For cyclists who take their coffee as seriously as their training, Zwift today unveiled what may just be the ultimate paincave accessory in partnership with Italian coffee specialist Rocket Espresso.

The indoor cycling platform has teamed up with Rocket to create a custom version of the Mozzafiato FAST, a polished stainless-steel espresso machine designed to bring café-quality coffee to your pre-ride routine.

Limited to just 200 units worldwide, the machine features subtle Zwift branding and signature orange detailing inspired by the platform’s unmistakable visual identity.

The pitch is simple: fast coffee for fast riders.

"The Mozzafiato FAST (meaning “Breathtaking”) is designed to keep pace with your busiest training blocks," Zwift says. "Featuring a new rapid-heating system, this machine is ready to pull a pro-grade shot almost as fast as you can click 'Join Ride.' Whether you’re prepping for a social ride in Watopia or in need of a pre-work pickup, the Mozzafiato FAST ensures you’re never waiting on your caffeine."

The collab machine will retail for $3,990 excluding sales tax, making it the most stylish piece of cycling hardware you’ll never ride.

Zwift will no longer run on Apple devices with older operating systems, the indoor training company announced today.

As of 4 August 2026, Zwift will stop working on any Apple devices running iOS 14 or tvOS 14. These are operating systems first released in September 2020 that have now become unsupported on many devices.

Zwift’s update affects iPhone, iPad and Apple TV users (not MacBook users). To continue using the app, users will need to update their device to iOS/tvOS 15 or later. Apple’s most up-to-date operating system is 26.5.

To see what operating system your iPhone or TV is running, go to Settings, press General, and then About – you will then find it next to the heading ‘iOS Version’ or ‘tvOS Version’.

Updates on an iPhone or iPad can be made by going to Settings, General and then Software Update. On an Apple TV, go to Settings, System, and then Software Updates.

An email, sent by Zwift to app users on Thursday, read: “Starting August 4, we will begin deprecating certain operating systems based on industry standard minimums for both the Zwift game client. The following operating systems will be affected: Zwift Game Client iOS 14, tvOS 14.

“The Zwift game app will no longer function on deprecated operating systems.”

“Many existing devices running older operating systems can upgrade their OS without needing to replace the device. Upgrading your OS will ensure your device is best equipped to run Zwift’s 3D game graphics and utilize new feature sets.”

Affected Zwift users will see an in-game message that reads: “You’re running a version of iOS which will be unsupported by Zwift beginning 2026/08/04. Please upgrade to iOS 15.0 or later.”

iOS 15, the necessary minimum software, is available on all iPhone models that succeeded the iPhone 6s, which was released in 2015. If your device is older than this, you may need to switch to a compatible device: a full list of supported devices for the game app is available on Zwift’s website. There is a different list for companion app supported devices.

Further information on the August software update is available on the official Zwift forum.

Zwift has completed the "strategic acquisition" of indoor cycling app rival Rouvy, it was announced on Wednesday afternoon.

According to a press release in the immediate aftermath of the acquisition, the two platforms – long seen as direct competitors, despite the very different user experience they offer – will continue to operate independently, with separate road maps and subscription packages.

No financial terms have been disclosed thus far, but the shock acquisition represents a momentous move in the indoor training environment. The question is, will it produce proper positives for indoor pedallers, or less real choice in the long term?

Just last year, Rouvy hoovered up two other 'real-world' style training platforms, first acquiring FulGaz and all the app's routes from The Ironman Group (in effect becoming the official digital sports platform of the global Ironman and Ironman 70.3 series through a partnership), and then buying Bkool.

Zwift, founded in the US in 2014 and supercharged during the pandemic period when people in lockdown embraced indoor training, has a valuation of over $1 billion. It dominates the world of indoor cycling, offering a virtual gamified world for users to ride through, staging competitive events, and sponsoring real races, including the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Czech brand Rouvy came about in 2017, and provides real-world videos of roads to give a less virtual experience, so users can feel almost like they are riding, racing and training on the most famous, challenging and scenic cycling routes in the world, such as Alpe-d'Huez. It even allows you to upload your own real riding routes.

A major erstwhile point of difference between the platforms is the unique production by Zwift of bespoke hardware in the shape of indoor training bikes, such as the Zwift Ride, for people to pedal while using the training programs.

From Wednesday 29 April, launch day, Zwift Ready smart trainers and Zwift Ride smart frames will also work with Rouvy. Further updates are on their way in the coming months. However, both brands will operate independently, with "differentiated roadmaps" and subscription packages.

"This is a major moment for both Zwift and Rouvy," Eric Min, Zwift co-founder and CEO, said. "We have a huge amount of respect for what Rouvy has achieved, developing a fantastic product and growing their global community by demonstrating there is a strong market for real video experiences.

"Rouvy’s differentiated experience is proof we can be stronger together, and I’m excited to see how this deal will accelerate our mission to make more people, more active, more often."

Peter Samek, Rouvy's Founder and CEO, sought to reassure the platform faithful by stressing that: "Rouvy will continue to be the Rouvy you all know and love, with the same team and the same focus on helping riders achieve their cycling goals."

“This is a strong validation of what we’ve built with our team and community, connecting indoor and outdoor training through real routes," he said. "For our community, this means we’ll keep building the experience you know, supporting your training all year round. Now, supported by Zwift and the Zwift hardware ecosystem, we have an opportunity to create even more experiences in the world of indoor cycling reality!”

Alternative indoor training programs and apps do, of course, still exist, including TrainerRoad, Bkool, Wahoo SYSTM (was Sufferfest), indieVelo, and MyWhoosh.

Outside, it’s dark and freezing cold. Inside, Ruben Dhondt is sweating profusely, pushing 400 watts for 20 minutes on an indoor trainer. You may never have heard of him, but Dhondt is one of the best Esports cyclists in the world. The 25-year-old financial consultant is part of a growing group of indoor specialists capable of producing WorldTour-level power numbers.

What makes these riders remarkable is not just their performances in the virtual world, but their lives in the real world. Almost all of them work full-time jobs and squeeze elite-level training into half the volume ridden by pro road racers. These are the stories of people finding elite performance in the margins of everyday life.

Medicine by day, Medals by night

• Name: Francesca Tommasi
• Age: 27
• Lives: Verona, Italy
• Years Eracing: 3
• Occupation: Medical doctor
• Biggest result: 3rd – UCI Esports World Championships (2025)

With 1km to go in the 2025 UCI Esports World Championships, Francesca Tommasi was sitting fourth, seven points shy of the medals at her first ever Esports Worlds. But she wasn’t going to settle for fourth. Tommasi went all-in with a solo attack, risking everything, and she made it. The 27-year-old crossed the finish line and earned maximum points, moving her up into third and the final spot on the podium. It was the result of a lifetime for an Esports rider whose vocation is equally if not more demanding.

Occupation and sport have always gone hand-in-hand for Tommasi. She describes her time in medical school as “very challenging” in part because she was also competing as a professional runner. “I always thought it would be worth it," she says. “I believe that my sports side and my student side have never been in conflict, but rather they have strengthened each other: certain aspects of one helped me get through difficult times with the other, and vice versa.”

Tommasi was working towards her medical degree when she competed in the 2023 Giro d’Italia Donne. For a time, it was elite sport getting in the way of her profession, not the other way around. So she took a step back from road cycling, and in 2024 set her eyes on the UCI Esports World Championships. Training less than 15 hours per week, Tommasi is able to fit cycling around her professional schedule. “You can train at any time of day, and training sessions are more time-efficient and do not require the long hours typical of road cycling. For example, on very busy workdays I can fit my training into an hour or hour-and-a-half session, either before work or in the evening when I get home.”

Tommasi follows a simple training plan that allows time for work and recovery. Each week, “the sessions are varied and include high-intensity and low-intensity sessions, gym training and core stability work. Recovery weeks are built into the programme.”

As for nutrition, the Italian loves to cook. She describes a typical race morning: “I love eating toast with yogurt and marmalade and a piece of pie or plumcake that I usually make a day or two before.”

You might think that Tommasi would be kept busy by training, racing and being a medical doctor, but she also runs her own small business, baking cakes, breads, pizzas and pies. There is much more to her life than Eracing, and although she will target a repeat of her Worlds podium, the bigger picture includes a plan to open her own medical practice in the next year.

Tommasi follows a simple training plan that allows time for work and recovery. Each week, “the sessions are varied and include high-intensity and low-intensity sessions, gym training and core stability work. Recovery weeks are built into the programme.”

As for nutrition, the Italian loves to cook. She describes a typical race morning: “I love eating toast with yogurt and marmalade and a piece of pie or plumcake that I usually make a day or two before.”

You might think that Tommasi would be kept busy by training, racing and being a medical doctor, but she also runs her own small business, baking cakes, breads, pizzas and pies. There is much more to her life than Eracing, and although she will target a repeat of her Worlds podium, the bigger picture includes a plan to open her own medical practice in the next year

From Running Track to Zwift Podiums

• Name: Ruben Dhondt
• Age: 25
• Lives: Geraardsbergen, Belgium
• Years Eracing: 4
• Occupation: Financial consultant
• Biggest result: 2nd – Zwift Games Overall (2025)

Perhaps the most remarkable part of Ruben Dhondt’s rise to the top of indoor racing is that he has never raced outdoors. The former 800m runner took to Zwift in 2021 as “alternative training during the dark and cold winter days.” Dhondt had just been diagnosed with a hip impingement, putting an end to his track-and-field career.

Working remotely as a financial consultant, Dhondt lives with his parents and siblings at the base of the Muur van Geraardsbergen in Belgium. He works until 5:30pm, splits chores with his family, and trains in the evening. The 25-year-old is still able to train 15 hours per week.

Dhondt is self-coached, and uses these three pillars to achieve peak performance: “having fun, listening to my body, and consistency”. Dhondt does largely the same training week after week, rather than focusing on a training camp or goal race, which “means I need fewer rest periods so I can be more consistent over a long period.”

Though he keeps track of his training, he doesn’t complete structured workouts. Instead, he races himself fit. “I select a race I want to participate in and adjust my racing style to the training stimuli I need.”

Another contrast between Dhondt and professional road riders is his riding style. Like other runners-turned-cyclists, the Belgian prefers to ride out of the saddle at 65-75rpm. Rarely does he stay in the saddle for more than five seconds at a time, but the style works for him. When it comes to racing, Dhondt has one major quirk in this routine: he warms up next to his bike, not on it. Instead of a typical pre-race warm-up, “My warm-up is usually a 15-minute activation session that I do on a fitness mat – a habit from my track and-field career.”

Dhondt listens to upbeat techno music while racing, and always has the course profile in front of him. When it comes to specialised training methods, he has only one: heat training. “Heat training mirrors the effects of altitude training,” he explains, “and it is also less expensive than booking a trip to Calpe [in Spain].”

The rest of Dhondt’s training is basic but effective. “The difference between a good and great Esports racer can be found in marginal gains such as fuelling properly, taking supplements – caffeine, sodium bicarbonate, etc – effective recovery, getting enough sleep, focusing on protein intake and consistency.”

The Belgian had an exceptional 2025, earning top results in elite races throughout the year. He says that finishing second overall in the 2025 Zwift Games increased his “confidence and motivation that I could perform well in this sport.” That right there is a lesson in itself: confidence is critical. We have all been spat out the back of a Zwift peloton, wheezing and suffering, defeated and deflated. Don’t let it knock your confidence; it’s part of the learning process.

The racer who quit her job to discover her limits

• Name: Katerina Karamani
• Age: 28 Lives: London, UK Years Eracing: 2
• Occupation: On career break after 10 years in corporate finance
• Biggest result: 1st – MyWhoosh Sunday Race Club Endurance Climb

A decade ago, at 18 years old, Kat Karamani was “juggling a university degree, qualifying as a chartered accountant, working full-time in a demanding role at KPMG and training.” It may sound like a recipe for burnout, but she says it was “the most challenging period of my life and gave me a level of resilience that still underpins everything I do now.” A year ago, Karamani decided to take a career break from the corporate world and committed to Esports cycling. She is already competing at the highest level of verified racing.

Karamani trains more than any other Esports racer we’ve interviewed: 20 hours per week, plus daily yoga and stretching, and an hour of weekly core work. But the work doesn’t always come easy, as she has to balance training with work and family commitments. “I’m learning to be compassionate with myself and listen to my body,” she says. “I’ve learned to back off without spiralling into fear about losing fitness.”

"For me, the mental focus is what separates a good racer from a great one,” says Karamani. “The best riders are very good at staying present and not getting too caught up in the outcome. Instead, they focus on executing the next effort well.”

To find her best legs, Karamani’s routine includes course recon the day before a race, the same wake-up time and pre-race food. “I do a 15-minute warm-up, finishing about 10 minutes before the start,” she says. “I like to stretch and take a few minutes to get mentally in the zone, running through the course in my head. I don’t overthink weigh-ins, and I fuel and hydrate just as I would for a hard training session. Having these routines gives me a sense of calm and control.”

Karamani’s partner has four kids, “so family life is part of the picture.” When the going gets tough, she falls back on her routines, narrowing her focus, and minimising distractions. And Karamani is aiming big: the UCI Esports World Championships, to be exact. Having already worn the GB national team kit in the Worlds semi-final, the next step is earning a spot at the Worlds in Abu Dhabi.

Combining caring and competing

• Name: Elyse Gallegos
• Age: 39
• Lives: Huntsville, Alabama
• Years Eracing: 5
• Occupation: Registered nurse in neonatal ICU
• Biggest result: 11th – UCI Esports World Championships (2025)

Before flying halfway across the world to Abu Dhabi, UAE, Elyse Gallegos said goodbye to her two children, aged four and seven.

The registered nurse from Alabama, USA, trains 10-15 hours per week and competes alongside the best Esports cyclists in the world. While

her competitors have time to go to the gym, then have a massage or ice bath, Gallegos jumps straight from training to cooking for her children and helping them get ready for school.

Amid the chaos, Gallegos finds time to wake up at 1am to race the MyWhoosh Sunday Race Club, where she is a regular top-10 finisher. Her

results were so good that she was invited to compete in the UCI Esports World Championships, where she finished 11th in Abu Dhabi. Routines and planning are everything for Gallegos. This is how she prepares for a race: “I have notes written out for the course, bottles made, pedals charged, kit laid out, scales and video ready to go, so it’s just automatic when the 1am alarm goes off to race at 2am every Sunday.”

Gallegos does a 10-minute yoga session before weighing in for verified races, and this is all taking place at one in the morning. Gallegos does more gym work than most cyclists, fitting in three sessions per week on top of two high-intensity interval days and base miles. When it comes to fuelling, she has her pre-race routine dialled, consuming bicarb, electrolytes, carb mix, honey, and a caffeine tab between the weigh-in and race start.

At 39, Gallegos is still aiming to improve in the upcoming seasons. Her big goals this year are to finish on the podium in the MyWhoosh Sunday Race Club, and improve upon her 11th-place finish at the UCI Esports World Championships.

Indoor Incentives: Six-figure prize funds

Esports cycling has become a lucrative career for many athletes. Top earners can expect to win more than £100,000 per year in prize money, the majority of which comes from the MyWhoosh Sunday Race Club which offers thousands of pounds in prize money every weekend.

Some countries put on prestigious national championship events complete with a live audience, in-person racing, big prize money, and a coveted jersey. Denmark and Sweden are leading the way for in-person Eracing, and rumours are circulating about the formation of an Eracing international race calendar and Olympics aspirations.

The clocks are about to change, the weather is getting warmer and many outdoor cyclists will be on the lookout for the arrival of swifts in the skies above the hills, a surefire signal that summer is on the horizon at last.

Meanwhile, for those who like to mix alfresco riding with and indoor pedalling, the online training and racing platform Zwift has just announced a raft of exciting spring and summertime drops to following on from the Big Spin, with new virtual velo experiences for riders to enjoy, including a whole lot gravel and some excellent additions to the Paris map in the Virtual Tour de France.

Veteran and high-flying Zwifters will also be thrilled to hear that the number of levels cyclists can smash through has been raised above 100 for the first time, and those who have achieved the century will be able to show this off on their status.

Grit hits

One of the big announcements for the new season is that Zwift are this year embracing gravel riding in a much bigger way, both with new bikes and maps. From 6 April, riders will be able to race Gravel Mountain, Zwift’s first gravel-only map, with designers promising digital ‘dust, speed and loose lines’.

How that will feel in reality we look forward to finding out, but the course is set in a visually vibrant red-rock environment with technical features including medians, corner berms and ultra-wide roads.

Launching on the same day, and continuing through to 3 May, is the PAS Racing Series. This four-stage gravel series will see riders tackling the Gravel Mountain maps, plus another new gravel route in Makuri Islands. Races will run hourly, and there will be a custom Pas Normal kit to unlock.

Of course, gravel bikes will be available from the Zwift Drop Shop, where 18 new bikes and 13 new wheelsets are going to be gracing the virtual shelves from this month, with a heavy focus on gravel gear.

• Grab the Zwift Ride with Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with up to 23% off, equalling its best-ever price.
• 20-minute effort or a ramp test - which Zwift FTP test should you do?

Virtual Tour de France

Zwift is the official software platform for the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, and for six weeks, between 2 July and 16 August, the Tour Fever Challenge will invite riders to complete five stages of racing, which includes some very exciting route additions, along with five new badges to chase.

Eagerly anticipated updates to the Paris map include the incorporation of the famous Montmartre climb, which proved massively popular in the real world when it starred in the road race route during the Paris Olympics. Last year's Tour incorporated three loops of Butte Montmartre during the final stage, to great acclaim, and it will now be a regular feature in the world’s greatest cycling event.

From 26 June, Zwifters will be able to experience what it’s like to virtually ride up the short but punchy cobbled climb to the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre for themselves.

Get out

Although built as a virtual platform, with the aim of combining gaming with fitness activity, Zwift’s designers have embraced the new season by putting one foot into the outdoors as well, offering guidance for real rides alongside the indoor training offering. The underlying concept is that committed riders should do both, in order to maintain peak fitness.

The company claims that Zwifters who continue to cycle indoors throughout the summer are 8% more likely to hit their riding goals than those who don’t, with new users experiencing an average FTP increase of +18 watts, compared to only a +7 increase for riders who stick the indoor bike in a corner and ignore it during the warmer months.

Over the summer months, as Zwift plans to launch its first indoor/outdoor challenges, which Zwifters will be able to connect to via their Wahoo, Garmin, or Hammerhead accounts. Ahead of that, from 6 April Zwift Camp: Breakthrough will support Zwifters as they prepare to transition to the summer season proper. This camp revolves around five workouts, focussing on fitness but also including drills to improve technique, stability and control for outdoor cycling.

Virtual training platform Zwift is about to fire the starting gun for the third iteration of its most popular pedalling challenge, The Big Spin.

Set entirely in the online world of Watopia, the 2026 event, themed 'Adventure is Calling', will see participants on indoor smart training systems like the Zwift Ride Smart take on four stages, virtually cycling through a quadrant of dramatically different environments across four weeks, beginning on Monday 16 March and lasting until 12 April (followed by a make-up week).

E-racing and indoor cycling has seen a spike in popularity in recent years, and initiatives launched by Zwift have been playing an active role in encouraging more women to get into competitive cycling.

The 'Adventure is Calling' tour kicks off with the Desert Discovery stage, which will be contested on the Flat Out Fast route across 21.4km of level terrain featuring just 46 metres of accumulated elevation - the perfect setting for fast group riding. From here riders will enter the imaginary jungle to take on the lumpier 21km-long Hidden Temple stage, with 147m of elevation, which utalises the platform's more demanding Mayan San Remo layout.

During week three, riders set off to the synthetic seaside for the undulating 26.3km Lost Coast Adventure stage, which rolls along the Southern Coast Cruise segment, enabling cyclists to sustain some decent pace.

The fourth and final stage, Titans Grove, takes place on the Sand & Sequoia set, where riders race along 20.1km of mixed digital dirt and asphalt, with 175m of elevation.

Along the way, participants will be able to tap into a rewards system, giving them the opportunity to unlock exclusive gear for their avatar, including footwear, headwear and eight different kits.

With the event spanning the holiday period, Zwift has hidden some Easter Eggs across the course, with Mystery Spinners placed at the end of some segments, through which riders who have completed the stage can score Big Spin 'vault' prizes (coveted items from previous Zwift Big Spins in 2024 and 2025, such as the BMX Bandit and the Atomic Cruiser).

The way the tour has been organised preserves the social culture of the challenge, with group rides setting off each hour on the half-hour mark for people who prefer to pedal in a virtual peloton.

Alternatively, you can use the Big Spin to organise Meetups, Club Rides, do the route during a workout or just ride the stages solo whenever suits.

I recently highlighted the brilliant Zwift Spring Sale, which features the Zwift Ride with the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 bundle, matching the best-ever price on the Ride. However, Zwift has now added the Zwift Ride Smart Frame to its sale, and it's at a record-low price, saving you up to $200/£200.

Which is fantastic news. If, like me, you already have a Zwift-compatible best indoor smart trainer like the Wahoo Kickr Core 2. As it means you can upgrade your current indoor setup to the brilliant, faff-free solution for considerably less.

Right now, and for the first time, Zwift has dropped a huge $200/£200/€200 off its standalone smart frame, taking the Zwift Ride Smart Frame down to just $599/£549/€599.

The Zwift Ride is an all-in-one indoor cycling solution that’s always ready to go. In Fellows Zwift Ride review, he gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Even at its full RRP, he thought it was an incredible value for money choice when compared to the best indoor smart bikes from rival brands like Peloton, Wattbike and Wahoo.

Fellows branded it as "a simple concept executed brilliantly" and the "ultimate smart bike for Zwifties".

Given the star rating and the overwhelming positive quotes above, you won't be surprised to know Simon really didn't find much wrong with the Zwift Ride. His only real critique was the lack of crank length adjustment, which, in his opinion, would have elevated it to a perfect 5 out of 5.

