Zwift Racing League (ZRL) has taken racing to the next level on Zwift. It’s well-organized bike racing on an unprecedented scale, a multi-week team points competition held across timezones catering to thousands of teams. And that’s why serious Zwift racers show up week after week: because everyone knows ZRL is where Zwift racing is at its highest level.
With six successful rounds completed over the course of the past two seasons, ZRL organizers WTRL continue to evolve their systems and tighten rulesets to provide a fair, engaging, and competitive platform for Zwift racing.
The next ZRL round begins September 13th, and it’s officially named 2022/23 Season – Round 1. We’ll use this page to display all the key info in one place, and since some race details are still being decided, updates will be made to this post as more info becomes available.
Ruleset Updates
See the latest version of ZRL rules on WTRL’s website
If you’re new to ZRL, you’ll definitely want to get familiar with the ruleset and scoring structures, as these will inform strategic decisions made as a team.
Timeslots and Divisions
This round’s divisions are the same as last round. But it’s worth noting that Oceania and APAC are fixed to cities/timezones that will change their clocks during the Round 1. If you aren’t in Australia or New Zealand, these two leagues will appear to have a time shift 1 hour backward when these 2 cities “spring into” their winter.
Teams and Registration
New teams can register now at wtrl.racing/zrl-registration. Team registration closes midnight UTC on Friday, Sept 9. All teams must have at least 4 riders confirmed by Sunday, Sept 11 at noon UTC. You can have up to 12 riders nominated for your team. Again, see the ruleset for details.
Want to race, but don’t have a team? You can find a list of teams recruiting riders by visiting wtrl.racing/zwift-racing-league/#teams (“All Teams” in the ZRL menu). WTRL says an inquiry form will be available soon on that page, so you can click and ask to join a team that is recruiting.
Until then, you can track down the team’s contact info and message them, or simply post your info on the Facebook group to have teams contact you. Use tags so your post can easily be found by others using “popular topics”:
- If you are looking for a team, tag your post with the topic #zrlteamhunt
- If you are recruiting, tag your post with #zrlrecruiting
Tips for First-Timers
If this is your first time racing on Zwift, here are a few tips and links to get you started fast:
- You have to be signed up for ZwiftPower in order to participate. Instructions
- You must create a WTRL account as well – do so at wtrl.racing/registration
- The category you’ll race is determined by your FTP in watts per kilogram. Talk to your team manager if you have any questions on where you should race, or read this post from Zwift.
- Riders must use a power sensor to transmit power to the game – this would be a smart trainer, smartbike, or power meter. (You’re allowed to race B, C, and D categories with a “classic” trainer and virtual power, but your points are cut in half.)
- Heart rate monitors are required. (You’re allowed to race B, C, and D categories without a HRM, but your points are cut in half.)
- It’s really best that you have at least a few races under your belt before you try to join a team, so you know what sort of power numbers you can hold in a race.
Race Routes and Dates
Each ZRL round is made up of weekly races which are a mix of points races and team time trial (TTT) formats. Points race winners are the teams who amass the most total points by the end of the race, while TTT winners are the teams who complete the racecourse fastest (team time is taken from the fourth rider to cross the line).
“Intermediates” are sections on the course where riders compete mid-race for points. Intermediates may count for Fastest-Through-Segment (FTS) and/or First-Across-Line (FAL) points – see the scoring page for details.
Race #1: Climber’s Gambit
Sept 13, 2022 (Points Race)
In a bold move, we’re starting this round off with the Queen Stage. Riders will take on a sprint and two smaller climbs before heading up the Epic KOM Reverse for a brutal fight to the finish!
- 1 Lap of Watopia’s Climber’s Gambit (28km, 671m elevation)
- PowerUps: Feather, Draft Boost, Aero Boost 🛈
- FAL and FTS Segments:
- JWB Bridge Sprint REV (x1)
- Titans Grove KQOM REV (x1)
- Epic KQOM REV (x1)
Race #2: Park Perimeter Loop
Sept 20, 2022 (Points Race)
This route covers all of New York’s ground-level paved roads, which are a GPS replica of Central Park. These roads are rarely flat, but there are no long climbs, either. Typically the rolling terrain and short climbs create an attritional race which ends in a reduced bunch sprint on the short uphill finish.
