want to trigger it a bit later.)
Descent from the Clyde
You’ll turn a hard right just after riding through the Clyde Kicker banner, then head downhill, picking up speed quickly, especially now that Zwift has improved drafting on inclines. You are descending to “ground level,” but the descent has some ups mixed into the downs. Since this is a points race, you probably won’t see many attacks in this section, as riders will take the opportunity to grab some much-needed recovery. But pay close attention and mind your pack position. You don’t want to fall off the back of the pack flying down the descent!
Once you finish descending, you’ve got around ~500 meters of road before the Champion’s Sprint begins. Watch for riders going early on the final lap, but try to stay in the wheels as long as possible, because wind resistance plays a massive role in high-speed sprints like Champions!
Read more about the Glasgow Crit Circuit route >
PowerUp Notes
Riders will receive the lightweight (feather) powerups each time through the Champion’s Sprint arch, and the aero boost (helmet) powerup each time through the Clyde Kicker arch.
Aero Boost (helmet) at Clyde Kicker arch: makes you more aerodynamic (reduces your CdA by 25%) for 15 seconds.
Use at higher speeds (flats and descents), especially when no draft is available (although it is still useful when drafting.) Riders will be saving their aero powerups for use on the Champion’s Sprint each and every lap.
Lightweight (feather) at Champion’s Sprint arch: reduces your weight by 10% for 30 seconds. Use on The Clyde Kicker, which is the route’s longest climb plus a hotly-contested points segment.
Bike Recommendations
An aero bike is the way to go on the Glasgow Crit Course, because the only climb (The Clyde Kicker) is so short and fast that aerodynamics matter more than bike weight. So we recommend any of the newer “aero all-arounders” paired with the newer DT Swiss Disc wheels.
Remember, when it comes to bike choice, upgrading your frame makes a difference. A fully upgraded road frame saves around 6 watts, or ~28 seconds per hour of flat riding. Read about the performance improvements you receive from upgrades here.
See Speed Tests: Tron Bike vs Top Performers for more nerd-level detail on frame and wheel performance, and check out Fastest Bike Frames and Wheels at Each Zwift Level to determine the fastest setup available to you.
More Route Recons
Lots of recon events are scheduled on upcoming ZRL routes, led by various teams. See upcoming ZRL recons for this race at zwift.com/events/tag/zrlrecon.
Additionally, riders in the Zwift community do a great job every week creating recon videos that preview the courses and offer tips to help you perform your best on the day. Here are the recons I’ve found (comment if you find another!)
J Dirom
John Rice
Strategic Options
Points Distributions, Glasgow Crit Circuit
10 Laps (A/B)
7 Laps (C/D)
These charts show the maximum points a team of 6 could earn in a race with 60 participants. To learn how ZRL points races work, see this post.
How will the race unfold, and what strategies will riders employ in the final points race of round 2? Here’s what I predict:
- First Blood Sprint: As mentioned above, the first 40 seconds of the race will be hectic, as riders go all-out to grab the first points through the Champion’s Sprint.
- Powerup-Powered Segment Efforts: WTRL has structured this race so that particular powerups are given at particular arches to be used in a particular section on each lap. Everyone is essentially forced to use their powerups at the same time, because if you don’t, you’ll have to burn a match to keep up, while also taking yourself out of the running for intermediate points.
- Strengths-Finder: With so many laps, most riders will contest just one of the intermediates (the climb or the sprint) based on their strengths. Got lots of W/kg? Go with the Clyde Kicker. Got pure watts? Go with the sprint. This is where a team with balanced strengths is a huge benefit. The trick for every rider employing this strategy is to conserve energy by sitting in on the segments you aren’t contesting, without getting dropped!
- Breakaway Glory: The Glasgow Crit Circuit is nicely suited to breakaways. Perhaps an aero powerup attack down from the Clyde Kicker? It wouldn’t be easy, but if you stay away, you’ll grab max FAL points!
- I Will Survive: Some riders will simply try to survive in the front group to the finish. But be warned: this is a losing strategy. The sprint and KOM points constitute ~90% of the race’s total points, so if your team isn’t chasing intermediates, you will lose.
Your Thoughts
Any insights or questions for this race? Share below!