As I mentioned, the Zwift Ride Smart Frame is a fantastic upgrade, If you already own a Zwift Ready or Zwift Cog Compatible smart trainer. The Ride can unlock the full potential of Zwift and thats is largely in part due to its built-in handlebar controllers. The real beauty is that it's always ready to use, no trailing your outdoor bike through the house, removing wheels, and just the general faff involved there.

So, if what you're looking for this spring is to get serious about your training and sort out a proper Zwift setup, the Zwift Ride Smart Frame is without doubt one of the best places to start.

It's worth noting that Zwift Ride and the Cog system are only compatible with Zwift, so if you already subscribe to another platform, then you will need to subscribe to Zwift on top.

All the Zwift Ride Smart Frame deals are live now, with full details below. They run from now until 31st March, so we'd advise grabbing yours now, as with all the best cycling deals, it's only while stocks last.

If you aren't looking to upgrade your indoor riding setup this spring, why not head over to our Amazon Spring Deal Days hub, which my colleague Matt has curated and was genuinely surprised by how good the deals were. He has found 33 bargains for cyclists this spring.

This includes deals like 20% off the Cycplus AS2 electric bike pump and the lowest ever price on the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt 3.

The Zwift Ride is a simple concept executed brilliantly, and even at full price, when compared to rival brands, it represents incredible value for money when it comes to the best indoor smart bikes.

In our Zwift Ride review, we gave it an almost flawless rating and summed it up as the ultimate smart bike setup. Our expert tester summed up the Zwift Ride as being undemanding to use and easy to live with, and that it offered the finest, most comprehensive Zwift experience on the market.

Right now, the Zwift Spring Sale has discounted the Zwift Ride, which comes equipped with the equally impressive Wahoo Kickr Core 2, plus the Zwift Cog, which matches its lowest ever price.

If you wish to cut to the chase and head straight to the deals, then you can do here:

• USA Pricing
• $300 off Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2: $1,299.99 $999.99
• UK Pricing
• £200 off Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2: £1,099.99 £899.99
• EU Pricing
• €200 off Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2: €1,199.99 €999.99

Across all territories, these Zwift deals discounts take the Ride with the Kickr Core 2 and Cog to a best-ever price-matching reduction.

Its worth mentioning that once you head over to Zwift, it takes a few seconds for the deal to appear, but it will eventually show the discounted price, relevant to your location.

To dive a little deeper into the Zwift Ride, our expert tester Simon also says in his review, maybe slightly obviously, given it's designed by Zwift for Zwifiting, that "it offers the finest, most comprehensive Zwift experience on the market".

His only critique was the lack of adjustable cranks, which in his opinion, would have made it near-perfect.

So, if what you're looking for this summer is to get serious about your indoor training and sort out a proper Zwift setup, the Zwift Ride is without doubt one of the best places to start.

As well as the brilliant Zwift Ride, included in what is pretty much the ultimate indoor setup is the all-new Kickr Core 2. On its own, the Kickr Core 2 is our best value choice when it comes to the best indoor smart trainer.

When combined with the Ride and Cog, it means you have a convenient indoor cycling system that's not only easy to set up, but means you're not adding additional kilometeres on to your outdoor bike, and you have no faffing either. The Ride is a setup once, and you're done deal, even with multiple riders in the household.

The Zwift Cog also adds to the hassle-free beauty of the Ride, and is paired with Zwift Click controllers, enabling silent, virtual shifting. It also gives users full control of gearing, but also in-game control of all of Zwift. You can navigate with ease to queue your next ride or workout, use PowerUps, give a Ride On, and more without ever taking your hands off the bars.

It's worth noting that Zwift Ride and the Cog system are only compatible with Zwift, so if you already subscribe to another platform, then you will need to subscribe to Zwift on top.

All the Zwift deals are live now, with full details below. They run from now until 31st March, so we'd advise grabbing yours now, as with all the best cycling deals, it's only while stocks last.

The world of outdoor road racing can be an intimidating place for the newcomer, going shoulder to shoulder with other riders of a variety of fitness and experience levels. There is the ever-present crash risk, there can be shouting, there can be aggression, and there is always a price to pay financially. It's no wonder that entrant numbers is at the top of so many organisers' 'to do' lists.

When it comes to female competitors, underrepresentation makes bike racing a harder sell from the get-go, with women making up just 20% of British Cycling members and 15% of US Cycling's. However, indoor riding and racing is a different story, with Zwift's director of women's strategy Kate Veronneau reporting a "large and continually growing women's market".

One place where women are definitely represented is at FemmeCycle Collab – a women-only indoor cycling community formed two-and-a-half years ago with the aim of "connecting and enabling" women in the e-racing arena and, ultimately, get more women racing online.

The project was led by California-based Beccah Niesen, along with Susan Clarke and women's racing advocate James Bailey, and has since bloomed into a thriving community of more than 500 riders racing across Zwift and MyWhoosh.

“As I age, I see so many women losing confidence in their athletic self and themselves as a whole," Neisen told The Zommunique esports site in 2024. "I believe the same confidence rebound can be achieved for women by racing virtually, particularly within a community of other women. Empowered, enabled women can do so much good in this world, both in esports and in real life.”

Among those now helping run FCC is elite UK rider Alice Lethbridge, a former 100-mile and 12-hour national champion and record holder.

Speaking to Cycling Weekly, she said that FemmeCycle Collab is definitely about women competing online, but that it is also about the enjoyment, the journey, and the social benefit.

"In women's sport, you do have super-competitive people who will do it whatever, but for a lot of women, it's their friends that keep them going," she says. "They do the sport because actually they enjoy the time with their friends more than they enjoy the winning or pushing themselves.

"[FCC] is about getting them enjoying their exercise and having a challenge, having something to work towards," Lethbridge adds. "Because I think that's the other thing we've seen in women's sport. If they're afraid to compete, they kind of don't have the goals. If you've got competition, you've got a goal. And it doesn't have to be to win, it could be to score some points for your team, or it could be to finish the race, or it could be to move up a category.

"The focus is, 'let's give more women the confidence to be competitive," she adds.

FemmeCycle Collab is more than just a racing team – although it has teams that women can ride for. It's a community of women from different teams who, says Lethbridge, work together to help and encourage more women to race. If they don't have a team, they can race for FCC.

It also runs its own races and race series, with the upcoming Iceni series featuring events that are based on the WorldTour Classics. Lethbridge helped curate the series along with Niesen and Karla Williams, with the idea being that the Zwift course mimics that of the WorldTour as closely as possible, though it's far from an exact science, Lethbridge says.

"We wanted to do the linking as well," she says, "so, you're racing indoors, but look at what's outdoors – here's the pros. And there's a big Discord channel where any question goes."

This Sunday, International Women's Day sees FCC's 'Queen of the Classics Challenge' race, based on Paris-Roubaix, based on the Knights of the Roundabout course in France.

Lethbridge's hopes for the future is to help address the yawning gap between the younger senior riders and the fully-fledged WorldTour ranks via a series of events.

"We'd like to actually run some under-23 and junior events that bring in some of the girls who are having a bit of trouble transitioning from junior ranks on the road to senior, and get them racing against each other, as well indoors over winter and just keeping a bit of motivation," she says. "Because at the moment, a lot of the young girls are being thrown in with the pros at too high a level, and then losing all their confidence.

"It's a massive problem," she adds. "The talented juniors just get picked up by a pro team, thrown in the deep end, but are sometimes not really given the proper support, then don't do very well and lose all their confidence, and get lost from the sport completely.

"We were thinking, could we offer a kind of stepping stone, because also there's such limited competition for them actually, to race against people their own age."

You can find out more about FemmeCycle Collab by navigating to its Instagram page and clicking on the link in the bio.

The Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click is already our choice for the best-value smart indoor trainer. Our expert tester and Zwift racing aficionado, Aaron Borrill, reckoned the Kickr Core 2 at full price represented terrific value and was, without doubt, the best entry-level direct-drive smart trainer on the market.

In his Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click review, Aaron awarded it an almost flawless 4.5 out of 5 stars. As a Zwift racer and captain of the South Africa National team, it just missed out on the perfect score due to some pro-racing grumbles, but Aaron summed it up by saying the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 is the undisputed leader of the pack.

Right now Zwift has dropped the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 down to its best-ever price, and it is now priced at $399.99/£399.99/€399.99, with a $150/£100/€150 saving. To sweeten the deal, Zwift has just added FREE shipping across territories, and that is a saving of $20/£20/€40.

These deals are live until 1st March or while stocks last, so if you're looking to upgrade your trainer, or starting with indoor riding, this is without doubt the best deal you’re going to get on this highly recommended smart trainer.

Below you’ll find more details on the Wahoo Kickr Core 2, but if you'd prefer to head straight to the deals, you can do that here:

• USA: $150 off the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 $549.99 $399.99 + FREE shipping
• UK: £100 off the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 £499.99 £399.99 + FREE shipping
• EU: €150 off the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 €549.99 €399.99 + FREE shipping

As an expert in all things Zwift, Borrill is also Cycling Weekly's tech writer, and he has captained South Africa at the 2022, 2023 and 2024 UCI Cycling eSports World Championships. It's safe to say when Aaron talks about smart turbo trainers, we listen, and if you're looking for the best buying advice, then we suggest you do, too.

Having tested all the best indoor trainers, Aaron really rated the Kickr Core 2, and was keen to point out the trickle-down technology it borrows from its range-topping Wahoo Kickr V6 sibling, including built-in Wi-Fi and power meter, which added to this unit's value for money price point.

The design remains unchanged over the original Core, which Aaron noted is good for two reasons: it keeps the price down and retains the familiarity that made the original so successful.

Summing up his review, Borrill reckoned the new features had elevated the overall package, boosting perceived quality while maintaining the realistic, refined user experience that the Core platform has built its reputation on. With the entry-level smart trainer segment saturated with options of all price points and specifications, the new Wahoo Kickr Core 2 has raised the bar and refined the concept, and as far as our smart trainer expert is concerned, it's the undisputed leader, especially at this price point.

Every year, Zwift runs the Tour de Zwift - the indoor training app's biggest virtual tour to help riders keep fit and ready for the outdoor season. While this is open to riders across the globe, it's particularly popular in the Northern Hemisphere, where inclement weather forces training indoors.

Tour de Zwift is a six-week event that takes place from 5 January to 22 February, with three distances available per event: Long, Standard, and Short, which Zwift says 'can be ridden or raced'. The tour is not just for cyclists; runners can enjoy shorter events of between 5-10km, depending on the time of the week.

While most riders and runners will use this event to unlock routes and farm XP points, dedicated indoor enthusiasts can enter the Ultimate Challenge, which comprises finishing every distance (long, standard, short) across all six stages, totalling 557.9km. To sweeten the deal, not only will you receive a 12,500 XP boost, but every Zwifter who completes the Ultimate Challenge will earn an entry for a chance to win a TDZ x Pedal Mafia Zwift Ride Smart Frame.

The Zwift Ride was designed to deliver the ultimate experience on the Zwift platform. The Ride combines all of Zwift’s best tech – Zwift Play controllers, Zwift Cog, and Zwift’s virtual shifting – in a well-priced 'smart bike' that is easy to maintain, clean, and move from room to room. While we've seen many users customising their Zwift Rides on Instagram, the TDZ x Pedal Mafia Zwift Ride Smart Frame won't require any personalisation, as it comes outfitted in a limited-edition Tour de Zwift-themed colourway, dominated by shades of peach, green, and cyan.

Tour de Zwift 2026 route and stages

Stage 1: Makuri

Long: 49.3km/695m
Medium: 35.1km/316m
Short: 34.6km/196m

Stage 2: France

Long: 51.2km/336m
Medium: 35.2km/193m
Short: 19.8km/241m

Stage 3: Innsbruck / Yorkshire / Scotland

Long: 36.9km/656m
Medium: 29.6km/547m
Short: 20.8km/211m

Stage 4: London

Long: 40.9km/565m
Medium: 23.6km/164m
Short: 20.3km/219m

Stage 5: Watopia

Long: 25.3km/1,167m
Medium: 25.3km/537m
Short: 19.1km/157m

Stage 6: New York / Richmond

Long: 40.2km/315m
Medium: 33.7km/261m
Short: 5km (12km lead-in)/19m

Riders can purchase the real-life limited-edition Zwift x Pedal Mafia Tour de Zwift kit via Pedal Mafia and can sign up for the event on Zwift.

Some of you may have already secured your Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog through one of the excellent Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals our team identified. However, pricing for the Zwift Ride indoor training bike wasn't as headline-worthy until now!

This New Year, Zwift are offering the Zwift Ride with Wahoo Kickr Core 2 for its lowest price ever! At just $999.99, thats a $300 saving on its $1299.99 RRP, so you can either refine or kickstart your indoor training this winter.

To dig a little deeper into the Zwift Ride, Simon also says in his review, maybe slightly obviously, given it's designed by Zwift for Zwifiting, that "it offers the finest, most comprehensive Zwift experience on the market" So, if what you're looking for this New Year is to get serious about your indoor training and sort out a proper Zwift setup, the Zwift Ride could be the best place to start.

This offer also makes the Zwift Ride with Wahoo Kickr Core 2 exceptional value. If we quickly break it down. The standard Wahoo Kickr Core 2 is £499.99, so for £400, you are getting Zwift Click Play Controllers and effectively an entire exercise bike.

The discounts don't stop there this Boxing Day though....

The all-new Kickr Core 2 is a significant step up from the original Wahoo Kickr Core, which we already rated as the best value direct-drive trainer. Kickr Core 2 now includes the Zwift Cog and Click system. The Zwift Cog is a pre-installed cog specifically designed to replace a cassette, making set-up effortless, and is compatible with almost any 8-13-speed bike. Zwift Click is a handlebar-mounted virtual shifting system, and it makes in-game navigation a breeze.

We're well into Cyber weekend sales, and the discounts keep getting better and better - especially as we move into Cyber Monday cycling deals. While I spotted this Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click deal on Friday already, there's still time to get your hands on one before it's too late. Yep, you'll have until midnight on 1 December to secure your Wahoo Kickr Core 2, a unit I've rated as the best entry-level direct-drive smart indoor trainer on the market.

The Wahoo Kickr Core is one of the American company's best smart indoor trainers and for very good reason. It offers a realistic, accurate, and immersive riding experience built into a durable and cost-effective package. The original Core's reign at the top lasted nearly seven years, but there's now a new model in town - the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click - which has been updated with several modcons borrowed from the range-topping Wahoo Kickr V6.

The headline specifications are up there with some of the premium smart trainers - a maximum power output of 1,800W, Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, 16% gradient simulation, and a claimed maximum accuracy deviation of +/-2 per cent. From experience, these figures are all you need to ensure an accurate and realistic indoor cycling experience.

I've spent a good few months and some 3,000km on the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 and can vouch for its refined build quality, improved leg layout and platform, and new Wi-Fi and Race Mode settings. Sure, Wahoo has kept much of the design blueprint unchanged from the original Core, which has helped keep the price down and retained the familiarity that made the original so well-received and successful.

I used the Core 2 to train for Gravel Burn, a super-tough seven-day stage race in South Africa. The controlled environment of Zwift, the accuracy, and the realism of the Core 2 helped me nail my intervals and recovery rides with precision, ultimately equipping me with the form to finish in the top 50 overall and 5th place in my age category.

At launch, the Kickr Core 2 had a £499.99 / $US549.99 / €549.99 sticker price, which aligned with the outgoing model and was something I praised in my review, especially given the original Kickr Core retailed at £699 in 2018. To help brighten your week and winter training, I've trawled the internet to source some deals and have just spotted this incredible Cyber Monday Zwift deal on the Wahoo Kickr Core with Zwift Cog and Click.

In this incredible deal, Zwift has lopped £100 / $US150 / €150 off the RRP - meaning you can get yourself or a loved one the best smart indoor trainer for £399.99 / $399.99 / €399.99.

To sweeten the deal even further, you get two months of Zwift free with the purchase.

Just remember, time is running out. You have until midnight on 1 December to make this Cyber Monday bike deal happen!

Northern hemisphere time triallists are an elusive species in winter time. With little competition available, they can be most often found tucked away in cosy pubs or at home working on extensive Christmas lists designed to improve their CdA.

The time trial bike might get an outing, decked out with tinsel, on the Boxing Day '10', but other than that is liable to languish in the shed for several months as its owner grows ever more itchy to pin on a number once again.

However, race-starved testers now have winter options. UK TT governing body Cycling Time Trials has launched the second iteration of its Winter Time Trial Series on Zwift, and the number of riders taking part so far suggest that there are plenty out there already missing competition.

"It's had an amazing response, with over 1,100 rides over the first week [across two events]," CTT chair Andrea Parish told Cycling Weekly.

"The objective is outreach into the wider cycling online community to reach cyclists who've not ridden CTT time trials – also, it's great fun," she added.

"Building an online, supportive community is a fantastic way to evangelise for the sport while providing a competitive outlet. It's keeping CTT front and centre during winter too, and anecdotally, from others, I fully expect to see riders transition to our real-life events next season," she said.

"I see this as an important part of CTT and pretty forward-looking. It's more investing in the future rather than immediate revenue"

Parish also said the CTT Zwift Club had amassed more than 1,200 members and the Discord and club chats had proved extremely popular.

The series is being run by elite time triallist Hayley Simmonds, who also ran it last year and is joined this time round by Ali McLean and Phil Gilbanks.

"Hayley, Ali and Phil are super-committed and are volunteers in this," Parish points out.

The series should offer enough racing for even the most eager online time triallist, with two races weekly all the way through to the end of February. There is a break of nearly three weeks between December 20 and January 7 – enough time to fully digest the turkey and play with your Christmas presents, and perhaps don a Santa hat for that Boxing Day 10.

It features a variety of courses on all kinds of terrains, from the flat, 10.3-mile London Classique to the super-hilly Everything Bagel in New York, which measures 21.7 miles and promises to be a tough call.

Events are held at 7pm GMT on Wednesday evenings, and are repeated at 9am on the Saturday.

All riders are welcome, and you can dip in and out of the series as you wish. However, there is the option of competing for an overall series placing, you'll need to race in seven of the 14 weeks, and include four flat rounds, two rolling and one mountainous.

Elsewhere Parish was keen to highlight the performance of the CTT website, which had been revamped at the beginning of this year and had so far seen 5.2 million views, against 1.1 million total last year.

This article is part of a series called ‘A love letter to…’, where Cycling Weekly writers pour praise on their favourite cycling items and share the personal connection they have with them. The below content is unfiltered, authentic and has not been paid for.

Do you remember the origins of indoor training? I’m not quite sure I do, but I do remember the days of hiding away in my parents’ freezing cold, dusty shed, smashing out 40-minute sessions with Sufferfest DVDs, playing from a portable Matsui TV on top of the tumble dryer.

For those who don’t know what Matsui or Sufferfest is or was, you weren't missing out. The latter was a once-popular series of recordings of bike races, offering an almost point-of-view angle that you’d watch while home training – an activity that was, back then, universally loathed.

The concept that you could put a DVD in to add realism to your indoor training was considered high-tech progress at the time, but as the series’ name suggests, it wasn’t any more pleasant.

The general idea was you'd start the DVD, perhaps a recording of the peloton from a recent Paris-Roubaix, and then start pedalling. The DVD would play whether you pedalled or not, and you'd be expected to adjust the resistance needed for full immersion in the bunch, thanks to a clunky plastic lever that attached to your handlebars.

Once or twice a week, I'd bolt my bike into the shed-dwelling trainer, squash my tire down onto the resistance roller, and set off – figuratively speaking, of course; I never really went anywhere, physically or virtually. Nor would I speak to anyone.

Those who were really into it could buy a 'turbo tyre'. They were bright pink or yellow, I believe, perhaps made of different compounds – I have no idea. If you were a turbo tyre person, like my friend Will was, you’d be taken more seriously, and claim benefits like lower noise levels, better grip on the roller, and the chance to save your race-day tyres. I never bothered buying one, saving my coins instead to impress my friends when I met them on outdoor rides.

As fond as my memories are of those Sufferfest DVDs, the whole experience never quite hooked me into indoor training. I suppose it was the loneliness of it, and the basic technology's lack of appeal.

The industry has since progressed in leaps and bounds.

Back in those days, I was using a trainer that cost me about £60. The trainer I’m using now, thanks to my current job of testing wonderful tech, costs £5,000 more.

And the best part is, I no longer have to train alone. Yes, I may have the Rolls Royce of trainers, but even with more rudimentary set-ups, I can brush virtual shoulders with my friends and thousands of other people around the world. Sufferfest tried its best to give us a sense of immersion in the peloton, and I doth my cap to it, but platforms like Zwift have taken it to a whole new level.

Today, I’m grateful for the chance to be transported into Wattopia, where I can race my mates up Alpe Du Zwift, when they’re anywhere else in the world but here. Indoor training is no longer a solo tale of suffering, it's a chance for real connection. And as much as I never thought I'd say it, it's a pastime I now enjoy – when it's cold and rainy, at least.

Now I know if I retreated back into my parents' shed today, it wouldn't just be me and the Matsui. There'd be Carlos from Spain, Rachel from Canada, and my mate Will, all trundling along together, getting fitter cycling online.

After 275 events we're relaunching the Wednesday evening Cycling Weekly club ten as part of Indoor Training week. We've selected six new Zwift courses all perfectly suited to time trials, the first of which is Bon Voyage in the France world. Our club ten starts at 6pm every Wednesday night with the race running as a time trial, with staggered starts and no drafting.

>>> Enter our club ten each week via our events page on Zwift

Each route will be used twice before moving onto the next course. Once all six routes have been used we'll be back to Bon Voyage to cycle through them once again. If you're new to Zwift, check out our guide to getting set up on the platform.

