Zwift Racing League 2021/22 Season 2 Details

Zwift Racing League (ZRL) has taken racing to the next level on Zwift. It’s well-organized bike racing on an unprecedented scale, with eight weeks of team-based points competition held across multiple 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 four successful seasons completed over the course of the past year+, the good people at WTRL – organizers of ZRL – have continued streamlining systems and tightening rulesets to provide a fair, engaging, and competitive platform for Zwift racing.

The next ZRL season begins January 11th, and it’s officially named 2021/22 Season 2. We’ll use this page to display all the key info and links in one place.

Ruleset Updates

The latest ZRL ruleset is available as a PDF linked from this page. (It’s important to understand WTRL’s ruleset does not govern the Zwift Racing League Premier Division, which instead falls under the Zwift Cycling eSports Ruleset.)

The ruleset doesn’t appear to have changed significantly from the prior season.

If you’re new to ZRL, you’ll definitely want to get familiar with the ruleset and points structures, as these will inform strategic decisions made as a team.

Timeslots and Divisions

WTRL published the above timetable with the caveat “Depending on registration numbers, we may open more leagues/divisions to accommodate but no planned changes.”

Additional divisions have been created since last season:

• Women’s EMEA is now EMEA C and EMEA W
• Men’s/Mixed has two new leagues: EMEA ME and Africa

Teams and Registration

New teams can register starting December 12 at wtrl.racing/zrl-registration.

Want to race, but don’t have a team? Looking to recruit new riders to your team? Post your info on the Facebook group. Use tags so your post can easily be found by others using “popular topics”:

• If you are looking for a team, try to remember to tag your post with the topic #zrlteamhunt
• If you are recruiting, tag your post with #zrlrecruiting

Race Routes and Dates

Note: “Intermediates” are sections on the course where riders compete mid-race for additional points. Intermediates may count for Fastest-Through-Segment (FTS) and/or First-Across-Line (FAL) points – see the scoring page for details.

Premier Division races are on Mondays, while Community Division races are on Tuesdays.

Race #1: Neokyo All-Nighter
January 11, 2022 (Points Race)

This is the first time Neokyo All-Nighter will be raced in ZRL, but we don’t think it’s the last. The course seems tailor-made for ZRL racing, with four sprint sections before a decently-long KOM. The sprinters will have their day, but so will the climbers. Who will hold on for the win?

Points Distribution

The maximum points a team of 6 could earn in this race

• 1 Lap Makuri Islands’ Neokyo All-Nighter (24.6km, 169.4m elevation)
• PowerUps: Aero Boost, Burrito, Draft Boost
• FAL Segments:
  • Castle Park Sprint REV
  • Alley Sprint FWD
  • Castle Park Sprint FWD
  • Tower Sprint FWD
  • Rooftop Climb FWD
• FTS Segments:
  • Alley Sprint FWD
  • Rooftop Climb FWD

Race #2: London Classique
January 18, 2022 (Points Race)

The least climby route of the season, this is where the sprinters will shine. Timing will be everything on the Classique sprints, where riders tend to go long but get caught before the line. Maybe, just maybe, the ghost powerup will have its day!

Points Distribution

The maximum points a team of 6 could earn in this race. Since the race ends at the final sprint banner, we’ve added those Sprint FAL points to the finishing points total in the chart.

• A/B: 6 Laps London Classique (38.7km, 196.8m elevation)
• C/D: 5 Laps London Classique (32.8km, 170m elevation)
• PowerUps: Aero Boost, Draft Boost, Invisibility
• FAL and FTS Segment:
  • Mall Sprint REV

Race #3: Park Perimeter Loop
January 25, 2022 (Points Race)

Although it’s a flattish route, Park Perimeter Loop lends itself to attacks with its rolling profile and punchy Harlem Hill climb. It’s no Yorkshire, but the pack can be thinned if teams push hard at the right times. We predict the anvil powerup will raise some ire this week, as it can only be used effectively in one portion of this route… and even then, timing would need to be spot-on!