- 3 Laps of New York’s Park Perimeter Loop (29.7km, 381m elevation)
- PowerUps: Feather (40%), Invisibility (20%), Anvil (40%) 🛈
- FAL and FTS Segments:
- Greyshot Arch Sprint FWD (x3)
Race #3: Wandering Flats
Sept 27, 2022 (TTT)
For the first time in ZRL history we have just one TTT in this round. And it’s on a TTT route we’ve never raced in ZRL! Makuri Islands’ Wandering Flats is a mostly-flat route, making it easy for TTT riders. But the bit of climbing near the end will certainly hurt legs which are already burning.
- 1 Lap of Makuri Islands’ Wandering Flats (25.2km, 146m elevation)
Race #4: Champs-Élysées
Oct 4, 2022 (Points Race)
One for the sprinters, the uphill sprint on each of 7 laps will require both strategic team smarts and strong legs. This is the second-longest race of Round 1, so fatigue will begin to set in as riders are forced to sprint uphill on each lap. (Note: we think we’ll see a lower lap count for C/D categories, but those plans are still being finalized.)
- Paris’ Champs-Élysées
- A: 7 Laps (49.5km, 289m elevation)
- B: 6 Laps (42.9km, 250m elevation)
- C: 5 Laps (36.3km, 210m elevation)
- D: 4 Laps (29.7km, 171m elevation)
- PowerUps: Burrito (25%), Aero Boost (50%), Steamroller (25%) 🛈
- FAL and FTS Segments:
- Champs-Élysées Sprint (each lap)
Race #5: Legends and Lava
Oct 11, 2022 (Points Race)
Never raced in ZRL, Legends and Lava makes for an exciting points race since the fireworks and selections can happen early on the Titans Grove KOM Reverse. The intermediate sprint that follows will be contested by a reduced front group, then the remaining riders will fight it out up the Volcano KOM to the finish line!
- 1 Lap Watopia’s Legends and Lava (24.5km, 321m elevation)
- PowerUps: Feather (40%), Draft Boost (30%), Aero Boost (30%) 🛈
- FAL and FTS Segments:
- Titans Grove KQOM REV (x1)
- JWB Bridge Sprint FWD (x1)
- Volcano KQOM (x1)
Race #6: Eastern Eight & Downtown Titans
Oct 18, 2022 (Points Race)
Making its first appearance in ZRL, Eastern Eight is a former Rebel Route and the longest course of Round 1. While it includes lots of flat roads, two trips through Titans Grove and the climbs up into the redwoods will sting the legs.
In a twist we haven’t seen yet with ZRL, the C and D categories are racing an entirely different course – Downtown Titans – another former Rebel Route. This fun race route features two short climbs before the sprint segment and final run-in via The Esses to the finish line.
A and B Categories:
- 1 Lap of Watopia’s Eastern Eight (54.7km, 413m elevation)
- PowerUps: Feather (40%), Draft Boost (30%), Burrito (10%), Aero Boost (20%) 🛈
- FAL and FTS Segments:
- Fuego Flats Short Sprint (x2)
- Titans Grove KQOM FWD (x1)
- Fuego Flats Long Sprint (x1)
- Titans Grove KQOM REV (x1)
C and D Categories:
- 1 Lap of Watopia’s Downtown Titans (25.4km, 295m elevation)
- PowerUps: Feather (40%), Draft Boost (40%), Aero Boost (20%) 🛈
- FAL and FTS Segments:
- Titans Grove KQOM REV (x1)
- Hilly KQOM (x1)
- JWB Bridge Sprint (x1)
March Championships
After the three rounds of the 2022/23 season, WTRL is planning a championship based on this season’s rounds. This will happen in March.
Adieu, Premier Division
Since ZRL began, a pro-level “Premier Division” has run alongside, racing similar courses before the community races. These events were broadcasted and gave ZRL racers a way to recon routes before their big race.
This is changing, with pro-level race events being completely decoupled from ZRL events beginning with this round. This series is called the Zwift Grand Prix, and will happen each Friday. Read this post for details >
Questions or Comments?
We recommend checking out WTRL’s Zwift Racing League page for rules, team registration, results, and more. Their Facebook page is the place to go for discussion on all things ZRL.
Feel free to share questions or comments below!
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