Having started in 2020, thousands of people have ridden our races over the last five years with course records set on the five courses we've used in that time. Now it's time for some new records to be set, and maybe some new names on the results sheet that appears in Cycling Weekly magazine each week.

New courses

Bon Voyage, France world

With very little elevation on the profile this will be a fast circuit. The full Bon Voyage route is three laps of a circuit that then finishes on an extra section of road that features some Paris Roubaix style cobbles. The roads used for a ten mile race will be revealed on the night.

With no climbing we recommend selecting the aero focused equipment from your Zwift garage. Or, if you want to gradually get faster and faster, setting PBs along the way, start our with slower kit and gradually select faster and faster equipment.

Countryside Tour, Makuri Islands

A ten mile route so perfectly suited to our club ten, the Countryside Tour features a 2.5km climb and some off-road sections, meaning this won't be the fastest of our new courses and will make for some interesting kit choices.

The climb is the Temple KOM, a 2.5km climb with an average gradient of 3.6%. Makuri Island was launched in 2021 ahead of the Japan 2020 Olympics. Although not linked, the virtual world was perfectly timed ahead of the Covid affected Games.

Loch Loop, Scotland

Zwift's Scottish routes were launched in February 2023 and designed specifically for the UCI esports world championships. According to a Zwift insider this section of the Scottish world was designed with ten mile time trials in mind, so we had to include it. It's another flat course with a few little rises in the second half of the 8km circuit so be sure to make sure you have enough in the tank for the second lap.

Jurassic coast, Watopia

Anyone who has ridden in Zwift has ridden in Watopia, and if that's you, the chances are you've ridden these roads. The Jurassic coast route starts on the twisting roads of Titans grove (look out for dinosaurs) which is anything but flat, but as it moves out to the coast road the inclines disappear and it's fast and flat all the way to the finish line.

Waisted 8

The Waisted 8 course is our second in Watopia, and another virtual route that features a short climb - Jarvis KOM - in an otherwise flat circuit. The full course is 30km long, but our race only features 16 of those. The usual start position for this circuit is just before Watopia's volcano, that it skirts around, before the Jarvis sprint. From there it island hops over to the Fuego Flats in the desert.

Gentil 8

It's back to France for the last of our six new courses and the Gentil 8 circuit. The full course is 25km, and takes in the Petit KOM and four sprints. The 2.7km, 4% climb is the only section of the route with any gradient in, meaning it should be another fast course.

All our events will be run in time trial format, with riders setting off on in small groups from the conveyor belt and drafting turned off.

Tips for riding a ten mile TT on Zwift

• Get set up: Ensure you have everything you need before getting on your bike. This starts with logging on in plenty of time. Zwift rolled out new sections of their New York world on October 28 and your app will need some time to update before you ride. Then it's you and your bike. Ensure your bike is correctly set up, you have water to hand and a fan ready to go. A towel over your handlebars is also a good option for keeping the sweat out of your headset and stem clamp
• Warm up: Ten mile time trials are fast and furious, you do not want to star with cold muscles. Ideally you'd spend at least 20 minutes on a warm up. Start by spinning your legs gently before gradually increasing your effort. You should end with 2-5 minutes at the pace you will be racing at. If you ahve time it's a good idea to then spin gently for 2-3 minutes before a couple of activation efforts. These are typically 10 second sprints with high cadence and low resistance.
• Starting effort: Don't fly out of the gates too fast as that initial effort can come back to bite you in the end. Gradually build up to your race pace over the first 1 - 2 minutes
• Pacing yourself: On a flat course you'd ideally ride at a steady state throughout the race. A pace that you can sustain evenly over the course of the race, no matter how long that takes you. If that's 250 watts for you, then any effort over that will likely reduce your power output at the end. If you're new to this it will take a few weeks to get to know your effort. If you don't know what wattage or heart rate you can hold for 10 miles, we'd suggest riding at an effort at which you could just about hold a conversation at, using short sentences inbetween breaths.
• Warming down: It's a good idea to keep spinning your legs for at least five minutes after you've crossed the finish line, bringing your heart rate down steadily.

Our old course records

Zwift has launched its biggest map expansion for five years, with 31km of new roads added in an update this week.

As part of Zwift Unlocked on the indoor riding platform, stage four to be precise, Zwift users can now ride more around a virtual New York, beyond the realms of Central Park.

"Zwift’s take on New York City comes with a twist," the press release from the American company reads. "Set 100 years in the future, riders and runners can explore the city in an entirely new way, thanks to its futuristic network of glass sky roads around Central Park.

"This latest expansion however, takes Zwifters outside of Manhattan, through Times Square, over Brooklyn Bridge and into historic Prospect Park. In contrast to the challenging climbs of around Central Park, this expansion brings new faster, rolling roads."

There are 15 new routes to explore, 12 of which are for cyclists, three for runners, with five more to come. They range from 'Watts the Limit', 31km with 219m of elevation, to 'Fuhgeddaboutit', which is 79km long, with 838m of elevation. Users can gain double XP during the Zwift Unlocked event.

New York updates follow Tropic Rush and Dùn Dash; Watts of the Wild and Electric Break; and London Calling and Scotland After Party as fresh areas of the map. There is more New York to come, on 3 November.

The new roads to explore on your indoor workout, whatever home trainer you're using, are just part of the update, with new "Power Segments" coming to Zwift, too.

"Located within the New York Subway, Zwifters will find the all-new Power Segments where pure watts are all that matter," a spokesperson for Zwift said. "Power Segments will appear on the map as a glowing start arch with a timer displayed. Once you hit the arch, it’s go time! The aim of the game is to hold maximum power for the specified duration.

"To help Zwifters with their effort, an average wattage display will show on the HUD alongside their historic 90-day and one-year power bests. Jerseys are on offer for those with the biggest watts but personal improvement is the main aim here, so personal results will take priority when crossing the finish arch. In total, there will be six new Power Segments to tackle, helping Zwifters work on their five, 10 and 20-second peak power."

Zwift Unlocked is just one of Zwift's updates this autumn. Coincidentally, it is also indoor training week on Cycling Weekly, which you can read more about here.

The GC contenders will be “drooling” at the inclusion of Mont Ventoux in next year’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, Zwift director Kate Veronneau has said, adding that the climb will play a “massive” role in raising the profile of the race.

The full route for the 2026 edition was unveiled in Paris on Thursday, detailing a Swiss start, Nice finish, and a marquee ascent of Mont Ventoux on stage seven. The iconic mountain has featured 18 times in the men’s Tour de France, but is relatively unknown to the women’s peloton, who have only raced it twice, and never at the Tour.

Veronneau was at the route announcement ceremony on Thursday and thinks the nine-day parcours is “spectacular”.

“Honestly, I think it’s going to really showcase the depth of the peloton. It’s got moments for everyone,” Zwift’s director of women’s strategy told Cycling Weekly.

Asked how important Ventoux might be for increasing the race’s visibility, Veronneau said: “Oh, massive… I don’t think there’s a better pick for next year. I used to work in bike tours, bringing people to the men’s Tour, so I know all the climbs really well, and it doesn’t get more quintessential than Ventoux.

“When you think of the Tour, those images are immediately conjured, and for the women to go up that, and for where we know their strengths are at right now, and the epic battles that we’ve had on the Tourmalet, Alpe d’Huez, the Madeleine, Ventoux is next, and it’s going to be fireworks. I already see peak French audiences – we’re going to smash this year’s record for live audiences on France Télévisions.”

This year’s Tour de France Femmes finale, won by Visma-Lease a Bike’s Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, brought a peak audience of 7.7 million on the host broadcast.

Having acted as a title sponsor of the event since its rebirth in 2022, indoor training brand Zwift announced on Thursday that it has renewed its partnership for at least another four years, citing a long-term commitment to growing women’s cycling.

“After this year’s record-shattering Tour, and one that just delighted audiences around the world, this was our time to double down and say we’re in it for the long haul,” Veronneau said. “This has been an incredibly rewarding partnership on all levels, and has exceeded so many expectations that we can’t imagine Zwift without it.”

In the past three years, Zwift has seen a 5% increase in its volume of new female subscribers, up from 18% in 2022 to 23%. This uptick, Veronneau says, comes as a “direct relationship” from sponsoring the Tour de France Femmes.

“We got it in the first place to grow the sport, to grow Zwift,” she said. “It’s an extension of our commitment and puts our values first, but at the end of the day, it’s got to be good business as well... It's fabulous to see that the race is inspiring more women to ride, and more women to come to Zwift.”

Veronneau would not be drawn on how much the sponsorship deal is worth, or specific subscriber numbers, but said the partnership with the race has been “very significant” for company.

“Our job is to just get as many eyeballs on the race as possible,” said Veronneau, who dedicates most of her job to Zwift’s ‘Watch the Femmes’ campaign.

After four editions, there remains a frustration among fans at the lack of television parity between the women’s and men’s races. The latter is shown with coverage from kilometre zero, while the starts of the women's stages have often not been broadcast.

“It does seem disparate, right?” Veronneau said, but added that she can “kind of argue it both ways”.

“At the end of the day, yes, I would like to see full coverage, but I think it’s more important that we deliver great sport to audiences that shows the value of the action,” she said. “If you have two hours of incredibly exciting racing, that might be better in some ways than dragging it out for five hours.”

That exciting racing, she's sure, will be guaranteed on Mont Ventoux next summer. “It's so otherworldly,” Veronneau said. “There’s just something about it that’s kind of magical.”

The nine-day 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will take place from 1-9 August.

The Tour de France Femmes will continue to be the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift until at least 2029, as Zwift's naming deal was extended.

Announced on Thursday, as the route for the 2026 Tour was released, American fitness tech company Zwift will continue to be the naming partner of the race for another four years, after an agreement with ASO, the race's organisers.

"This is much more than a sponsorship for Zwift, it’s a part of our identity, underpinned by our mission to make more people, more active, more often." Eric Min, Zwift CEO and co-founder of Zwift, said in a press release. "Growing women’s participation in cycling is a critical mission. We truly believe that to be successful, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is essential.

"The first four years of this partnership have been incredible. The excitement is tangible and the impact is clear. I can’t wait to see what we can achieve over the next four years and beyond."

Zwift joined the Tour de France Femmes from the first edition in 2022, with the deal now lasting for at least eight years in total.

"The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift continues to break records and exceed even our own expectations." Marion Rousse, the director of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, added. "It’s a pleasure to work alongside a partner that helps amplify the race and women’s professional cycling in the way that Zwift does. We’ve achieved a lot already and I’m excited that we can continue this journey together."

According to Zwift and the Tour de France Femmes, 2.7 million viewers watched each stage on average in France alone, with coverage accounting for a 31.6% audience share. The final stage, which saw Pauline Ferrand-Prévot crowned as the first French winner of the race, saw a peak audience of 7.7 million. Zwift also said that 23% of new subscribers are women - up from 2022, when women made up 18% of new subscribers.

"The Tour de France has always been the most famous race in cycling and it has been fantastic to have it added to the calendar for the women’s peloton," Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, a former TDFF winner for Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto. "Winning the iconic yellow jersey has been the highlight of my career and it is so exciting that the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will continue to be the biggest race on the calendar and show off the excitement of women’s cycling to people around the world."

The Zwift Academy, the programme which provided a WorldTour pathway for pro cyclists like Jay Vine and Neve Bradbury, has been put on pause, as separately, Zwift steps back from elite racing.

The Zwift Academy will return in 2026, a spokesperson for the brand said, but it will not be held this year. The global hunt for talent on the platform saw tens of thousands of riders across the world compete for places in finals, where one male and one female cyclist earned a pro contract with Alpecin-Deceuninck and Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto respectively. Vine and Bradbury both won the competition in 2020, and have gone onto win multiple WorldTour races.

"Zwift Academy has not been cancelled," the spokesperson told Escape. "The next edition of Zwift Academy will be the 10th anniversary. Taking a year out gives us the space we need to properly re-launch the program. We want to make the 10th year the biggest yet, with a clearer focus on talent ID and a better Zwift Academy Finals production as well."

The news on elite racing was broken by Escape Collective on Monday, and will mean that the forthcoming Zwift Games will not have an elite category. The first UCI Cycling Esports World Championships were held on Zwift in 2020, but the event moved to MyWhoosh in 2024, where they will be again held this year.

There is still the Zwift Racing League, which re-launched this week, which comes with improvements to the ranking system to better match riders by ability, and new anti-botting technology to protect fairness. More than 30,000 riders take part in virtual races yearly.

"It was always our plan to assess the opportunity for Zwift Games, and the reasons we have decided not to run an Elite competition are the same as the Zwift World Series," the Zwift spokesperson said.

"We are focusing our efforts on community racing. Zwift has helped bring millions of people into the sport, many of whom would never have tried racing before. However, the sport needs a bigger pool from which to grow viewership and from which new talent can emerge," the spokesperson added, speaking of Zwift's commitment to a "bottom up" approach that prioritises the broad community.

"Updating our categorisation approach for all of our community racing experiences has been a key initiative over the past year or so," they continued. "The simple aim has been to make every single race closer and better matched for riders across the full ability spectrum on Zwift. Over the last year, this has resulted in community racing being 64% closer as defined by the Inter Quartile Range of race finish times."

The spokesperson did add: "If an organisation were to express a desire to use the Zwift platform and commit to managing broadcast and performance verification, then we'd be willing to hear them out."

This month, Zwift announced coming features, including a Brompton World Championships on the platform, new Zwift Click controllers, new training tools and more. Updates to the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 and Bike Pro and Zwift Ride Smart Bike were also announced.

It's a busy day for the world of indoor riding, which, like the proverbial bus, has three of the best turbo trainer press releases coming along at once.

The brands' twinning (or throupling) of launches dates back to 2023, when the two giants of indoor riding partnered up after a patent spat, after Wahoo launched legal action against Zwift for alleged patent infringement.

Since then, the two brands have been working collaboratively, resulting in much more seamless integration between the ecosystems, with today's updates on the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 and Bike Pro and Zwift Ride Smart Bike being the latest beneficiaries.

In its first update in seven years, the Kicker Core 2 now comes with the Zwift Cog and Click or 11-speed cassette for the same price.

Wi-Fi connectivity is now standard, and, according to Wahoo, not only enhances connectivity across phones, tablets, and other devices but also enables faster data transfer speeds compared to Bluetooth or ANT+, which should prevent any annoying data lags.

Wahoo has paired this update with the launch of the brand new Kicker Race Mode, which both brands say delivers near-instantaneous power response, giving you more control over your Zwift avatar and your online riding experience.

This connectivity improvement update extends to data collection, introducing a new 'Kickr Bridge' that streams heart rate monitor data directly through the trainer app, eliminating the need for additional sensor platforms.

This all forms part of a redesigned turbo, which Wahoo states now offers a faster and more stable setup.

The good news for Zwift fans is that the update swings both ways, with the Zwift Ride Smart bike now coming with the all-new Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 as standard.

The Wi-Fi connectivity now also allows users to manage all firmware updates through Zwift Companion, which Zwift says further enhances the rider experience by unlocking the full potential of Zwift and making it easy to find clubs, friends, events, as well as track your fitness progress.

While updates are great, money off is better, and it's rare for prices to go down rather than up. So we very much welcome the news that the complete setup reduces by £100 and €100 in the UK and EU, bringing the cost down to £1099.99 and €1199,99, respectively. In the US, the cost of shipping has been reduced from $110 to $75.

While the Zwift Ride Smart Bike improvements and updates will steal a lot of the limelight from the interwoven launches, we must not overlook Wahoo's Kickr Bike facelift, which now becomes the Kickr Bike Pro.

The brand's flagship indoor bike now features redesigned ergonomic shifters, not that we struggled with the previous ones, but which will now facilitate easy access to Zwift in-app features.

The brand has also upgraded its touchpoints thanks to a new partnership with Fizik for the saddle and handlebar tape, along with a new, mysteriously worded 'ergonomic handlebar specifically designed for indoor riding'.

As for exactly what that feels like, it is still to be discovered, but with the bike having just landed with us, we'll soon be able to reveal all.

The Kickr bike pro is priced as US $3999, CA $5,249.99, UK £3,499.99, EU €3,999.99, AU $6,299.95, JP ¥510,000.00, and available to buy from today.

The Kickr Core2 will cost US $549.99, CA $899.99, UK £499.99, EU €549.99, AU $899.95, Japan ¥99,000 and again is on sale now.

Developed to work with Wahoo SYSTM, Zwift, Rouvy, TrainingPeaks Virtual, MyWhoosh, and more (please see brand websites for full details).

The leaves are turning, temperatures are dropping, and for cyclists that can only mean one thing: indoor riding season is approaching. Indoor riding platform Zwift is preparing for the shift indoors with a host of updates, events and new tools designed to keep training fresh and engaging through the colder months.

The Brompton World Championships come to Zwift

One of the season’s most distinctive additions is the Virtual Brompton World Championships, to be held November 17th–23rd. In real life, the Brompton World Championships are celebrated as the most stylish race on the calendar, with riders donning tweed jackets, ties and skirts to prove that “Tweed Is Speed” on their folding bikes.

The Zwift version brings that same spirit to the virtual world with races held on custom London routes, and the chance to unlock a special tweed kit. The iconic Brompton itself will also arrive in the Drop Shop, letting riders bring the iconic folding bike to their virtual quiver.

Smarter tools for training

From November, Zwift is introducing AI-powered personalised recommendations. Instead of scrolling through endless choices, riders will see workouts, routes, events and Robo Pacer rides tailored to their fitness history and goals.

A new auto-adjusting goal system will also adapt weekly training targets based on recent activity, both indoors and outdoors, so progress feels both achievable and sustainable.

For those who already use Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead devices, connecting accounts will sync outdoor rides for extra XP and richer insights in the Zwift Companion app.

Better onboarding for first-time Zwifters

Starting this September, Zwift is also making it easier for new riders to get up and running. An improved onboarding experience will guide first-time Zwifters through connecting their devices, linking outdoor accounts and understanding core features like Fitness Trends and goal-setting.

The aim is to get users riding as quickly as possible and keep the stoke and motivation high by diminishing the configuration time.

To that end, the Zwift Ready program continues to expand, offering more entry-level trainer options from brands such as Wahoo, Elite, Van Rysel, JetBlack, and Garmin-Tacx, with starting prices around €250 / £279.99 / $299.99.

Zwift Ready trainers come ready to ride from the box with Zwift Cog pre-installed, providing compatibility with almost any bike.

Hardware updates: Zwift Click and Ready

Zwift’s user data shows that riders using controllers such as Zwift Play or Zwift Ride get more from their in-game experience, engaging more often with core features. With the Action Bar now hosting tools like Rider Teleport and lap splits, controller users are 2.6 times more likely to teleport and 1.7 times more likely to give a Ride On compared to those without.

To bring this level of interaction to more riders, Zwift is launching redesigned Zwift Click controllers, putting mid-ride control right at your fingertips. The new Clicks are compatible with any handlebar type, feature customisable button configurations and provide easy access to PowerUps, Ride Ons, in-game navigation and more.

Zwift Cog and Click upgrade kits for all Cog-compatible trainers are available to pre-order now at Zwift.com in the US ($49.99), UK (£49.99) and EU (€49.99), with units getting shipped starting September 9th.

Exploring new roads

This season introduces Zwift Unlocked, a brand-new tour replacing the Tour of Watopia.

Running October 6th to November 16th, Zwift Unlocked features ten new routes across multiple worlds and double XP rewards.

The final two stages showcase a major expansion of the New York map, launching October 27th. The update adds 31 km of new roads, including Prospect Park, accessed via Zwift’s futuristic subway network.

With the expansion also comes Power Segments, a new feature that measures riders purely on wattage output over short, intense efforts.

Racing highlights

Racing remains central to Zwift’s community. This season brings the return of the Zwift Racing League on September 16th, improvements to the ranking system to better match riders by ability, and new anti-botting technology to protect fairness.

Another update aimed at racing and group ride culture is the new event cooldown option, which allows riders to remain in the event world after finishing. It mirrors the way riders often continue spinning and chatting after outdoor events, giving Zwifters space for recovery laps, post-race discussions and connecting with others before heading back to the menu.

Zwift camp is back

Zwift Camp has been the platform's most popular workout series of all time, and they're bringing it back, bigger and better for 2025.

Zwift Camp will consist of three distinct camps throughout the year, titled Baseline, Build and Breakthrough.

Designed to follow the structure of winter training, Zwift Camp allows Zwifters to complete one or multiple camps to get ready for the spring season.

The Baseline kicks things off on September 15th with four workouts to set your baseline fitness and get ready for a solid winter of training.

Five days from the start of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, the title sponsor has released a new report outlining the impact of the race since its modern revival.

From participation and public perception to pay equity and global visibility, the Women’s Cycling Report offers an in-depth look at how far the sport has come in just four years.

"For years, women’s cycling lacked the investment, media coverage, and exposure it deserved," the report states. "In 2022 this changed with the introduction of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. With the much increased visibility brought to the sport by this race, it has done more than make history. It has transformed the future of the sport."

Zwift, a virtual cycling platform, has been instrumental in the Tour’s revival, positioning its support as part of a broader commitment to promoting gender equity in sport.

“Women’s sport around the world is being lifted by a tailwind of interest and investment,” said Kate Veronneau, Director of Women’s Strategy at Zwift. “Yet, until 2022, women’s professional cycling missed the crown jewel of the cycling calendar, the Tour de France.”

Zwift’s financial backing and four-year guarantee presented the race organisers, the A.S.O, stability and time to establish the event and drum up commercial interest for its continuation — a feat previous renditions of a women's Tour de France all failed to do.

The 2022 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was the first official Tour de France for women in 33 years, and already, it’s almost impossible to imagine a world where women don’t vie for the iconic Maillot Jaune.