Points Distribution

The maximum points a team of 6 could earn in this race

• 4 Laps New York’s Park Perimeter Loop (39.2km, 506.9m elevation)
• PowerUps: Aero Boost, Anvil, Feather
• FAL and FTS Segment:
  • NYC Sprint FWD

Race #4: Douce France
February 1, 2022 (TTT)

The first of only two TTTs in the ZRL regular season, this one will be hard and fast with its fairly flat profile. WTRL is showing powerups for this TTT, which will add another strategic dimension for riders.

• 1 Lap France’s Douce France (24.1km, 136.6m elevation)
• PowerUps: Aero Boost, Draft Boost, Feather

Race #5: Temples and Towers
February 8, 2022 (Points Race)

Three KOMs on this route, with the dirt Temple KOM as the final climb. Unlike last season’s Countryside Tour craziness, this route doesn’t lend itself well to bike swapping or even a dedicated gravel bike. So that simplifies things…

Points Distribution

The maximum points a team of 6 could earn in this race

• 1 Lap Makuri Islands’ Temples and Towers (32.5km, 319.4m elevation)
• PowerUps: Aero Boost, Burrito, Steamroller
• FAL and FTS Segments:
  • Rooftop Climb FWD
  • Castle Climb FWD
  • Temple Climb FWD

Race #6: Climber’s Gambit
February 15, 2022 (Points Race)

The Queen Stage! Very few riders have raced the Climber’s Gambit route, since it was only introduced a few months ago as a Zwift Academy Baseline/Finish Line route. It takes us through one sprint segment and over two Watopian KOMs, finishing atop the Epic Reverse.

Points Distribution

The maximum points a team of 6 could earn in this race. Since the race ends at the Epic KOM banner, we’ve added those KOM FAL points to the finishing points total in the chart.

• 1 Lap Watopia’s Climber’s Gambit (27.9km, 670.6m elevation)
• PowerUps: Anvil, Burrito, Feather
• FAL and FTS Segment:
  • JWB Sprint REV
  • Titans Grove Climb REV
  • Epic KOM REV

Race #7: Richmond UCI Reverse
February 22, 2022 (TTT)

The second TTT of the season, this route begins with a fast descent, but quickly takes riders through three climbs before flattening out on the back half. It will be an exercise in team pacing.

• 2 Laps Richmond UCI Reverse (32.6km, 315.2m elevation)
• PowerUps: Aero Boost, Draft Boost, Feather

Race #8: Lutece Express
March 1, 2022 (Points Race)

The longest race (distance-wise) of the season for A/B, this route will hurt as riders attack up the rise, recover for a few seconds around the Arc de Triomphe, then hit the slightly downhill sprint for extra points. Six times!

Points Distribution

The maximum points a team of 6 could earn in this race.

• A/B: 6 Laps Paris’ Lutece Express (43.3km, 236.4m elevation)
• C/D: 4 Laps Paris’ Lutece Express (30.1km, 157.6m elevation)
• PowerUps: Aero Boost, Feather, Steamroller
• FAL and FTS Segment:
  • Champs-Élysées Sprint REV

Playoff #1: Legends and Lava
March 8, 2022 (Points Race)

The playoff points race ends atop the Volcano KOM, so the final several minutes of racing will be an all-out effort for most.

Points Distribution

The maximum points a team of 6 could earn in this race. Since the race ends at the Volcano KOM banner, we’ve added those KOM FAL points to the finishing points total in the chart.

• 1 Lap Watopia’s Legends and Lava (24.6km, 321m elevation)
• PowerUps: Aero Boost, Anvil, Feather
• FAL Segments:
  • Titans Grove Climb REV
  • JWB Bridge Sprint FWD
  • Volcano Climb
• FTS Segments:
  • JWB Bridge Sprint FWD
  • Volcano Climb

Playoff #2: Greater London Flat
March 12, 2022 (TTT)

The playoff TTT is quite flat, meaning that, more than ever, it’s going to be about efficient team formation and pure wattage on the front.

• 2 Laps London’s Greater London Flat (29.3km, 90m elevation)

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!