Since its return, the event has become the most-watched race in women’s professional cycling, with a broadcast in 190 countries and consumption for more than 80 million viewing hours across seven key European nations in 2024 alone.

Making a living as a pro cyclist

Zwift’s report, based on survey data from over 5,000 people across the USA, UK, France, and Germany, points to broad shifts in perception and participation. In 2025, 85% of respondents said they believe professional cycling is a viable career for women. This perception is bolstered the rise in minimum salaries, which have risen from €15,000 in 2020 to €31,768 in 2025 for WorldTour riders. And a newly introduced ProTeam tier sets a minimum salary of €20,000, increasing to €24,000 by 2027. However, riders on teams below the UCI ProTeam level remain outside of these securities, as there are currently no minimum wage requirements for them.

According to data from The Cyclists’ Alliance, the average rider salary in 2024 stood at €40,000, with 15% earning €100,000 or more. The average team budget in the Women’s WorldTour has nearly doubled from €2.35 million in 2022 to €4.67 million in 2025.

Deep field, fierce competition

The report also highlights increased competitiveness in the sport.

A” notable shift is the depth of talent across the board. Five or six years ago, there were a few dominant riders winning most of the races. Now, the top level is broader and more competitive,” said Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck), quoted in the report.

“The rising competitiveness has transformed the racing experience. There are just more riders who can win now. The level is so high, and the field is deeper than ever. It makes the races more exciting and less predictable.”

The 2024 women’s Tour came down to just four short seconds —the smallest margin of victory in Tour de France history— after seven days of racing, covering 950 kilometers and 13,566 meters of elevation. The race saw six different stage winners, representing five separate teams.

Pieterse was one of the most exciting playmakers of the event. She won a stage in a photo finish with Demi Vollering, she wore the polka dot jersey, the young rider’s jersey and going into the final stage, she was sitting second in the overall classification—not bad for a first-time stage-racer! In the end, she went home with the best young rider's jersey and thousands of new fans worldwide.

Fans and visibility

Cycling teams rely almost exclusively on sponsorships, so it is vital that the sport gets the exposure needed to bring in investments.

The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift attracts the biggest audience in women’s professional cycling, both on TV and social media.

Zwift reports that the Tour de France Femmes' official social media channels grew to 2.6 million fans in 2025, an increase of 700,000 from the previous year. Video views rose to 74.4 million across all platforms, which is a 238% increase since 2022.

Of those that engaged with the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in 2024, 80% say they are now more likely to watch women’s cycling in the future, 60% of women said they felt inspired to ride in the future, and 17% said they went on to buy a bike.

For those who tune in for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, the action did not disappoint with most viewers describing the racing as “exciting, “challenging and inspiring.”

“The sentiment around the race and women’s cycling illustrates that when women’s cycling is available to watch and follow, the audience is there to not only engage but be enthralled, motivated and inspired,” says Zwift,

After watching the Tour de France Femmes, 69% of women were inspired to ride more.

Commercial Interest

Commercial interest in the sport also appears to be growing. In 2024, Nike signed a personal sponsorship deal with rider Demi Vollering and in January 2025, it partnered with the FDJ-Suez team to supply official lifestyle apparel. It’s now doing the same for the Visma | Lease a Bike team, home to stars like Marianne Vos, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard.

While Zwift calls itself women's cycling's "biggest fans," their investment isn’t purely passion-based either. Its return on investment is measured in brand value, visibility and affinity. That, and decreasing its own gender gap on the platform. The company reported that women now make up 23% of new subscribers on the Zwift platform, compared to just 18% in 2022.

"This race has exceeded everybody's expectations and we're thrilled with the results. The visibility we get from just the content created, the media, the attention of this race, the viewership is phenomenal. This puts our brand and our values front and centre,” Veronneau told Cycling Weekly in 2024 when the brand decided to extend its title sponsorship.

Remaining Challenges

The report concludes by emphasizing that while the sport has made considerable progress, more work remains. Expanding access to coverage, supporting lower-tier teams, and sustaining grassroots participation are highlighted as ongoing priorities.

“Unsurprisingly, ease of access to live racing coverage has a direct impact on fandom,” it reads.

While fans in France benefit from free-to-air broadcasts, 36% of American respondents said they do not watch women’s cycling because it is not broadcast in their area. The fandom is therefore lower in the U.S. than in other key countries.

The report is part of Zwift’s ongoing campaign, Watch the Femmes, which aims to reimagine and reposition women’s cycling as a new kind of premier sporting event. The company hopes the momentum generated by the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift can continue to grow both audiences and opportunities across all levels of the sport.

“The data is there to illustrate that women’s cycling is growing, but we need to nurture and support that growth. Watch the Femmes is no longer about simply tuning in, it’s about showing up. It’s a global movement that invites us all to do our part to elevate women’s cycling. We need the strength of a collective force to ensure this momentum only picks up speed and creates opportunities at all levels of the sport,” states Zwift.

Read the full report, here.

In 2014 I rode on the Paris-Roubaix cobbles - not every sector, mind you, just a handful of kilometres towards the end of the race which for me culminated with the Carrefour de l’Arbre, arguably the toughest length of pavé in the race.

Eleven years later and several hundred quid lighter in chiropractor fees and I’ve finally summoned the courage to ride on them again. This time, I wouldn’t need to fork out for a reinforced pair of bib shorts and half a kilo of Sudocrem, I wouldn’t even need to worry about decreasing tyre pressure or bidding farewell to feeling in my hands for the next month.

No, the cobblestones I would be riding on were of the pixelated persuasion and came courtesy of Zwift’s latest update. Eight new routes have been introduced to the indoor riding platform’s France map this month, one of which coincides with the Queen of the Classics. The Hell of the North route is around 19km long and promises cobbles aplenty.

Zwift’s roads, though, regardless of texture, are smooth, and unless you have a smart trainer with a real-ride feel, like a Tacx, you aren’t going to experience any discomfort at all - or are you? I was about to find out…

The Hell of the North starts on fast flowing tarmac taking in Les Intestines - a series of undulating switchbacks. This is a section of the route that’s been open to Zwift users since the France map’s unveiling in 2020, but it isn’t long before a right turn sends you onto freshly laid asphalt. Sheep graze by the side of the road, windmills lackadaisically rotate on the horizon while rapturous spectators bound up and down, moved to the point of hysterics by your mere presence. So far, so Paris-Roubaix.

Then you see it - the entrance to the first sector. Upon initial inspection everything looks as it should be – a desperately irregular road surface that bicycles have no business riding over. These are ancient farmtracks after all, tracks subjected to a sustained battering from carts and cattle to tractors and tourists. Even this pixelated version looks like it was in dire need of attention from the Friends or Roubaix.

And so unto the breach…

The first thing I noticed about riding on pixelated Paris-Roubaix style cobbles was that it felt absolutely nothing like riding on actual Paris-Roubaix cobbles. Of course it didn’t. My sit bones could stand down. Unless I hired a pneumatic jackhammer and got my wife to dig up our garage floor whenever I gave her the nod, I don’t think this is a sensation that could ever be mimicked outside of northern France.

However, what this animated pavé does offer is resistance. The opening segment quite aptly goes by Dos d’Ane - or ‘speed bump’ in English. At 0.75km in length it’s based on a slightly ascending false flat. Regardless, it should be fairly easily dispatched, I’d just need to wind up some big wattage and – due to its fairly recent arrival to the platform – I might even scoop a top-10 position on the overall Strava leaderboard.

But something happened on those cobbles. I just didn’t seem to be moving very fast. My designs of finishing the sector in less than a minute were doomed from the first pedal stroke. It was frustrating - I was laying down as much power as I could muster and barely breaching the 25mph mark. Finally finishing the segment in one minute dead with a heart rate in the deepest realms of the red, I hadn’t even troubled the top 100. It was time to do some research.

Zwift has a host of different road surfaces and each come with a different coefficient of rolling resistance (CRR). The optimum speed at which you can cover varying terrain is dependent on the wheelset you choose for the job, each having a different CRR. Like the pros riding at Roubaix this weekend, certain concessions will be made and bikes will be specced for efficiency when traversing the pavé. Some riders even have remote tyre pressure technology which allows them to increase or reduce PSI according to the severity of the sectors.

While Zwift doesn’t have this functionality (yet) it does have a selection of wheelsets with CRR appropriate for cobbles. So it was with this I located a pair of Roval Alpinist CLXs in the Drop Shop, added them to a Specialized Tarmac and had another crack at Dos l’Ane.

Slightly less power, slightly more pain, but faster. By one second.

The pavé on Zwift may not inflict the same kind of discomfort as their real-life counterparts, but they do require preparation, thought and a whole lot of pain to negotiate at speed.

With nearly 40,000 riders already having tackled the segment, this weekend’s action over the likes of the Arenberg Trench and the Carrefore d’Labre will surely serve as a catalyst to at least double that figure.

You may not be at Paris Roubaix this weekend but the option is now available for your own, private, Sunday in Hell...

Noah Ramsay, the winner of the male Zwift Academy, says winning an Alpecin-Deceuninck contract for this year is a “massive weight” off his shoulders.

The 21-year old Canadian has spent several years competing in UCI mountain biking events in his home country, but he will now transition to the road as part of the Belgian WorldTour team’s development setup.

Speaking to Cycling Weekly at the event in Dénia, Spain, at the end of 2024, Ramsay said that after spending a long time organising his own events as a privateer, knowing that he would be part of the Alpecin setup had come as a huge relief.

"I don’t even know how to describe it," he said. "It’s a massive weight off my shoulders, I don’t think I’ve even fully processed it yet. So I know I’m super happy, but it has not fully hit me yet. I don’t fully know what it means for me for next year, but I think it’ll mean less stress on me for having to sort my own plans out, which will be nice for a change. I’m really excited for the challenge that this brings for me now."

Playing down his own success, Ramsay was quick to highlight the strengths of his fellow competitors, including Scotland’s Elliot Bain, saying that he felt any one of them could have earned the lucrative contract at the end of the process.

"Once we were chosen, everything was very smooth, but the testing was very hard," he said. "I think it was clear who the best riders were, I don’t think I will have stood out particularly, I think a few of us all stood out."

The Toronto-born rider spent much of his youth playing ice hockey, only transitioning into cycling in 2018 when he first took up mountain biking.

"My cycling career started when I was 16 years old, after playing competitive hockey for all of my childhood," he explained. "I started racing a mountain bike in 2018, my second year of junior did not happen as it was 2020 and Covid-19 cancelled all racing in Canada so I spent the next 16 months training to get myself to a competitive level for international races when they returned."

Working closely with his coach, Ramsay eventually forced his way into the Canadian under 23 XCO World Championships team in 2021. He explained to CW that his MTB results have improved year on year, culminating in finishing fifth at the recent short track World Cup on the Monte Sainte Anne course in Canada.

Ramsay said he had taken a lot from his experiences on the Zwift Academy, with his favourite event being one in which he showed he had a cutting edge.

He said: "I personally really enjoyed the sprint workout drills that I had to compete against my fellow competitors, where it was kind of like a one on one race between the four of us. I could play it tactically there, I could think about how I was going to win, and afterwards I had a lot of feedback on my strengths and weaknesses and how I could use it all to my advantage."

The winner of the female Zwift Academy says winning the competition to earn a place on Canyon–SRAM zondacrypto’s development squad is life-changing due to the lack of racing opportunities for young riders in her native Australia.

18-year-old Emily Dixon was crowned the winner on the show broadcast by GCN this evening, and told Cycling Weekly that she never expected to get the chance to head to Europe to pursue her goals.

"I've been thinking of that, and I still can't really put it into words,” she said when asked what it means to win. "But it's pretty fricking cool, it’s life changing. The opportunities for riders outside of Europe at the moment are very slim. I don't know if it's always been like that, but especially in Australia, the racing scene is kind of dying, and so to have the Zwift Academy as that opportunity to jump over to Europe and be financially supported as well as is massive, I can't emphasise how important that is and how lucky I am."

A relative newbie to road cycling, Dixon explained that she typically rides on Zwift more than outside due to living in a busy urban environment in Melbourne. She told CW that she had her dad to thank for getting into Zwifting after he took it up during the Covid lockdowns in Australia when the global pandemic was at its worst points.

"I've always been active and quite sporty, but during the pandemic, Melbourne got hit quite hard with a lot of lockdowns, so all my favourite sports, including netball and stuff that I used to just do for socialising got cancelled. So I missed out on that for a lot of time, and then I kind of just wanted something to do in lockdown.

"My dad actually got into Zwifting, and I wanted to join in. And so it was good, because we weren't allowed to leave our house any more than a 5k radius, so it was pretty bad for riding outside. Zwift was a good tool for being able to get my energy out somehow, because I can't sit still, so I just wanted to have an outlet and to feel like I was able to do something physically."

Now with the opportunity of turning professional ahead of her, Dixon said that she took on board plenty of guidance, tips and advice that the likes of Zoe Bäckstedt shared during the Zwift Academy competition process, and explained that she will now look to put that into practice.

"I learned that I feel like you can always push yourself a little bit more. I feel like that’s something I've always thought about, but then this proved you can always do a little bit more," she said. "You can always dig deeper and push yourself that bit harder when there’s the motivation of winning a contract, you can always find that 2% more watts."

She added: "I also learned this week how important it is to believe in yourself, and not compare yourself to others. You can’t sit there thinking, 'oh, she can produce more watts than me, or I don’t know how I stack up against the others,' as if you start questioning yourself too much then it can really get into your mind and how you’re thinking about it all.

"I think it goes to show how you have to be mentally really switched on in this sport, and also ready to take in feedback from the coaches, always. I also learned how valuable asking questions can be. You should never be afraid to ask questions because ultimately that's how you learn to get better."

The last few months have been a rollercoaster for Zwift Academy finalist Elliot Bain. In the blink of an eye, the 21-year-old economics student has gone from lecture halls in Glasgow and what he describes as his "amateurish" pain cave set up in his Mum's house, to finding himself rubbing shoulders with WorldTour stars like Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen in Spain after initially making his first steps into domestic UK racing just last year.

"It’s been a fascinating experience," Bain told Cycling Weekly in Dénia on the Spanish Costa Blanca as he reflected on his time with the Zwift Academy. "You've got to try to take the most from it that you can and be a bit like a sponge, soaking it all up."

According to Bain, it’s difficult to highlight just one aspect of spending time with riders like Van der Poel that he considers the most important, or to choose a single piece of advice that he’s received from the Dutchman which he thinks will stand him in good stead.

"It hasn't really been a case of them exclusively giving you advice," he said. "But it's important to listen when riders like him [Van der Poel] speak at dinner and keep an eye on what they're doing so you pick little things up where you can."

He explained to CW that his interest in cycling is a relatively new thing. The Glaswegian was first and foremost a footballer growing up, but he took up riding for fitness during the Covid pandemic when his first sport wasn't able to take place, and then an injury ended that dream too.

"It meant I couldn't really play or train the same," Bain said of the injury. "It was from there that I really started to ride my bike a lot more and realised how much I enjoyed that. I've played all over the pitch over the years, but typically I'd regularly play in midfield. The characteristics of playing there do translate to cycling fitness wise."

"I was always naturally quite fit," he continued, "I actually won the regional school cross-country running champs at school and stuff like that, but I guess you never really know how it's going to go when you switch to a different sport, it's always difficult at the start. You never know how it will translate. But if you're good at sport in general and naturally athletic then I think that usually helps you get going at the beginning."

Fortunately for Bain, he more than got going, quickly earning a place on a Scottish amateur road team. He then spent time in recent months cutting his teeth in the school of hard knocks that is the British racing scene, putting in a series of promising performances in several National A and B races around the country before his journey eventually brought him to the academy.

Bain had just a handful of opportunities to impress and secure a contract with the Alpecin-Deceuninck development team, a stepping stone to one of the biggest men’s WorldTour squads in the sport.

How did he cope with that pressure with a potential life changing opportunity at stake? Simply by staying grounded, smiling and enjoying it every step of the way, says the 21-year-old.

"I haven't shown the level here yet that I think I really have, but I still think that I can get back to that and hopefully be good enough to reach it [being a professional]. I'm ultimately not too stressed about it. The degree that I'm doing is hopefully going to give me good job opportunities otherwise. So for me I'm just trying to enjoy it all and keep training and keep being positive. If I can keep enjoying doing it, we'll then see where it takes me."

The Zwift Academy finals are currently being aired on GCN, with the winner set to be announced this weekend. The four men competing for a spot on Alpecin-Deceuninck's development team are Noah Ramsey, Mattia Gaffuri, Friedrich Klein and Bain. They spent a week in December at Alpecin's training camp, where the winner was decided.

Zwift has announced a new partnership with Sir Chris Hoy’s Tour de 4 to raise money for cancer charities.

Rides will be held on the online training platform until August 2025 and Zwift has committed to matching any charitable donation made by its community up to the total of £50,000.

Six-time Olympic cycling champion Hoy went public with his cancer diagnosis last year and announced in October that it was terminal.

Hoy set up The Tour de 4 as an initiative to change the perception of people living with stage 4 cancer, aiming to raise funds for charities helping people impacted by the illness across the UK. It is also hoped that the project will act as a means for those affected by the disease to connect with others.

Taking place from 8 February until August, Zwift is encouraging as many people as possible to join the Tour de 4 rides on the exercise platform and to donate to the charities that mean the most to them on a personal level. Zwift has then committed to match all donations made by the community up to the sum of £50,000.

"A huge thank you to the team at Zwift for their investment and support," Hoy said. "Tour de 4 is all about bringing people together and Zwift is the perfect platform to do this; I get so much out of my Zwift rides, meeting and engaging with a brilliant community.

"I’m particularly excited to have a few special guests confirmed for the 8th so come and join us if you can – you never know who you might end up riding alongside!"

Hoy will be joined on the first ride on 8 February by a series of special guests including Philip Hindes, Duncan Scott, Lucy Charles-Barclay, Sam Laidlow and Freddy Ovett. Sign ups for the ride are open now.

The events will initially run on a fortnightly basis until the end of May before switching to a monthly basis throughout the summer. The final ride will take place on 7 September when thousands of cyclists are set to gather in Scotland to conclude the project.

Violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has not stopped one cyclist from continuing training, due to help from a charity.

Violence erupted in the city of Goma last month after the M23 rebel group seized control of the area which has now led to more than 178,000 people being forced to flee. The United Nations recently called the crisis a “dire humanitarian situation” as the violence continued to escalate. The BBC has reported that 700 people in the city were killed and close to 3,000 injured. On Tuesday, a unilateral ceasefire was declared by M23 and other rebel groups.

Cycling Weekly is unable to name the rider and his club for safety reasons, but video footage shared with CW shows him riding on an indoor Zwift setup and training using a Wahoo heart rate monitor, provided to him by Team Africa Rising.

In collaboration with Zwift and Wahoo, the organisation has supplied training equipment to riders across Africa. The gear received by the unnamed rider in Goma has meant that he can now continue to train while violence rages outside his home

"The last five days have been horrible because of the war," the rider told Cycling Weekly. “My uncle and his son have been killed and my mother’s shop was looted. I haven’t been able to ride my bike and it’s still not safe to ride outside. There is a lot of gunfire near my house."

"But at least with my Zwift and Wahoo equipment supplied by Team Africa Rising I can train in spite of everything."

Team Africa Rising’s Jeremy Ford told Cycling Weekly that being able to continue to train is providing the rider with some semblance of normality amidst the chaos of war.

"We have known several of the cyclists in Goma and the surrounding area for several years," he said. "We recently arranged, through our African activation partnership with Zwift, to get a few dozen riders in Goma onto the Zwift platform, and then provided them with a bunch of the new TRACKR heart rate monitors from our friends at Wahoo.

"Despite the conflict, it’s brilliant to see the riders are committed to their online training and racing programme. It is truly a great example of resilience which we can all learn from."

Goma lies on the border between Congo and Rwanda. Cycling's governing body, the UCI recently said there are currently no plans to change the location of the scheduled Road World Championships in Rwanda's capital, Kigali, in September despite the ongoing violence in the region.

"The ongoing conflict is confined to the DRC, and Rwanda remains entirely safe for tourism and business," the UCI said. "We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution of the situation. The UCI wishes to emphasise that sport, and cycling in particular, are powerful ambassadors for peace, friendship, and solidarity."

The Tour de Zwift has returned once more to the indoor cycling platform, with exclusive unlocks available to users as they tick off each of the individual stages within the event.

The Tour, which kicked off on Monday 6 January, runs until 23 February and is split over six stages lasting one week each. Every stage has three group rides of varying distance, with a run option included as well.

Category A rides are the longest available on each stage, with Category C being the shortest. According to Zwift, Category B lies "somewhere between" A and C in terms of ride duration. All genders are welcome to join the rides in A,B and C, but the fourth category, D, is only open to women.

As users complete various parts of the challenge they will gain access to exclusive unlocks which are only available on the Tour de Zwift. For those that complete 20% of the Tour, socks are available. A beanie will then be awarded to those that complete 60% of the event, and a full ride kit for those that tick off 100% of the challenge. Awards are only available to those that complete every distance in each individual stage.

Another part of the event, the Tour de Zwift Ultimate Challenge, provides even further incentive to entrants. Users that complete 50% of the event will receive an ultimate challenge hat and then get the full kit and unique achievement badge at 100%.

A series of FAQ’s on the Zwift website make clear that the event will not be raced this year and is very much an individual challenge.

However last October Zwift introduced a new update called Racing Score to the platform which it said at the time would “revolutionise” racing by “delivering more competitive, accessible and fairer competition.”

"We are incredibly excited about the launch of Zwift Racing Score," Zwift’s Mark Cote said. "We have spent years researching the best algorithm, looking into data collected from millions of races held on the platform, and more importantly, working with the Zwift community to collect feedback on how the system is functioning."

Lou Bates is one of Great Britain’s strongest indoor bike racers, bound for the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships this weekend.

A former rower, she turned to triathlon in her mid-twenties and competed in Ironman events, also once finishing fifth at the Barcelona marathon. She then dedicated herself to cycling, winning the National Hill Climb Championships in 2016, before being introduced to indoor racing on Zwift at the end of 2019. She has since represented GB in international competitions, and, this Saturday, will race on MyWhoosh at the World Championships in Abu Dhabi, UAE, having qualified first in the semi-finals rankings.

Bates, 43, has achieved all of this while working a full-time job as a project manager, and a part-time career as a yoga teacher. Ahead of the World Championships, Cycling Weekly asked her for her top tips for virtual racing. Here’s what she said...

Know your power profile

"My peak power is not great. I am not a fast twitch person in any stretch. Genetics is not on my side, I think, from that standpoint. But the good thing is that I’m very fatigue resistant, so my peak power doesn’t necessarily drop over the course of a hard race.

"Identify what kind of rider you are. Are you a diesel that suits the long climbing races? Are you a sprinter? Are you somewhere in between? You might be happy just racing those races that suit you. But if you want to get better at some of the other races, think about your power profile and what things you want to improve, then do some workouts specific to that, and try to get those bits of your power profile up.

"Sometimes, long sprints can work really well indoors. It’s not a dealbreaker if you can’t hit super-high power. It’s more of a dealbreaker if you can hit that power, but can’t sustain it at all. My husband, for example, is the complete opposite to me. He’s a fast twitch person, but once his one match is extinguished, then it’s just gone, and he’s gone.”

Don't be afraid to draft

“When I first started on Zwift, I used to have a super-high watts per kilo compared to everybody around me in races because I wasn’t saving energy by drafting. I was putting out way more [power] than I actually needed to because I was panicking to keep in the group.

“I would say get into some group rides. There are a ton of group rides that have intervals in them where you’re riding in a group; there’s a leader, and they’ll say, ‘Ok, for the next five minutes, we're going to do four watts per kilo’ or whatever. You can practice staying in the draft. It’s super-handy.”

Practise the courses

“If you’re racing on a particular course, it can be super-helpful to go on that course beforehand and know where the hills are, where the downhills are, and if there are any lumps and bumps that you need to be aware of. In e-racing, every time there’s a hill, the pace always goes up.

“The beauty of e-racing is that, in real life, if you were to do a recon of a course, you might have to drive for an hour to get there. Whereas on these platforms, you can generally get into the world or course that you’re going to be racing on and have a practice quite a few times.”

Have a fan... and a dehumidifier

“Cooling is very important. I have a number of fans, and a dehumidifier, because sometimes in the UK, if it’s raining, it can get really humid and sticky.

"I also have loads of towels, lots of nutrition and fluid. These races, they may be short, but you can burn a ton of energy, and also need a lot of hydration.”

Be meticulous with equipment

"I keep an eye on all of my equipment just to check that it’s not drifting, for example due to temperature changes. Before events, I’m super careful about that, so I will always do test rides and stuff like that. I wouldn’t want to not know that my equipment wasn’t accurate until I race. That would be a nightmare.”

“I have my secondary power source, so I have power pedals with my turbo trainer, and I pretty much record every ride, just so that I can keep an eye on my turbo, because even though a lot of turbos claim to be within 1% accuracy, environmental factors can affect your turbo readings.

Diversify your training

"My training volume is between 15 and 20 hours a week – 15 hours on the bike. I do a couple of gym sessions to help on the bike, but also for just overall health. I’m a 43-year-old woman. I need to be looking after my bones, my hormones, my overall body health as well. Part of that is doing these gym sessions, and obviously doing yoga as part of my yoga teaching.

"In the spring and summer, I tend to go outside a lot more, mainly because I’ve done a big block over the winter, and that’s generally when the race season is for e-racing. I tend to use the summer block to do my base building, and do lots of outside racing. I like doing some bike packing and other stuff that is completely different to e-racing, getting back into nature."

This article is part of Cycling Weekly's love letter series, where our writers pour praise on their favourite aspects of cycling. The below content is unfiltered, authentic and has not been paid for.

It turns out I have more in common with retired pro Alex Dowsett than I first thought. I’ll point out the differences first; he’s a former Hour Record holder, two-time stage winner at the Giro d’Italia, and six-time national time trial champion. He also rode on the WorldTour, cycling’s highest level, for 12 seasons of his career.

I’ve never come close to the WorldTour. I’ve never even done a race. And yet, Dowsett and I seem to have a shared interest: we both do ramp tests for fun.

For the uninitiated, a ramp test is a quick way of working out your functional threshold power (FTP). It typically involves hopping on an indoor trainer and increasing your power output every minute, until your legs give way and you collapse over your handlebars. Think of it like the bleep test from school, except there’s no PE teacher making you do it. The better riders (see: Alex Dowsett) will last for upwards of 20 minutes. Us mortals run out of breath in the time it takes to boil rice.

A few weeks ago, Dowsett posted an Instagram video of himself on Zwift. “Two years into retirement from pro cycling I’m trying a ramp test,” he wrote. There was, I assume, no sports director or team manager hanging over him, holding a metaphorical gun to his head. It seemed a personal life choice, one made for the love of the sport.

I remember doing my first ramp test last year. I had signed up for a Zwift winter training programme, and the test was planned as my baptism into indoor riding. Its results, I was told, would become the yardstick for all my sessions thereafter. I naively blocked out an hour of my evening to do it, and it was over in 15 minutes.

The test began at 100w, an output at which most toddlers can ride comfortably. It then increased – or ramped – every minute by 20w. I levelled up and up, 120w, 140w, 160w. I felt like I was freewheeling. Then came 180w, 200w, 220w, and the screw began to turn.

As I eked into the high 200s, I sensed my limit on the horizon. The whole point of the test is to break you, leave you sweat-drenched and alone in your front room, an empty, breathless shell. There comes a moment when you fall onto the back foot, and the ramps keep demanding more. For me, that moment came at 360w. I bowed out with a yelp. A ferrous taste of blood flooded my mouth.

And yet, the next week, I went back for more. Masochism is the derivation of pleasure from pain, and I had fallen head over cleats for the cruel ramp test. I liked the dopamine hit, the sense of achievement, that came with each level increase. The feeling of my heart racing in my chest made me feel alive.

While most people might do one ramp test a year, and begrudgingly too, I ended up doing three last winter alone. I’m now plotting my return, for no reason other than my own will.

For those interested, Dowsett’s results were “significantly slower” than they were during his pomp. Mine will no doubt tell a similar story. But, in a sordid kind of way, I’m looking forward to the drama of it, all of it, from the hopeful first pedal strokes, to the final depleted one, and the aftertaste of blood.

I'll almost certainly go back for more.

I’ve been riding Zwift’s inaugural smart bike, the Ride, on and off for about seven months now, so my impressions of it are more concrete than they were when I wrote my first ride review back in the mid-summer. The weather since then has been relentlessly atrocious, so playing with the Ride has been more on than off, but at least that’s given me ample opportunity to test it in full.

In theory, Zwift Ride is little more than a steel bike frame bolted to a Wahoo Kickr Core trainer with some gaming-style controller buttons screwed to the handlebars. In reality? Well, it’s so much more than the sum of its parts. Zwift set out to build a smart bike that offered the ultimate experience on its platform, a goal I believe it has largely achieved with the Ride. The marriage of high-tech, immersive gameplay with convenient-to-use, one-size-fits-all hardware is inspired.

Zwift’s core business is building a subscriber base, but it recognised that two of the main barriers to entry were a) not having a suitable indoor bike to ride on, and b) the hassle of building such a rig. The solution? Ride brings together all of Zwift’s most desirable tech – Zwift Play controllers, Zwift Cog and Zwift’s virtual shifting – in an attractively-priced smart bike that’s handsome enough to grace any front room, den or kitchen.

Of course, attractively priced, doesn’t mean cheap. However, when I mentally break the Ride package down into separate components and price them up, it appears to be a fair deal. A Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One smart trainer will set you back £449.99/$499.99 and Zwift Play controllers a further £99.99/$99.99, leaving £650.01/$700.01 for the frame, bars, saddle and chainset, which seems reasonable. Excluding the recently introduced Wattbike Proton and Elite Square, it’s about half the price of other smart bikes on the market.

Cleverly, and this is a masterstroke, Zwift has made the Ride even better value by developing it as a health and fitness tool suitable for an entire household. Not only is it attractive enough - or, at the very least, innocuous enough - to sit in shared spaces, it can be adjusted in seconds to fit any rider from 5' (152 cm) to 6' 6" (198 cm) tall, provided they don’t exceed the 265 lbs (120 kg) weight limit. So, if you’re crafty enough, you’ll be able to sell the purchase to your partner as an investment in wellness for the whole family.

If you already own a compatible smart trainer, Zwift now sells the frame – named Zwift Ride Smart Frame – as a standalone product. See boxout to discover more.

Construction

Zwift Ride arrives in three cardboard cartons. Unintuitively, this is to save on shipping and environmental costs because, according to Zwift, packaging it all up in one large box would prove prohibitively heavy and unwieldy. The frame is supplied in a large, branded rectangular box, the handlebars, pedals and accessories in a second smaller branded box, while the Kickr Core comes in standard Wahoo packaging. Delivery costs an additional £50/$75.

The Kickr Core is exactly the same product as a standard Kickr Core Zwift One, which is the version that includes the Zwift Cog, a single sprocket hub that facilitates virtual shifting. It’s worth noting that Zwift Ride currently ships with a revised sprocket design that’s slightly quieter than the original, while the Zwift Ride Smart Frame includes the new orange-coloured Zwift Cog v2 that can be adjusted for the most efficient chainline.

The frame is steel, and at 17 kg (37.5lbs) it’s no featherweight, yet it is manageably light enough to set up without inducing a hernia. I hesitate to use the word portable, but its modular design - the separate frame and smart trainer - enables it to be easily moved around the house in two pieces. At 18kg (40lbs), the Wahoo Kickr Core weighs a similar amount.

The Ride’s cranks are fixed at 170mm, which is one of its few shortcomings. For a smart bike intended for multi-user, multi-occupancy households, this feels like a miss, so I can only speculate that Zwift needed to keep the costs under control. It’s a shame because you won’t be able to mirror the exact fit of your road/gravel bike, but frankly, most riders, especially newbies, won’t notice.

Some early users complained of bent chainrings on delivery, so in response Zwift has beefed up the packaging with an additional internal brace. Hopefully, this will stop bikes from suffering damage in transit. Mounted on the chainring is a robust, inexpensive, easy-to-replace 9spd chain that’s held taught by an orange-coloured tensioner that can be disengaged by simply flipping it downwards.

The handlebars are no-nonsense alloy affairs with a round profile that’s comfortable enough. When I first rode the Ride, I wasn’t sure about the bar tape; it felt a little too slick and slippery for my tastes, but it’s since worn in nicely. If you want more grip and cushion, then it’s easily replaced with one of the best handlebar tapes at a later date.

Bar width is 42cm, measured at the tube centres, which works out to approximately 44cm at the outside edges. At 190cm tall, I’m a big rider so these feel comfortable to me but much smaller riders, or those used to a finely tuned aero position, may want to consider swapping them out for something narrower.

The controllers provide the same functionality as Zwift’s Play product, but they’re far more elegantly integrated into the cockpit. Just like Play, the four arrows on the left-hand pad enable you to navigate menu items, whereas the colourful right-hand action buttons allow you to confirm or reject a command, give Ride Ons, activate PowerUps and more. On each ‘lever’ are a pair of small buttons to shift virtual gears, a large orange paddle to handle braking and steering and a dedicated but configurable PowerUp/Ride On button.

Setup really couldn’t be easier, even for an inept buffoon like me. Once the legs have been bolted onto the Wahoo Kickr Core, it’s simply a matter of dropping on the frame and securing the two components with a thru-axle.

Zwift’s product designers have included a little chain hook on the drive side dropout, a neat feature that keeps the chain out of the way while the frame is being guided into position on the Kickr Core. Once the frame is in place, the chain can be released from the hook (tip: it’s covered in factory grease, so wear gloves), seated on the sprocket and tensioned with the aforementioned chain tensioner. The chain hook, together with a rubber foot mounted below the bottom bracket, keeps the chain from marking flooring if, for whatever reason, you ever need to rest it down without the Kickr Core. Nice touches.

Zwift has included flat pedals with the Ride, a nod to novice riders, households with multiple users and, perhaps, a sign that it is hoping to recruit fitness enthusiasts as much as die-hard cyclists. Handily, it’s even marked the thread rotation direction on each crank.

Finally, the stem and adjustable handlebar holder need to be slid into the frame and the handlebars eased on, which is a two-minute job. When in place, the adjustable handlebar assembly transforms into a phone/snack tray with the addition of a soft silicone mat. If you intend Zwifting with an iPad then I recommend buying the optional tablet holder, which secures your device in place with a strong silicone strap. At £39.99/$49.99 the cost does seem slightly excessive, but it’s well worth the expense.

The left and right front controllers work independently and connect via Bluetooth, so there’s no complex internal wiring within the frame to worry about. They do charge via USB as separate units, but Zwift includes a Y-cable for this purpose, which can be optionally routed down the front frame leg with little magnets. Battery life is 20 hours, so to keep cable spaghetti to a minimum, I connect them up to charge between rides, often using a portable power pack.

Once the hardware is assembled, there’s just the simple matter of getting all the constituent parts talking over Bluetooth. Install the Wahoo app to register the Kickr Core and download any firmware updates, turn on the individual handlebar controllers and fire up Zwift on your tablet or other device. Strap on a heart rate monitor belt too, if this metric is important to you (it should be). The Zwift app handles all the connections - the controllers, heart rate, power meter (from the Kickr Core) and seamlessly controls the functionality of the Kickr Core. I didn’t try setting up the Ride using the Zwift app on Apple TV but, if this is a route you want to explore, bear in mind that it only accepts two Bluetooth channels, which isn’t enough. The solution is to use the Zwift Companion app to consolidate the channels before routing them to Apple TV.

From box to first ride, most users will be up and running, I mean cycling, in about 30 minutes.

The Ride

The product design team at Zwift has clearly put a lot of effort into making bike fit as intuitive as possible for multiple riders who, if my household is anything to go by, are likely to be very different sizes. The Ride is configurable for saddle height, stack and reach, via the seat post, stem and sliding handlebar holder respectively, so the one frame size should fit all.

Zwift has put the smart into this smart bike by basing all bike fit measurements on height and height alone. Each adjustable component is marked with a scale delineated in centimetres but marked with letters from A to Z. To set the Ride up for your size, all you need to do is find the corresponding letter next to your height on a chart Zwift supplies in the box (and online should you misplace it). Then, to dial in the correct fit, just slide the seat post, stem and handlebar position to your allocated letter.

I'm 190cm tall, so my letter is T. It sounds implausible, but setting the seatpost, stem and bars to the T setting places me into a comfortable, if generic, endurance position. My wife, an H (166cm), is dialled in within seconds, as is my daughter, who is a J (170cm). Of course, if you’re used to a more aggressive stance there’s nothing to stop you slamming the stem or increasing the reach. However, I suspect this simple letter-based system will be good enough for even experienced riders, because assuming an aero position in Zwift carries no benefit, whereas remaining comfortable for a long time does.

Zwift has made dialling these positions even easier by specifying 8mm hex bolts throughout the bike, which also happens to be a standard for pedals. One of the most impressive features of the bike is the supplied 8mm hex key, which tucks neatly into a little magnetic housing beneath the top tube so that it’s less likely to go walkies. Coloured bright orange so it’s even less likely to get lost, it’s the only tool you’ll ever need to build up and adjust the entire frame. Simple but ingenious.

Riding the Ride, my impressions have changed little since I first hopped on back in the summer. The ride feel is excellent for a ‘static’ bike. There’s just enough swing and sway emanating from the slender front leg and relatively short supports on the Kickr Core to make the Ride feel alive. Sprinting, or standing up on the pedals to climb can induce a fair bit of wobble, but it never feels dangerously out of control. I’m quite tall, with a high centre of gravity, so your mileage may vary. Similarly, attaching a trainer with a wider stance will likely change the ride feel considerably.

The short-nosed saddle has held up well, I’m comfortable on it for long periods but saddle choice is such a personal preference it’s hard to be objective. The flat pedals have gone, replaced by a pair of Shimano M520s that I had gathering dust. I may swap these over to road pedals soon.

I still find the Ride to be quiet, it’s certainly less intrusive than my Cardio54 fan. I also continue to be blown away by virtual gearing and its implementation on Zwift Ride. Twenty-four gears, with shifting in the style of Shimano, Sram or plain sequential via the lever buttons. A choice of ranges to suit the terrain, including 53/39, 10-28; 48-35, 10-33 and 43/30, 10-36. Smooth, fast, silent shifting with zero interruption and no mechanical issues to fret about. What’s not to like?

The biggest positive impact on my indoor riding has been gained by becoming thoroughly familiar with the navigation and action buttons, which are now second nature. The ability to cycle through menus, select different views, activate PowerUps and so on without losing focus on my riding has been transformative.

Value and conclusions

Right at the beginning of this review, I made two observations. Firstly, the Ride is little more than a Zwift Play-equipped steel frame attached to a smart trainer, and secondly, it’s far more than the sum of its parts. Both remarks are true but their validity rests with the consumer.

If you’re the mend and make do type, who is more concerned with budget than performance and convenience then by all means repurpose an old frame, sized for you and only you, and save yourself a packet. There’s no shame in that.

However, if you’re looking for the smoothest, easiest passage to becoming a fully signed-up Zwifty, then the Ride is a near-perfect vehicle to jump aboard. It looks smart, it is smart and it’s a doddle to share among the whole household. Yes, the controls have similar functionality to Zwift Play but the execution is so much more refined.

Priced at £1,199.99/$1,299.99 the Ride isn’t affordable for everyone, but it does represent good value. There are so many small, elegant touches that make the user experience so special.

Zwift has pioneered this space with the Ride, but there are two new arrivals chasing the same market. The Elite Square and the Atom Proton are both worth considering but neither offer the same level of Zwift integration as the Ride.

Specs

Frameset Specs

Price: £1,199.99/$1,299.99

Weight: 17kg

Controller battery life: 20 hours

Drivetrain: Zwift Cog with 9 speed chain

Frame finish: White. Powder Coated

Frame material: Steel

Crank length: 170mm

Bar width: 42cm

Wahoo Kickr Core Specs

Maximum Power Output: 1800 Watts

Maximum Simulated Grade: 16%

Minimum Simulated Grade: -10%

Product Weight: 40 lb / 18 kg

Drivetrain: Belt Drive

Resistance Type: Electromagnetic

Power Accuracy: +/-2%

Connectivity: ANT+, ANT+ FE-C, and up to three Bluetooth Connections

For a limited time only, Zwift is offering its Zwift Play controllers (RRP of $99.99 / £99.99) for free with the purchase of any eligible indoor smart trainer. The brilliant offer is part of Zwifts 10th anniversary celebrations which has seen the indoor training app expand its core virtual world Watopia and add updates to training and racing content.

Waking up this morning with a chill in the air and the winter nights slowly creeping in, many of us will be back on our training indoors very soon. As if by design this Zwift offer is worth grabbing now if you're thinking about upgrading your smart trainer or making a first-time purchase.

Eligible smart trainers

To grab your free Zwift Play controllers you'll have to purchase one of the listed smart trainers from the Zwift website. Simply, add a smart trainer and the Zwift Play controllers to the basket, and the discount will automatically be applied. I checked myself and it works!

Not sure what trainer might be best for you? Check out this list of eligible trainers Cycling Weekly has reviewed.

• Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One
• Wahoo Kickr Core with cassette
• Wahoo Kickr
• Wahoo Kickr Move
• Wahoo Kickr Snap

What is Zwift Play

Zwift upped its game with the release of the Play controllers and they allow you to control everything in Zwift from the convenience of your handlebars. So no more faffing mid-ride reaching out for your smart device to give a ride-on and activate your power-ups.

You can also navigate the in-game menus with the press of a button, but the most exciting addition is the ability to steer and brake – which adds another level to the Zwift gameplay and gives a far more realistic and immersive experience.

Zwift has launched a new updated called Racing Score which it says will “revolutionise” racing on the platform by “delivering more competitive, accessible and fairer competition.”

The new ranking system from the 'global fitness system' is designed to reflect both fitness and racing skill, Zwift announced on Monday. Points will be scored in races across the platform, earned for all finishing positions, with bonuses for those on podiums. All riders will get given a started value based on fitness data.

Zwifters entering events will only be able to join competitions which match their own abilities, or above. The company says that this will ultimately make online racing fairer and more competitive in the long term.

If racers choose, they can enter certain higher category events in a bid to score more points in the new system to enable them to then progress to a higher category. For those who are new to racing on the system, Zwift Racing Score will assign them to a category that meets the user’s current abilities based on their most recently submitted fitness data.

Entering a higher volume of Zwift races will allow users to gradually build their racing score. Points will now be available for every finishing position which Zwift says will mean that “every race can provide motivation and reward.”

A riders Zwift Racing Score will be a numerical value between zero and 1,000, with higher numbers reflecting a higher fitness level and overall racing skill. Every Zwift user will be assigned a value based on their best 30 second and 10 minute power numbers uploaded within the last 90 days. Users can then improve their own individual racing score by winning further points in-race.

The new ranking system will also depend on field quality and size, with more points on offer in races with highly competitive fields. Users will gain points based on their finishing positions, with bonus points on offer for podium places. At the end of every race users will be able to see the impact the race has had on their overall score.

"We are incredibly excited about the launch of Zwift Racing Score," Zwift’s Mark Cote said. "We have spent years researching the best algorithm, looking into data collected from millions of races held on the platform, and more importantly, working with the Zwift community to collect feedback on how the system is functioning.

"We know how important it is to get this right. The feedback from the Zwift Labs Club has been incredibly positive with many racers finding events more dynamic due to improved categorisation. We will continue to evolve Zwift Racing Score and monitor community feedback but we are excited to see how Zwift Racing Score will help more people enjoy the benefits of racing on Zwift."

Zwift World Series, ZRacing Community Festival, Zwift Academy Make Up Races, and community racing events will all be using Zwift Racing Score from 7th October.

Users will be able to find their current racing score in their profile, located in the Zwift companion app, the Zwift game or on Zwift’s official website.

In addition to this update, Zwift is offering a free set of Zwift Play controllers for free with the purchase of any trainer from Zwift.com between September 30 and October 6.

The brand is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Time flies when you’re having fun Zwifting. This October and November, Zwift celebrates 10 years of racking up virtual miles with their five-stage Tour of Watopia.

And since this is a landmark anniversary for Zwift, riders and runners will have the chance to experience an entirely new island in Watopia during the fifth stage on November 12.

The Tour of Watopia

The Tour of Watopia is an annual five-stage event that Zwift-registered riders and runners can take part in.

Each of the five stages offers three distances for cyclists (short, standard, and long) and two for runners (standard and long), with scheduled group events happening every hour, on the hour, between October 15 and November 18.

Participants will earn double XP (experience points) by participating in any of those group events, and those who conquer any of the stages via the on-demand options can earn 1.5 XP. Athletes can then use XP to purchase items from the Zwift drop shop, unlock new routes in Watopia and gain access to new kits and in-game benefits.

Zwifters can register here for the Tour of Watopia.

Stage 1 - Tuesday, October 15: Downtown to Volcano via Epic

All three cycling options start in downtown Watopia and then follow the undulating Whole Lotta Lava (short), Figure 8 (standard) and Watopia Mountain (long) routes.

Key landmarks on Figure 8 include the Hilly KOM (0.9km at 5.5%) and Hilly KOM Reverse (2.4km at 2%) which date back to April 2015, making them the oldest climbs on Zwift. The JWB sprint also features on the Figure 8 and Watopia Mountain routes. This is the oldest sprint on Watopia and is named after Julynn Washington, who was a prominent early Zwifter. Watopia Mountain also includes the Epic KOM which, at 9.5km, was the longest climb on Zwift when it was introduced back in March 2016.

The standard (5km) and long (10km) run options both feature sections of Whole Lotta Love.

Stage 2 - Tuesday, October 22: Jungle to Alpe du Zwift

The tour heads into the Mayan Jungle on the short Jungle Circuit and standard Serpentine 8 routes, which first appeared back in October 2017, meaning riders will have to swap their road bikes with MTBs to get through this one.

The long route tackles the Road to Sky and features Alpe du Zwift (12km at 8%), which made its debut five years ago and is modeled on the real-world Alpe d’Huez, complete with 21 hairpin bends.

The standard (5km) and long (10km) run options both feature sections of Road to Sky.

Stage 3 - Tuesday, October 29: Fuego to Titans

The tour travels east for stage three and the Tempus Fugit (short), Sand and Sequoias (standard) and Eastern Eight (long) cycle routes all visit the Fuego Flats Desert, which dates back to 2019. The two longest rides also head into the forest to scale the Titan’s Grove KOM (2.6km at 2.2%), while Eastern Eight incorporates the flat, underwater roads of Ocean Boulevard. Fun fact; Tempus Fugit is currently Zwift's most popular route.

The standard (5km) and long (10km) run options both feature sections of Sand and Sequoias.

Stage 4 - Tuesday, November 5: Southern Coast to The Grade

Taking on the Going Coastal (short), Mayan 8 (standard) and Itza Party (long) routes for the penultimate stage of the tour, both Going Coastal and Itza Party include the coastal road expansion that was first introduced in October last year. While Going Coastal has no climbs of note, Itza Party has four ascents, including a summit finish on the Itza KOM (3.75km at 3%).

The standard (5km) and long (10km) run options both feature sections of Mayan 8.

Stage 5 - Tuesday, November 12: To be revealed

Zwifters may have noticed something appearing from the ocean, just off Watopia’s coast, in the last few weeks… All will be revealed on Tuesday, November 12 when stage five explores this new land.

Ride On to Commemorate a Decade

But wait, there’s more… Zwifters can join in on the Big Birthday Bash Rides that take place between October 3-7. The rides will feature cycling celebrities such as Mathieu van der Poel, Sir Chris Hoy and athletes from Canyon-SRAM racing.

A Celebratory Discount

In addition to the Tour of Watopia, Zwift is offering a free set of Zwift Play controllers for free with the purchase of any trainer from Zwift.com between September 30 and October 6.

We wouldn't want to wish the summer away, but there's no getting away from the fact that we're now in September – the downslope in the Northern Hemisphere that runs slowly away from the sultry days of July and August in the direction of colder weather and dark evenings.

But nil desperandum my friends, because Zwift has arrived with its 10-year anniversary update, and it has really gone to town.

There are numerous features set to roll out over the coming months, and include an expansion of Watopia, a new on-screen heads-up display, new challenges, the Zwift Ride smart frame to buy separately, and an expansion of its Cog and Click compatibility. There's a lot to take in.

Those eager to try out some of these new developments will be pleased to hear that a number of them are available as of right now.

Let's start with something many users will welcome with open arms – a customisable new heads-up display (HUD). Where currently, users can't adjust the stats they see at the top of the screen, the new update provides seven metrics that can be user-edited, including average watts, watts per kilo, cadence and heart rate.

November's Tour of Watopia will see the unveiling of an expansion to Zwift's original and most extensive world. Riders will find expansions on all five stages, Zwift says, including to some of the earliest routes.

It has also teased an image of some rocks protruding from the sea, saying: "Zwifters may notice something unusual appearing from the ocean, just off Watopia's coast – could they be ancient structures."

We will have to wait to find out, it seems.

Zwift has also launched its 'Zwift Ready' programme, which makes more trainers compatible with Zwift hardware, such as Cog, Click, and the Ride smart frame.

Used together with a compatible trainer, the single-speed Zwift Cog saves swapping cassettes around and, with the Click gear-change buttons, enables any 8-12-speed bike to use seamless virtual shifting.

As of now there are four compatible trainers, from Wahoo and JetBlack, and this will be expanded to six in the winter, with Elite and Van Rysel also adding compatibility on certain trainers.

Previously only available with the Wahoo Kickr Core, the Zwift Ride Smart Frame is also now available to buy on its own. Designed as the ideal riding hardware for the platform, it uses Zwift's Cog and Click virtual gear changing system and features buttons designed to integrate with the software. It is compatible with all Zwift Ready trainers.

Zwift says it is "styled to fit in the home, and suitable for the household", and although you may struggle to convince your partner of that, it does look rather sleek and understated. Cost is £749 / $799.

Other upgrades include the Cardio Crusher and Route Chaser challenges and, in October, the Zwift Racing Score, which will enable riders to be selected for the right racing category from the beginning, "making races more competitive and enjoyable", it says.

The Zwift Calendar also gets a rather nice looking overhaul, and the Garage does too, with the ability to upgrade individual bikes.

Lastly, Zwift is also set to introduce Halo Bikes. Only limited information is available about this so far, but this range of very select bikes will cost you beaucoup de Zwift Drops and is set to feature a rather cool virtual version of the Pinarello Espada, as ridden by Miguel Indurain.

If you followed the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift this year, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Zwift ran the whole show. The virtual cycling platform's bright orange and pink branding was everywhere, and the brand's squirrel eclipsed the lion as the race's mascot. Stage winners were handed a plush version of this furry icon, while a life-sized version mingled with the crowd, distributing caps and posing for pictures with fans.

But Zwift's impact goes far beyond mascots, branding and adding its name to the official race title. Since coming on board as the presenting sponsor in 2022, the company has been a driving force behind the event’s revival. Its financial backing and four-year guarantee presented the race organisers, the A.S.O, stability and time to establish the event and drum up commercial interest for its continuation — a feat previous renditions of a women's Tour de France all failed to do.

The 2022 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was the first official Tour de France for women in 33 years, and already, just three years into its revival, it’s almost impossible to imagine a world where women don’t vie for the iconic Maillot Jaune.

While Zwift calls itself women's cycling's "biggest fans," their investment isn’t purely passion-based. Its return on investment is measured in brand value, visibility and affinity. That, and decreasing its own gender gap on the platform, where women make up approximately 20% of its user base.

"We can spend our money in a lot of ways, and we decided to spend it on this. This investment is an extension of our mission to create more space in the sport, to do things differently. It's clear that the women's pro peloton was ready for this exposure," Kate Veronneau, Zwift Director of Women's Strategy, told Cycling Weekly.

"This race has exceeded everybody's expectations and we're thrilled with the results. The visibility we get from just the content created, the media, the attention of this race, the viewership is phenomenal. This puts our brand and our values front and centre."

The race has been so successful that Zwift has extended its title sponsorship for another year, bringing it to five years.

"Sponsoring the Tour is one of the most exciting things that we do. We're really proud of it. There's no reason to stop now," Veronneau said.

Cycling Weekly had the exclusive opportunity to speak with Veronneau and CEO Eric Min about the company's involvement in the Tour, their vision for the future, and the broader business case for investing in women’s cycling.

Watch the Femmes

Zwift's sponsorship of the Tour de France Femmes is part of the company's broader strategy to invest in and grow women's cycling. It's more than a financial sponsorship; it's a movement, Veronneau said.

The movement, named "Watch the Femmes”, was born from the Zwift Academy, a highly popular talent identification programme that scouts the best cycling talent worldwide using the Zwift virtual cycling platform and places the winner in a professional team. It started in 2016 as a women's-only programme and gave Zwift an inside look into the women's side of the sport and, consequently, a desire to improve it.

Zwift's partnership with the A.S.O. began during the pandemic lockdown in 2020 with a virtual Tour de France. It was a stepping stone that laid the groundwork for something bigger.

"I think we were the perfect partner to come on board as title sponsor because we're not just sponsors: we are women’s cycling’s biggest fans,” Veronneau said. "We never wanted to just put our name on it. We really wanted to build this movement."

The Tour de France Femmes made its debut in 2022 with Zwift as the presenting sponsor, and it was an immediate hit. Social media engagement skyrocketed, more than 23 million viewers tuned in to watch the races live, while thousands more lined the roadside, and media outlets worldwide provided extensive coverage. Zwift, too, benefited, experiencing an 8.9% increase in female subscribers in the first year alone.

Three years on, Veronneau confidently describes the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift as “an absolute, clear, undeniable success.”

The Business Case for Investing in Women's Cycling

Zwift's investment in women’s cycling isn’t driven by passion alone; there’s a business case to be made as well.

“At the end of the day, we’re a business,” Veronneau said. “[Our investment] needs to contribute to the bottom line. And it does. It absolutely does.”

Zwift’s CEO Eric Min agrees, stating, "I think it’s good business. Look at how many eyeballs we’re getting on a per-day basis. The opportunity for us is that there's just so much upside on the women's side compared to the men's side – so much headroom in terms of growth, investment, viewership, and women's participation. This is the obvious place to invest if you're a consumer brand.”

The gain comes primarily in the form of visibility, brand awareness and brand affinity.

"I honestly think that this sponsorship is the reason why we never dipped after COVID. We went from exponential growth to growth. It is the visibility of this sponsorship and Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift as well,” Veronneau said.

“The whole Watch the Femmes campaign puts us in the spotlight and I think that if you were already on Zwift, you stayed on Zwift because you felt good about how we were investing our money. And if you didn't know about Zwift and now you do.

"As women's cycling grows, that growth is reflected in our growth."

One of Zwift's aims was to decrease its own gender gap. Before 2022, women made up only 9% of its user base. Today, that number sits around 22%.

“All signs point to it being a very positive thing for the business and, of course, an incredibly positive thing for the sport. And those go hand in hand," Veronneau said.

The commercial success of the Tour de France Femmes is crucial in ensuring the event’s continuation and demonstrating to the A.S.O. that a women’s race is a worthwhile investment. Historically, the organisation hasn’t been the biggest advocate of women’s cycling, arguing that public interest and commercial viability were lacking.

"With A.S.O, to be perfectly frank, it needs to work in their portfolio, as they run the highest profile races,” admitted Veronneau. “Seeing the impact, seeing the fans and the viewership numbers, I think that we've successfully convinced them that women's cycling is a credible, exciting opportunity. This is what fans want. It not only makes them look good, but it achieves their business objectives."

The Future

As is true for women’s cycling in general, the history of a women’s Tour de France has been marred by inconsistency, with promising races vanishing after just a few seasons. However, Veronneau is convinced that the Tour de France Femmes is here to stay.

“The Tour won't go away. Nobody will let that happen. This is too big. Honestly, it's too successful,” said Veronneau. "I've seen such wonderful developments and evolution in their content and in the way that A.S.O is talking about the race. You can definitely feel it. A.S.O. believes in this.”

That doesn’t mean the work is done, however. Veronneau said she’ll be pushing for more extensive broadcasting, investments from other brands and a bigger price purse.

“Now that we have proven that the race is successful and that it is a valuable entity, that needs to get back to the riders,” Veronneau stated. “I firmly believe in that.”

Currently, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift prize purse, set by the A.S.O, is €250,000, with €50,000 for the winner. In contrast, the men’s Tour de France prize purse in 2024 was €2.5 million, with €500,000 for the winner. Of course, the women race for fewer days than the men; still, these numbers equate to €31,250 per stage vs. €119,047 per stage.

Looking ahead, the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will be the longest yet, with nine stages spread over one week and two weekends. That still pales in comparison to the men’s 21 stages. However, few are calling for a three-week race and according to race director Marion Rousse, slow growth is critical to the event’s survival.

“We certainly don’t want to expand too quickly," Rousse told Cycling Weekly. "I want the race to still exist in 100 years' time, and not shut down in a few years. We have to take it little by little.”

Veronneau and Min agreed that as long as the race exists, Zwift wants to be part of it in some way.

“You’re going to see much more Zwift,” Min promised, hinting at possible developments such as a L’Étape du Tour cyclosportive at the Tour de France Femmes in future years.

“Getting more people on bikes, that is our ultimate goal – indoor or outdoors."

When, just a few weeks back, Zwift surprised me with an invite to preview a secret piece of hardware my imagination ran wild. What could it be? My initial reaction, based on the demise of the original Zwift Ride smart bike back in 2022, as well as its relatively recent legal run-in with Wahoo was ‘wow, I thought Zwift was through with hardware’. That spat culminated in a slap on the wrist for patent infringement and the speedy withdrawal of its Zwift Hub One trainer, a piece of kit so new the orange paint was barely dry. Ouch!

Then I remembered Zwift’s equally recent, but genius Play controllers that offer responsive, real-time control of the platform from your handlebars. Of course, that’s it -  Zwift’s a tech company, so this launch is certain to be a truly advanced chunk of gaming ’n training wizardry. Right?

I couldn’t have been more wrong. In many ways, Zwift Ride is the least sophisticated piece of kit to ever feature the Zwift logo, bar its box set of colourful sweat towels. Nevertheless, it’s an impressive piece of product development that has the potential to disrupt the indoor smart bike market. Let me explain why.

Zwift Ride 2.0

Zwift Ride is now an entry-level indoor smart bike that the brand unashamedly says is priced as cheaply as possible. On that premise, it could have been awful, but having spent the last few weeks spinning away on one in my front room every evening I’m happy to report that it’s not. For a smart bike, the concept is actually, well, very clever.

Before Zwift pulled the plug, the original 2022 version was rumoured to be a high-tech marvel with glowing wheels and an aspirational price tag, but this latest product is far from that. So, why has Zwift suddenly surprised us with a new Ride?

Zwift is in the business of signing up subscribers but it recognises that common barriers to entry include the cost, complexity and appearance of the hardware required before you can take your first virtual pedal stroke. At one extreme, you can just about get away with an ugly, rusty old road bike mounted on a cheap turbo, while at the other, big, heavy, complex-looking smart bikes from the likes of Wahoo and Wattbike look more at home in the gym than they do at home. They’re also an investment.

At £1,119/$1,299 Ride is, give or take, half the price of competing bikes from Tacx, Wahoo and Wattbike, though it’s worth noting that the price doesn’t include a subscription to Zwift. Cynics will point out that the Ride is just a steel frameset bolted to a Wahoo Kickr Core, and they’re right up to a point, the concept really isn’t that sophisticated. 

However, when you consider Ride as a vehicle for bringing together all of Zwift’s most recent tech – Zwift Play controllers, Zwift Cog and Zwift’s virtual shifting – in one attractive, easy-to-use package that doesn’t cost the earth, then it begins to look very seductive, especially for beginners.

Meet Zwift Ride

Zwift Ride comprises a frameset that attaches to a bundled Wahoo Kickr Core plus a set of basic flat pedals. Currently, you have to buy the compete package but Zwift says it plans to sell a frameset-only version from the autumn. We don’t yet know which other trainers will be compatible with the frameset but Zwift tells us that it’s working with the 'usual suspects'.

It’s beyond the scope of this piece to include a complete review of the Wahoo Kickr Core but suffice to say that it’s a decent quality mid-level smart trainer. You can find a comprehensive review here, including everything you need to know about the Zwift Cog too.

Integrated into the handlebars are a pair of satellite controllers that provide features identical to Zwift’s bolt-on Play product, but the aesthetic and ergonomics are much improved. In a nutshell, these controllers, together with additional buttons on the levers, enable you to change gear, brake, steer and control various elements of Zwift including navigating the interface, giving Ride Ons and claiming PowerUps - all things that ordinarily demand pressing keys on a nearby laptop. 

Zwift says its product development team has made Ride as easy to use and as easy to live with as possible, with a focus on ‘multi-user, multi-occupancy households’. In other words, if you’re blessed with a partner who’s also a cyclist then they’ll want to have a go too, so it had better be easy to swap riding setups on the fly. Conversely, you may be saddled with a partner who believes you already own too many bikes and cannot understand why, for the love of God, you want to ride one indoors. In both cases Zwift has you covered. 

Dialling in personalised setups for multiple users really couldn’t be any easier. The frameset has just three adjustment points – saddle height, stack and reach – set by tightening bolts at the seat tube, head tube and ‘stem’ with a 6mm hex tool. The supplied pedals also take a 6mm hex, as does the thu-axle that attaches the frame to the Kickr Core. Conveniently, Zwift includes one that neatly stows in a magnetic housing beneath the top tube, presumably to stop it from wandering off to complete other household duties, never to be seen again.

Rather have to best-guess your saddle height and other bike fit credentials, a daunting prospect for many beginners, Zwift has provided a handy table that simplifies these parameters based on height. Find your height on the supplied bike fit card, then read across to discover a single corresponding letter. For example, if you’re 5’10” the letter will be N. Set all three adjustment points to N from a sliding scale of hatch marks and, hey presto, the Zwift Ride should fit perfectly.

Even if your loved ones hate the prospect of having an exercise bike in the house they may warm to the prospect of allowing the Zwift Ride over the threshold. Relatively compact, and painted neutral white with a subtle, silver iridescent metallic logo (yep, that does sound like a contradiction but it’s largely true), it blends into the background better than most.

Better still, it’s remarkably easy to break down, ready to be stored out of sight. The marriage of separate trainer and frame - let’s be kind and call it modular - can be disassembled in less than five minutes, including the removal of the handlebars. With the Kickr Core weighing in at 18kg and the frameset a kilo less, both are light enough to move around the house without troubling an osteopath.

Zwift Ride, the setup

My experience with Zwift Ride started with a knock at the door announcing the delivery of three large packages. Zwift says that shipping a trio of boxes is more manageable for consumers and reduces delivery costs, which will be £50 for UK customers. 

The largest box contains the frameset, with the Kicker Core in the second largest and handlebars, pedals and other components in the smallest. Assembling this smart bike really is quick and easy. The Wahoo trainer just needs its feet bolting on before the frameset, which ships with chainset, chain, saddle and stem in situ, can be quite literally dropped on. 

The interface between the two is very impressive. The driveside dropout includes a chain hook that enables the chain to be stowed when the frame isn’t installed on the trainer. This lifts it clear of the ground, so it won’t mark precious carpets if you rest the frameset down for a moment - also facilitated by a rubber foot that sits beneath the bottom bracket area.

To mount the frameset on the trainer you just line up the dropout housings with the hub spacers and you’re almost done. Secure the union with the thru-axle, release the chain tensioner with a flick, slide the chain from its hook to the single sprocket, flick the chain tensioner back on, thread on the pedals (a label on the cranks shows which way they tighten) and that’s the drivetrain sorted.

Sliding the handlebars onto the tracks in the stem area can be a bit fiddly, but it doesn’t take more than a couple of attempts. The bars are held in place by a simple end cap, or in my case a tablet holder. Both cap and holder are retained by a single bolt and a thick silicone pad covers up the stem adjustment area, providing you with a neat tabletop on which to place a towel or your phone.

According to Zwift’s bike fit calculations I’m a T, a setting that put me in a ‘comfort/endurance’ position with the bars level with the saddle. Saddle height and reach were pretty much spot on, but I decided to drop the bars a bit to more closely replicate the feel of my road bike. You don’t have to follow Zwift’s recommendations, if you want to increase the reach and decrease the stack for ever more aggressive stances then that’s up to you. For novices though, Zwift’s single letter solution works surprisingly well.

Bar width is wide at 42cm and crank length errs on the long side at 170mm. Neither of these components can be adjusted, which is likely to be an issue for shorter riders who already have a pre-defined bike fit which they want to stick to. Beginners may not mind so much, but the set-up is unlikely to be optimal. I found the saddle, which is an unbranded short-nosed model, remarkably comfortable and I suspect most users will too. If not, it can easily be swapped out, as can the pedals.

Powering up the Ride does betray its origins as a hodgepodge of different components and systems. Before you get going you’ll need to install Wahoo’s app to register the Kickr Core, and download any firmware updates.

Then, after switching on the satellite Bluetooth handlebar controllers individually, you’ll have to connect everything up to Zwift’s app, which in my case was running on an iPad Air. Subsequent sessions only require the trainer and satellite controllers to be turned on – they’ll automatically connect to the Zwift app – but it would be handy to have a single button that powers up everything.

The bar controllers are powered by rechargeable batteries with a claimed life of approx 20 hours, which for many of us will be two to three weeks of use. It’s early days, but mine are still going strong on their original charge. Each controller has to be charged individually, but fortunately Zwift supplies a USB Y cable so they can suck juice from the same source.

Zwift Ride, the ride

The Zwift platform aside, three qualities stand out when riding the Ride. Firstly, that slender front leg, which doesn’t look particularly stable, positively adds to the ride feel. I’ve ridden smart bikes in the past that feel completely rigid, locked down. This isn’t one of them, especially when you put some power through the pedals. The movement that’s generated always feels stable and safe, but it is there and I, for one, prefer it. Of course, the legs on the Kickr Core influence this too, so swapping to a different trainer in the future will likely change the feel.

Secondly, the Ride is very quiet, thanks to the single Zwift Cog on the Kickr Core. Of course, my sample Ride came with a freshly factory-greased 9-speed chain installed on a brand-new drivetrain, but even so, it’s impressive how little noise the Ride generates. 

Thirdly, the performance and convenience of Zwift’s virtual gearing is now superb. The release of Ride coincides with a host of improvements to virtual gearing, including the option to choose between SRAM- or Shimano-style 2x12 shifting, and program the buttons on the Ride’s ‘levers’ accordingly. Virtual gear ratios have been tweaked to offer setups for three different terrain types too. For flat routes you can choose 53/39 upfront and a 10-28 cassette, for the middle ground you can take a 48/35 with a 10-33, and for full-on climbing routes there’s 43/10 with 10-36. 

All this with the convenience, low-running costs and quietness of a single cog with a 9-speed chain. 

Back to the ‘levers', it’s already possible to configure buttons for Ride Ons and Power Ups, with the promise of Camera Look Back coming soon. Zwift tells us that it’s working on more user-configurable options for these buttons, to enable riders more interaction with the platform and fellow Zwifters, yet with fewer distractions.

Is there anything I would change? Yes, I found the bar tape too thin and plasticky, so that’s coming off in favour of something with more cushion and better grip under sweaty hands. I’ll also be substituting the bundled pedals with my favourite clipless set, though I appreciate many beginners feel more at home on flats.

Anything I don’t like? Well, it’s impossible to lift and move an assembled Ride even just a few feet without it pivoting on the thru-axle with an annoying scissor-like action. The 42-centimetre bars and 170mm cranks may also be a compromise too far for smaller riders, or those who are used to a narrower stance at the front. 

That said, there’s very little I’d want to see altered on the Ride, certainly nothing that would trigger a price increase. It’s just so well-thought out and convenient to use as it is. I love all the little features - the chain hook, the magnetic hex key housing, the ‘badge of honour’ on the head tube that can be updated to mark your Zwifting achievements, the simple bike fit system, the easy grab bottle cages, the towel table. Then, of course, there are the big things that have existed before but are now brought together in one coherent package – virtual shifting, the single cog, the bar controllers that make using Zwift’s interactive features less heavy-handed and more dextrous.

Zwift Ride: our verdict

It may not be the Zwift Ride that we expected two years ago, but in the meantime Zwift has played smart by pulling its existing tech together into a package that has great appeal. Adding to that allure is the price, which undercuts the competition by a huge margin. Cynics will argue that it’s just a frame on a trainer, but it’s genuinely more than that. For novices intimidated by the complexity and cost of a traditional Zwift setup, the Ride is a no-brainer.

A new climb, 'The Grade' is set to debut on Zwift this June, as part of Watopia's recent addition, the Southern Coast.

The extension to the virtual world is just one of a slew of features announced on Tuesday: a new way of queuing up workouts, 'My List', is coming in the next update; a refresh of the heads-up display (HUD); and better integration with other training platforms and coaching services.

The Grade is "designed to be a testing climb for Zwifters", and connects the Southern Coast up with the Epic KOM climb via a "direct, very steep passage. According to Zwift, the expansion will launch with several new routes for exploration, training and racing.

My List is a new way of selecting workouts in advance. Using the Companion app, riders can browse the library of Zwift workouts and routes, and add them to their queue in advance, which will then be shown on the Zwift home screen when users log in.

The HUD update, due to launch this summer, will allow users to customise the data fields shown in the top-left of the screen. You will be able to choose from speed, average power, power-to-weight ratio, cadence and heart rate. The mini-map is also set for a refresh, with "greater clarity" on route progression promised.

A new 'climb mode' will also be present on the fresh HUD, with a dynamic profile display on screen during efforts, using the same shading as the profiles on the Climb Portal.

Better integration with third-party training platforms and coaching services comes through a new API, called training connections. Workouts built outside of Zwift will be able to be used on the platform. It will be launched with a few launch partners, which have not been announced yet, and other providers will be able to sign up later this year.

Also teased in Tuesday's update was this year's Tour de France collaboration, with the most iconic climbs from this year's men's and women's races available on the Climb Portal. With the Tour de France Femmes finishing on Alpe d'Huez this August, there will also be special events on Zwift's Alpe du Zwift during the race.

Earlier this year, Cycling Weekly revealed that Zwift might be about to release its first velodrome map.

Leaked screenshots, shared by users on Zwift’s forum page, appear to show an avatar of the company’s CEO, Eric Min, riding alone on a virtual wooden track. However, this has not yet been announced.

This article is part of a series called ‘A love letter to…’, where Cycling Weekly writers pour praise on their favourite cycling items and share the personal connection they have with them. In this case, it is a break-up letter.

The moment felt symbolic. I pulled out the thru axle, lifted my bike frame off the trainer, and dropped it back onto the rear wheel, which had been gathering dust against my bedroom wall. Wow, I thought. So that’s what it looks like put together. 

Then, straining my noodle-like arms, I picked up my Zwift Hub One and packed it away in its box. It had been a long winter, a particularly challenging one for me too, but just as the Coca-Cola advert signals the start of the festive season, the re-boxing marked the dawn of brighter days. 

Five months have now passed since I first received my indoor trainer. I planned to win the Cycling Weekly 10-mile time trial, which takes place on Zwift every Wednesday. The task at hand was mammoth, the ambition wildly naive. My power numbers were average at best, and I was up against racing royalty in Dr Hutch, a former multiple British champion. 

For a month or so, I trained hard. I even got my heart rate to 200 beats per minute at one point, which Google told me afterwards was "dangerously" high. The risks, I figured, would pay off when race day came. Did I win? Not even close. I finished almost five minutes adrift, 29th from a field of 72. 

My fitness, however, was at an all-time high. I was so proud of it that I started watching what I ate at Christmas, and set out to go dry of alcohol in January. Winter miles mean summer smiles, after all. I’ll be flying when the sun comes out. 

Then disaster struck. For all the power I had gained on Zwift, I hadn’t had to corner on a bike in weeks. One cold, windy night, riding my single speed through the city, I slid out on a bend, crashed to the floor, and broke my face in three places, fractured my wrist too. 

Days later, I underwent surgery. Recovering in bed, the cast on my arm felt cumbersome and itchy, its vinegary odour an unpleasant extra. Nigh on a month passed before I could return to exercise, and I was scared. Scared of the elements outdoors, the sightless evenings, and the tarmac that caused me such damage.

My Zwift journey, I thought, had ended with the final pedal stroke of my race. But, weak and afraid, my trainer offered me a lifeline - a safe path back to fitness. I climbed back on the saddle and, whincing at the slighest pressure on my broken wrist, started to spin again. 

This Sunday, our clocks go forward an hour, marking the start of British Summer Time. The afternoons will feel longer, they’ll be brighter, and the temperature will start to rise through the double figures. Now, it’s time to head outside. It’s time for me to say farewell to Zwift. 

If my trainer were sentient, I would open up its box, look fondly down at it, and tell it that our parting is not forever. I’ll see you again in six months, I would say. Maybe a single tear would fall from its sprocket. Thank you for all your help this winter, I would continue, but summer is for outdoors. 

Virtual cycling platform Zwift might be about to release its first velodrome map, leaked screenshots suggest. 

The images, shared by users on Zwift’s forum page, appear to show an avatar of the company’s CEO, Eric Min, riding alone on a virtual wooden track. 

The map appears nestled in Watopia, and is titled ‘Velodrome 500m’, implying it is twice the size of a standard 250m Olympic track. 

For years, Zwift users have been calling for a velodrome within the platform, which is already loaded with climbs and road routes. In 2020, Min said that a track map would take time to develop, and would only come once steering had been introduced into gameplay. 

"You know, the thing about the velodrome is you need steering," the CEO told Zwiftcast. "I think once you have steering, then I think it opens up the possibility, because without steering it’s just not fun.

"A running track is different. But I would say, once we nail the steering, then the velodrome - or our version of a velodrome - could be pretty interesting. 

"I would like it but I think you need the steering because then you can play with the effects, like how hard you steer could drive [coming down the banking]. To me, that would be fun." 

Last June, Zwift solved the steering conundrum with its £99 ($99) Zwift Play controllers. These small devices attach to the inside of a rider’s handlebars, and feature paddles to change direction and brake. 

"From launch, Zwifters will be able to steer in events and in freeride mode, allowing rides to clip every apex," a press release read. Now, it seems they might be able to ride on a track, too. 

A velodrome map in Zwift would open up a realm of new training and racing opportunities. With drafting already a feature in the app, users could compete in bunch events, such as a points or scratch race, conserving energy within the group to use in the sprints. 

Some users might also like to try their hand at pursuiting, or attempt a virtual Hour Record. Track sprinting, particularly when paired with a Wattbike, could also make a fun addition to the platform. 

It is uncertain at this stage when, if at all, a velodrome map will be released. Asked by Cycling Weekly for more clarity on the leaked screenshots, a Zwift spokesperson elusively replied: "Must have been a glitch in the matrix!" 

With Zwift no longer the platform of choice for the UCI Esports World Championships, the popular indoor riding software has doubled down on making its own premier event for Zwifters: the Zwift Games. 

The inuagural Zwift Games will be a month-long series of rides and races for all levels. Anyone can take part in the five-stage series, which runs from March 1-17 and offers make-up events from March 18-31. Those who compete in all five stages will be eligible to take part in the general classification challenge to achieve their best combined time over the month by completing any stage more than once.

In-game registration for the five-stage series is now open and online registration opens on Monday, February 26. 

When a rider completes a stage, “exclusive unlocks” will be made available, and each stage is broken into gender categories and includes a mix of sprint, endurance and climbing stages. Overall positions for the Zwift Games will be housed on Zwift Power.

One of the main draws of Zwift is its fantastical “worlds” that can be explored via the many routes offered through Watopia. To sweeten the deal of the Zwift Games, Zwift is releasing four new routes as part of its five-stage series: 

• Stage 1: Loop de Loop - 24.9km/lap (two laps) with 289M of elevation gain 
• Stage 2: Jurassic Coast - 19.5km with 212M of elevation gain
• Stage 3 A&B: Zwift Games 2024 Epic - 81.5km with 878M of elevation gain
• Stage 3 C&D: Three Little Sisters - 37.7km with 434M of elevation gain
• Stage 4: Glasgow Crit Circuit (not a new course) - 15.3km with 166M of elevation gain
• Stage 5 A&B: Road to Sky (not a new course)  - 17.3km with 1,047M of elevation gain
• Stage 5 C&D: Mountain Mash - 5.9km with 335M of elevation gain

A race for elite racers and amateurs alike

Not only is the Zwift Games giving any rider the chance to compete in its five-stage series, the Games is also hosting 300 elite riders from 33 countries to compete in the Zwift Games Elite Championship. 

The Elite Championship includes a Sprint Championship on Loop de Loop, an Epic Championship on Jurassic Coast and Climb Championship on Glasgow Crit Circuit. These cyclists aren’t just riding for bragging rights - they’re riding for cold, hard cash and the ultimate prize of a $10,000 and a gold-painted Wahoo Kickr Bike. 

Among the elite riders on the start list is Kristen Kulchinsky, a three-time representative of Team USA at the UCI Esports World Championship, and four other Team USA members.

Live racing

The Elite Championship races will be broadcast live on the Zwift YouTube channel and will be held at the following days and times:

The Rewards

Elite Zwifters aren't just racing for bragging rights - there are some tantalizing rewards on the line that just might make one eke out a few extra watts in the name of a podium. 

There are cash prizes for first through third place in all elite championship races with equal prize money and perks for both men and women. The prize purse allocation is as follows:

Whether you are a casual Zwifter or an elite esports competitor, the Zwift games is certainly upping the ante for what it means to be part of a virtual cycling festival. Don't forget to register before March 1 if you're looking to be part of the inaugural Zwift Games.

 Virtual cycling platform Zwift today announced a fresh round of workforce reductions. This news comes less than a year after its last round layoffs, which saw a world-wide staff reduction of 15 percent. Adding to the challenges, the platform faced a setback as cycling's governing body, the UCI, inked a multi-year agreement with MyWhoosh, relinquishing World Championship rights to the UAE-based company.

At the time of publishing, Zwift had not shared the extent of the workforce cuts, but did reveal that changes will affect all areas of business and that co-CEO Kurt Beidler has chosen to resign and Eric Min will now continue as sole CEO.

“This was difficult news to deliver and we regret having to part ways with some incredibly talented and passionate people. Their contributions to our mission were substantial and we’re grateful for their work,” Zwift shared in a statement on its forum.

As with many other companies in the bike industry, layoffs and drastic changes stem from the post-pandemic downturn. 

“Growth has not rebounded at a fast enough pace to justify all of the investments that we have been making. As a result, we are taking action to become leaner with a continued focus on delivering great experiences for our community,” Zwift states.

Yet Zwift was quick to reassure its staff, stakeholder and global community of virtual riders that “business is healthy and our community is growing.”

In its quest for sustainable growth, the platform strives to become “more agile and focused,  while also promising exciting developments in the months ahead.

Despite the setbacks, Zwift remains committed to its sponsorship of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift through 2025, of which the company is very proud.

“We are committed to this sponsorship and to supporting the continued growth of women’s cycling,” Zwift states. 

Cycling Weekly reached out to Zwift for a comment and will update the article as more information becomes available. 

Occasionally, an extraordinary athlete comes along who, despite their immense talent and success, isn't satisfied by victories and results alone. A cyclist driven by purpose, fueled by the potential to impact the world off the bike, and whose life experiences guide their perspective. 

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio is such a cyclist who, nearing the end of her own successful career, is using her experiences and platform to help the next generation. Initially slated to retire at the end of 2022, Moolman-Pasio extended her career to help others on and off the bike. 

"My leadership and mentorship is the reason why I'm still around," the South African told The Virtual Velo Podcast.

Moolman-Pasio extended her contract with the Belgian AG Insurance - Soudal Quickstep through 2024, which was recently promoted to the Women's WorldTour. Through its NXTG project, the team hopes to create a sustainable approach to women's cycling by supporting a U23 team to bridge the gap between junior and elite. Moolman-Pasio is undoubtedly a valuable mentor. 

Out of the saddle, the South African is using her professional road racing success and distinction as the first UCI World Champion in Cycling Esports as a platform for change, building centers in her homeland to empower African women through e-cycling and computer learning. 

On the Bike Success

Currently 37, Moolman-Pasio continues to be one of the peloton's best climbers. She won the inaugural Tour de Romandie Féminin in 2022, becoming the first African to win a stage race on the UCI Women's World Tour. She finished solo across the line in the Queen stage, beating then-world champion Annemiek van Vleuten on the final climb, proving to herself that she could still win at the highest level while also devoting time to make an impact off the bike. 

Moolman-Pasio's palmares is impressive and includes multiple Olympic and Commonwealth Games appearances, countless South African and African Continental titles, and podiums at the Giro Rosa, La Flèche Wallonne Féminine, and La Course by Le Tour de France.

Moolman-Pasio came late to professional cycling, picking up the sport while attaining a degree in chemical engineering from Stellenbosch University at the urging of now-husband and semi-professional XTERRA triathlete Carl Pasio. The couple owns Rocacorba Cycling, a cyclotourism business in Girona, Spain, located at the base of the Rocacorba climb, where Moolman-Pasio holds the Strava QOM. 

From Brain Injury to Purpose

An unfortunate life experience instilled a sense of purpose early on in Moolman-Pasio. She suffered a severe traumatic brain injury during a horseback riding accident in her final year of grade school in South Africa. Doctors told her family that after emerging from a ten-day-long coma, she would have severe brain damage. 

With speech slurred and inadvertently skipping words, she relied on her faith, reciting the Lord's prayer each night until she finally got it right. Overcoming the adversity of a prolonged recovery made her realize that she was on the earth for something bigger. 

"I had a strong sense of purpose, and then I was introduced to cycling, and it became clear," affirms Moolman-Pasio.

She fully realized the vision during the COVID-19 pandemic when the hard lockdown in Spain opened her eyes to the potential of the virtual cycling world and the connection with a worldwide community of female cyclists it provided. Moolman-Pasio hosted weekly virtual group rides for her Rocacorba Cycling clients, which grew into much more. She found that the attendees asked intimate questions they wouldn't otherwise address in the real world. Moolman-Pasion realized that women were more open to expressing themselves while riding online when one of the ladies said, "My avatar has no shame."

"Virtual cycling creates an opportunity for growing female participation and empowerment because they feel safer and more confident interacting with other riders on a trainer in the comfort of their home," Moolman-Pasion says. 

That's how the Rocacorba Collective was born. It's an extension of Rocacorba Cycling, the cycling tourism business based in Girona, a global virtual community. While Moolman-Pasio was building on the momentum of her global influence, female road cycling was experiencing an evolution.

Turning Point For Women's Cycling

"The pandemic was a turning point for women's cycling because of the racing in the virtual world," she asserts.

When Zwift hosted the Virtual Tour de France in July 2020, it marked the first time that the race had pure gender equality. The women's field raced the same stages and course lengths and received media coverage similar to men's. It elevated women's cycling to an equal level with men's cycling for the most iconic road race in the world, and it was the first time that the Tour de France put its name on women's cycling.

Moolman-Pasio says her life forever changed after winning the Queen stage following a hard-fought battle up the virtual Mont Ventoux against her now-teammate Sarah Gigante. When the lockdown lifted, fans and the general public noticed her; people stopped her for pictures and autographs during training rides. The real-life Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift came in 2022.

"It's a real game-changer," she says. 

When racing resumed following the pandemic, Moolman-Pasio reclaimed her position as one of the best in the world. Despite her success, she acknowledges that the odds are against a rider from South Africa winning the World Championship. When the UCI and Zwift made it accessible, she seized the opportunity.

The First UCI Cycling Esports World Champion

Moolman-Pasio became the inaugural UCI Cycling Esports World Championship in 2020, edging Australia's Gigante again on the virtual roads of Zwift. 

"All of the pros in the peloton respect the world title and the ability to get esports results because they all tried it during the pandemic and know how difficult it is," she says.

Moolman-Pasio is proud of her Esports World Championship title and for being a pioneer in the space. She is confident the sport will get to the Olympics and distinguish itself as a unique cycling discipline. 

"Virtual cycling is more relatable and accessible than road racing, which causes a stronger connection and inspires me as an athlete," she shares, and "the impact fuels me to keep going."

Moolman-Pasio uses her status in the pro peloton and virtual cycling world to break down barriers for women in her home country of South Africa. 

Creation of E-cycling Centers in Native South Africa

The next step in activating the Rocacorba Collective's purpose involves collaborating with Khaltsha Cycles, a bike shop operating out of shipping containers in Khayelitsha Township. The partnership aims to make cycling more accessible to underprivileged communities by reducing barriers, including safety concerns related to traffic or crime.

In Cape Town, South Africa, Khalscha Cycles identified 30 girls from Khayelitsha township and, with the support of the partnership, enabled them to participate in the Cape Town Bike Tour, the largest timed cycling event worldwide. jump-started her career by winning the event in 2012.

It paved the way for plans to establish E-Centers, which are indoor training and computer learning centers, serving as a blueprint for outreach to more underprivileged communities throughout the continent. The initiative provides essential resources such as a strong Wi-Fi connection and computer screens, making virtual cycling accessible and facilitating education and fitness.

In Khayelitsha, riding a bike is not the norm, but it provides confidence that translates to other areas of life, and Moolman-Pasio wants to offer a platform and opportunity. She aims to change the narrative for African girls by ensuring the circumstances they were born into don't dictate their future or define them through their current environment. The ultimate vision is to forge a pathway for African women to compete in Europe. 

"The bike is the equalizer that brings people together," she says, "but the virtual cycling world is the web that connects us."

It’s 10pm on a Tuesday, and I’m sitting in the bathtub at my girlfriend’s house, shaving my legs. She said the process would take me five minutes, but almost an hour has passed and I’m still here, struggling to navigate the razor around the lumpy contours of my knees. 

I finish up, spritz my shins with the shower head, and return to the living room. “Why did you do that?” my girlfriend asks. “It’s my big race tomorrow,” I respond, my legs as smooth as the day I was born. “I need to get race ready.” 

For those of you who haven’t been following my progress, let me distill it here for you. Around a month ago, I pledged to get into the best shape of my life using Zwift, and win the Cycling Weekly virtual 10-mile time trial. I had never used the training app before, but it was, I thought, a quick-fire way to get my name in the results pages of our magazine. 

I got in touch with a specialist, three-time Olympic time trial champion Kristin Armstrong, for some advice, and my biggest takeaway was that I needed to learn to suffer. 

There was also something else from our conversation that stuck with me. “You should get ready for a race indoors like you would for one outside,” Armstrong told me. “Sometimes, they say for job interviews you should dress up, even if it’s a phone interview, because you present yourself a little bit more professional.” 

And that is why, like an aspiring accountant putting on a tie for a phone call, I decided to shave my legs. 

It’s a mental thing, really, a way to trick myself into thinking I’m a high-calibre racer. There is of course little (see: absolutely no) benefit to shaving your legs for a Zwift race, I am aware of that, but suddenly I felt as slippery as Filippo Ganna, and maybe that would help me channel some of his power. 

I’d need it, after all. For my race week, the course for the time trial was ‘Tick Tock’, one of the flattest on Zwift. Winners on that course tend to average around 400 watts. Less than a month ago, I could barely do that in a sprint. 

On Armstrong’s advice, I spent days doing recons of the course, as I would do for an outdoor event. For each of my last few training rides, I transported myself to Tick Tock and memorised all the key elements of the landscape: the waterfall, the giant green dinosaur, the remote highway town that reminds me of Radiator Springs from the Disney film Cars. Then, in the second half of my race, there would be a series of underwater tunnels, something that seldom features in the great British time trial scene. 

The night before, as I slip into bed with my newly shaved legs, disaster starts to brew. I’m ill, I realise. I try to sleep it off, but at 2am, I’m sitting upright with my face over a boiling mug of Lemsip. Not now, please. I try to reassure myself. Remco Evenepoel won the time trial at the Giro d’Italia with Covid, I remember. I’m stronger than a sniffly cold. 

When I log into my race the next day, I’m too nervous to think about the fact I’m getting sick. I flick on my playlist, and with five minutes to go, Fatboy Slim’s ‘Right Here, Right Now’ quickly dials my heart rate into race pace. 

More and more people join, their avatars bobbing by the start line. A raft more then tune in with seconds to go. Three, two, one. As the flag drops, the song switches to Slipknot’s ‘Duality’. “I push my fingers into my eyes,” sings Corey Taylor. I chose this song as my opener to remind me to hurt, to harness the pain. I bring my cadence up, kick over 350 watts and take a deep breath. 

As I watch the screen ahead of me, almost immediately, I realise I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. The Cycling Weekly time trial is a mass start event, allowing you to pick people off as you shift around the course. Right from the gun, around 20 of the 70-odd riders competing blasted up the road, never to be seen again. There goes my big victory, I think to myself, the one I said in my last article I was “guaranteed” to taste. I’ll eat the humble pie later. 

In the meantime, it’s time to race. I settle in and readjust my goals. As things are playing out, I find myself around the middle of the field. If I can tag a handful of riders and make the top 30, I’ll count that as a win. 

My heart rate rises and rises. I stare blankly at the numbers on my screen. 185 beats per minute. My power data teeters between 260 and 300 watts. The sweat, my word, the sweat. I turn my fan up a notch, and try desperately to hang onto my high cadence. 

As I get to the halfway mark, and the water tunnels appear, my playlist deals me an ironic blow with Linkin Park’s ‘Faint’. I thought it would be funny when I picked the songs. It doesn’t seem so funny now. I swig my water, go back to the bottle for seconds, and pedal as hard as I can. 

Three miles to go. This is crunch time. This is where I find out if I’ve timed my effort well or burned the candle down with a blowtorch. There are figures up ahead. I set my sights on them, crank up my pace, and work my way around them. I smile as my avatar brushes past theirs. This is great fun. 

With the finish line in sight, there’s one final doomed soul I’m determined to tag. My legs are screaming, and as my heart tries to pound through my ribcage, I manage to lay down over 400 watts. I whirr past the rider in front with just a handful of pedal turns to go. Bet they wish they shaved their legs now, I cackle. Then comes the sweet release of the finish line. 

I gave it everything I had. I bow my head and gasp, loudly, for something to breathe in the stuffy air of my bedroom. When I look back up, the race results are on my screen. 

I finished a valiant 29th out of 71 (it didn’t actually say valiant, I added that bit). I did not win, my name will not appear in the magazine, but I feel I’ve made enormous progress, and a sense of pride absorbs me. 

My race data confirms what I thought. In just a month of training, my FTP has gone from 252 watts to 265, my watts per kilogram rising from 3.2 to 3.5. I am, factually, a more powerful rider, and I feel it, too. 

When I think about my main takeaways from a winter on Zwift, it’s the data that stands out to me. Thanks to indoor training, I have done more winter miles than I have ever done in my life. I spent hours on end in Watopia, sharing the virtual tarmac with tens of thousands of like-minded people, all with their own fitness goals. 

Until recently, the only number I took note of was my average speed. Now I know my heart rate zones, threshold power and estimated VO2 max (I won’t be winning the Tour de France anytime soon, either). Put simply, I understand myself and my cycling better.

This may have been my first experience of racing on Zwift, but it won’t be my last. Expect to see me at a Zwift race near you. I’ll be the one with the freshly shaved legs, cranking loud nu-metal music, and having a generally great time hurting myself. 

An endurance cyclist from New York has climbed over 4 million feet (1.2million meters) on his bike in the past calendar year, the equivalent height of 138 Mount Everests. 

Keith Roy does the majority of his riding on the indoor training app Zwift, pedalling for up to 10 hours a day as he works from home. 

This year, he has chalked up over 50,000 miles (80,000km) in the saddle. 

“I sort of just did it by accident,” the 37-year-old told Cycling Weekly, pausing his morning Zwift workout to answer the phone. “I just ride whenever I have the opportunity to ride and just keep pushing myself further than I had before.

“At the beginning of this year, just for the heck of it, instead of riding for mileage, I started riding some hills on Zwift during the off-season. My friend was like, 'You're ahead of the world record pace for climbing right now, if you keep this up all year long you could do that.' 

"I was like, 'Are you serious?' Then he gave me the numbers and broke it down for me, and I just kept climbing." 

Roy, who works for a medical software firm, says he doesn’t train to race, but rather for enjoyment.

“I don’t do it for a purpose,” he said. “Once in a while, you hit that wall and you don’t want to keep going, but I just push through it. Probably the toughest thing is when you get a saddle sore, and it’s a miserable time sitting on the saddle. Other than that, I just keep moving.” 

Earlier this year, Roy became the first Zwift user to accumulate one year’s worth of ride time. He has now spent over 400 days of his life on the platform. 

“I just ride until I’m uncomfortable and then stop,” he explained. “I actually ride inside in basketball shorts because I find it more comfortable. I was having more skin irritation and more problems in cycling shorts than I do in a traditional pair of shorts.” 

A former bodybuilder, Roy turned to cycling in 2015 as a way to integrate more cardio into his exercise. “From there, I just never stopped,” he said.

Now, he eats around a tub of peanut butter a day to fuel the long hours he spends on his bike. 

The New Yorker's focus now is on his streaks. He is currently on a 450-day streak of 100-mile rides and hopes to reach 500 days for the second time. "And maybe beat my own record," he said, "which was 666 days. But I don’t know. We’ll see how that goes.” 

He has also set himself the challenge of doing a virtual Everesting - climbing 29,031ft (8,848m) in a single activity - by the end of the year.

“You’ve put me on the spot now,” he laughed when Cycling Weekly pointed out he had accumulated the equivalent height of 138 Everests. “The embarrassing part about this statistic is that I haven't actually Everested this year. Now I have to finish one by the end of the year. 

"I’ve got to do at least one this year, right?” 

“Hi. Can you hear me?” I ask. In the middle of my screen, as the Zoom call starts up, sits Kristin Armstrong, one of the greatest time trialists of all time. She toggles with her microphone settings and returns a smile. “Yes,” she says. “How you doing?” 

Armstrong has been to four Olympic games, and won three gold medals, taking consecutive time trial titles in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Now, she runs two fitness centres and coaches. She recently helped Chloé Dygert to world titles on the road and track. 

Her latest athlete, however, is a more challenging prospect. Her latest athlete is me.

As we exchange pleasantries, I am distracted by the wall display behind her. Three bikes - the ones she used in her gold-medal-winning rides - hang suspended, alongside three framed Team USA skinsuits. 

I’m not after Olympic medals, though. As I laid out in my first article of this series, I want to win Cycling Weekly’s 10-mile virtual time trial on Zwift, and get my name in the results pages of the magazine. I need all the advice I can get. Fortunately for me, I’m sitting opposite an expert, and she’s about to give me over an hour’s worth of tips and tricks. 

“Time trialling is between your ears,” Armstrong tells me. “Your fitness is important, but it’s how much you can suffer.” 

In Zwift races, she explains, there is no rest. “Outdoors, when we take corners, we have to set up the corner to take that turn. On Zwift, it doesn’t matter. You’re not going to crash your indoor bike. You have to power through those corners. And just like the corners, you have to push the downhills.” 

Immediately, I’m scribbling down notes. I nod along as I write, pretending that none of this is new information to me. 

“How often are you planning to ride?” Armstrong asks. Three to four times a week, I reply, depending on how much binge drinking I have scheduled in my calendar. The second part I choose not to say aloud.  

“Ok,” she says. “I would definitely try to get outdoors for a longer ride, where you can pedal for longer and get that efficiency. Then I would focus on two days of intervals on Zwift. Then that last day, whether it’s indoors or outdoors, I would make sure your mind is focused on cadence or something not too stressful. Two days a week of hard work is enough.”

Two days of hard work sounds good to me. 

I begin with two of Zwift’s own workouts, of which there are hundreds on the platform. The first one goes smoothly, the second is a disaster. 

The first one I pick is ‘FTP Boosters’ - a bunch of efforts just below my newly-established FTP of 252 watts, with some hard 15-second efforts at 375 watts. It’s tough, but I tick through each interval, my legs tiring and arms pouring with sweat. I finish the workout, Zwift deals me a ‘Congrats!’ and an enormous sense of accomplishment washes over me.  

I cannot remember the name of the second workout. Sigmund Freud might say that’s because my mind has pushed it deep into my unconscious, to protect me from the traumatic memory. All I remember was it was a VO2 max thing, and it broke me. 

No matter how hard I kicked, I couldn’t meet the 300 watts Zwift asked me to sustain. In one of the intervals, my heart rate shot over 200bpm, and I began to grunt like a birthing cow. This came to the severe disturbance of my housemates, who were sitting in the living room on the other side of the wall, trying to watch Taskmaster re-runs. 

One of my housemates sought to reassure me afterwards, telling me about a study he read that found that making noise is good for power output. I think he was just trying to be nice. All three of them now joke daily about my “bike noises”. 

Defeated, I packed that workout in at the halfway point, and decided to make my own. 

Armstrong had explained that you can build your own intervals on Zwift, and she suggested I focus on a few shorter blocks, as concentration can be trickier to hold indoors. 

This is how I came up with my new favourite workout. I went for a 4x4 - four blocks at 110% of my FTP, with four minutes of rest in between. The first two intervals were a breeze, but the sting quickly came, and by the end, I was doing small burps in my mouth - the kind I do when I’ve drunk too much lager at the pub and I’m working out an emergency exit route to the bathroom. 

Slight aside here, but during those moments of the workout, I find that listening to nu-metal music helps. Zwift has helped me rekindle my teenage love of Slipknot and Limp Bizkit, and as I push through my final blocks, I mix my “bike noises” with singing lyrics. The pain helps me deliver the lines with the same vim as Corey Taylor or Fred Durst. 30 seconds left of my final interval. “It’s my way or the highway!” I shout. 

Pain, after all, is important in training. It goes back to what Armstrong was saying about time trialling being “between your ears”. 

“You have to change your mentality to, ‘Oh my gosh, I have to hurt in order to win this bike race’,” she told me. “Then it’s almost like a gift, you’re like, ‘Yes, I’m in the zone. I’m hurting. I have to hurt in order to win. I’m going hard enough.’ If you don’t hurt, you cannot tell me you’re going hard enough.” 

Now, when I get to those final efforts, I make sure to dig really deep.

As the weeks have gone by, I’ve switched up my workouts, always coming back to my reliable 4x4. I’ve tried a few more of Zwift’s readymade ones, enjoying in particular ‘Knife-edge’ and one named after Giro d’Italia winner Tao Geoghegan Hart, which is specific for improving time trialling. 

For the first time in a long time, I’m riding in excess of 100km a week. This will sound like child’s play to some readers, but cut me some slack - these are some of the most intense kilometres I’ve ever ridden. 

With each turn of the cranks, I keep my ultimate goal in mind. The 10-mile time trial. I’ve got my workouts nailed and a notepad brimming with advice from an Olympic champion. All I’ve got to do now is ride the fastest 10 miles of my life, hope that nobody else shows up, and glory will be mine. 

Zwift users will soon be able to choose any gender of avatar to be displayed on the screen as they ride, as part of a series of updates to the indoor cycling software this winter, announced on Tuesday.

Riders will no longer be tied to the gender of their profile when riding around in Watopia, with any avatar able to be chosen when using the app. However, users will still only be allowed to enter events that match their gender.

All of the existing avatars will get a "new look" with a refresh in February, although it is unclear at present what the change will be.

"With Avatar Choice, you’ll be able to choose between all of Zwift’s available avatar types," a press release from Zwift read. "Zwifters will no longer only see the avatars that correlate to the gender selected in your profile. Instead, cyclists can choose any avatar. 

"While we’re excited to let Zwifters choose any avatar they’d like, event categories will still match the gender of the rider’s profile for social events and racing, no matter which avatar is selected. Male profiles will only be able to enter male and open events. Female profiles will be able to enter female and open events, even if a woman chooses a male-presenting avatar."

A spokesperson for Zwift said: "Zwift always takes community feedback on board when we're planning and designing new features to add to the game.

"However, the Avatar Selection feature was added to Zwift so that players can have similar avatar options to what other video games offer."

With inclement weather in December, it's a good thing that the best indoor training apps for cycling are being regularly updated with new features to keep you entertained and motivated. 

Other upcoming Zwift updates include the ability for Apple watches to be compatible with the app as heart rate monitors, while riders will be able to find and queue routes and workouts via the Companion app.

The Tour de Zwift will return in January, which will see users able to visit routes which are otherwise inaccessible, and the ability to win a bucket hat for your avatar, before the brand new Zwift Games comes to the platform in February to March.

"This new event will be the largest event of its kind and is designed to give any member of the community a chance to enjoy fun and challenging racing," the press release said.

There will be races for ordinary and elite participants. On the first three weekends of March, the world's best male and female Zwifters will take on the same courses as the community in a bid to be crowned the Zwift Games Elite Sprint, Epic, and Climb champions. The overall best male and female athletes will become the first Zwift Games All Round Champions.

As of last week, it has become easier to level up on Zwift, with the top level increased to 100, and the number of XP needed to progress at each level reduced. 

There is also a new 'ride streaks' feature, through which anyone who rides two or more times in a week will be rewarded with additional XP, which increases for each week in a streak, up to a bonus 500 points for every ride.

The Climb Portal, introduced in July to allow Zwifters to ride virtual 'real' climbs, also now features the ability to scale the difficulty of the route, whether you want it to be at 50%, 75%, 100%, or a monumental 125% of the original climb.

The indoor training app for cycling also recently released the Zwift Hub One, a first-of-its-kind smart trainer that uses a single sprocket instead of a cassette, enabling 8-12 speed bikes to easily partake in any of Zwift’s worlds and routes. 

The words ‘crazy’, ‘indoor’ and ‘cyclist’ are commonly found furnishing the same sentence, forming questions like: how does anyone sit on an indoor bike for hour upon hour without once breaching the four walls of their garage or utility room? For those of us not yet bitten by the indoor cycling bug, it’s tempting to assume that these cycling shut-ins have had a screw come loose. 

But with smart-trainers gracing more and more homes, it’s apparent that riding indoors is not only acceptable these days but quite the norm. In Cycling Weekly’s recent reader survey, 70% said they train or race indoors at least occasionally. But as we’re about to find out, some riders take virtual reality riding to a level far beyond dodging a drenching outdoors. We speak to a selection of riders fanatical about indoor pedalling and ask about the method, as well as the motivation, to their madness.

One of the longest ever rides

Dr Alex Stavrinides’s epic Zwift ride, in which he achieved an incredible 1,851km in a single sitting, started in a galaxy far, far away… 

“If you watch all the Star Wars films end-to-end,” says 42-year-old Stavrinides, “you can watch them all in 24 hours. So I thought I’d try and watch them all while Everesting.” The Audax aficionado had, like many cyclists, begun to embrace the indoor riding platform during the Covid-19 lockdown, and his trip to the Dark Side was just the beginning of a series of mammoth virtual excursions. 

After completing a 1,000km ride, the cogs in his brain, as well as those on his wheels, started turning, and Nottingham-based Stavrinides decided that 2,000km was within the realms of his capabilities. But that 1,000km leap was going to take some committed training. 

“I would do two hours Monday morning; five-hours-plus Tuesday nights; Wednesdays I would have off; and Thursday and Friday mornings I’d do two hours, “ says Stavrinides of his build-up to the the distance. The lion’s share of his riding was at endurance pace, 210- 220 watts, and he calculated when he’d begin to plateau, having reached optimal fitness for the attempt. “When I was able to comfortably ride for five hours, or 200km, on Tuesday evening, I knew I was making progress,” Stavrinides recalls. 

On to the main event, then, which he undertook on the pan-flat Tempus Fugit course in Zwift’s Watopia, astride a virtual Pinarello Dogma F10. His plan was to average 30kph. Sitting at a steady speed, he decided, would be a better barometer of the overall effort than wattage. From the outset, though, things didn’t run anywhere near as smooth as Tempus Fugit’s blacktop. 

“The early stages, the first 400- 500km, I did throw up several times. The digestion wasn’t sitting quite right. I had to adjust things to get that to work,” says Stavrinides. So what fuelling strategy did he eventually plump for? “Things like fruit cocktails, salty rice and rice pudding worked really well, so I kind of kept the stuff that worked and added variety just to break it up.” 

Spending such a protracted period of time in the saddle, though, is bound to present problems, regardless of whether or not your diet is dialled in. “It got to a certain point, on the last morning, that I realised that my saddle was hurting,” he recalls with a grimace. “I was convinced the bolt had moved and the angle was wrong. But what had actually happened was that, through the riding, I’d lost soft tissue to the point that my sit bones were sitting slightly differently.” Over the latter stages, he admits that sustaining just 100 watts “felt like death”. 

Reaching and breaching the pain barrier, he called it at 1,851km, beating Jasmin Muller’s distance by 23km but falling short of Chris Hopkinson’s 2,500km. A real stormtrooper of a ride.

Longest total time on Zwift

Keith Roy of Auburn, New York, unassumingly became the first ever Zwift user to complete an entire year, or 8,760 hours, of rides on the platform.

“I started using Zwift towards the end of 2016,” the 37-year-old tells me. “I was immediately hooked. I didn’t set out to complete this milestone, it just sort of happened. I did not realise I was going to surpass one year of ride time, or be the first to accomplish it – a friend let me know.” 

However, with rides including multiple double centuries and a couple of 300-mileplus indoor outings, it’s hardly a surprise that Roy was first to reach 365 accumulated days. 

“In my job, we’re free to schedule our working hours as best suits us,” says Roy, who is an integration specialist for a medical records company, “so that’s what allows me to ride so much. I’m usually on the turbo by 7am and I’ll do as much as I can squeeze in.”

This year, he has averaged over 100 miles a day – his average weekly distance over the last month has been 825 miles, with a stratospheric 101,215ft of climbing. But what has been his motivation behind such an extreme approach to training?

“I have never ridden under the guise of formal or structured training. I ride based off feel. I am not a bike racer or an ultra cyclist, I am just a guy who enjoys riding his bike,” says Roy, who was formerly a gym junkie. “I no longer have a power meter on my outdoor bike, and those numbers never really mattered to me anyhow. Some days you ride like Superman, other days like a wet noodle. All that matters is that you ride. In my opinion, there is no such thing as junk miles. I try only to keep moving forward.”

Employing Eddy Merkx’s ‘ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike’ ethos has today led Roy to the brink a world record: “I challenge myself to keep improving, and don’t like to set shortterm goals. Over enough time this has led me to surpass 40,000 miles for the fifth year in a row – and now with a functional outdoor bicycle, hopefully I will become the first cyclist to have ever surpassed 80,000km or 50,000 miles and 4,000,000ft in a single calendar year.”

Top ranked racer 

At the time of writing, 49-year-old Claire Stringer-Phillips is the top-ranked British female on Zwift and ninth in the overall placings. We asked her what this actually means, and how she got there. 

“It was actually Cycling Weekly’s Club 10 TT,” she laughs. “My husband looked at some of the results in the magazine, at their watts per kilo, and said I could probably compete with them. So I rode the Club 10 every week from December to July 2020 and got pretty hooked.” 

Indeed, Stringer-Phillips has won more CW Club 10s than any other woman – and her talent and dedication did not go unnoticed. “I got approached by a team in the summer of 2021 and that’s when things really started to take off.” Becoming part of the Zwift-based BBB team inspired Stringer-Phillips to not only study the nuances of Zwift racing strategies and the associated teamwork required to win, but also to nurture a latent natural flair for cycling. She opted to subscribe to the ‘racing is the best form of training’ methodology.

“I do a broad mixture of races: time trials for the endurance and the constant power, team time trials, which are a bit like interval training with turns on the front and then backing off. Also, the Tiny Races on a Saturday [four very short maximal effort events] for VO2max training – you go flat-out for seven or eight minutes, recover for seven minutes and go again, four times.”

It was this racing consistency that first drew the Yorkshirewoman’s attention to the overall ranking system on online results platform Zwift Power, and she realised that if she continued along this competitive path, she could even infiltrate the top 10 of a table populated by thousands of riders. How did she maximise her points tally?

“It can be quite tactical, choosing races that you know you might be able to do well in, going for races with a bigger and higher-quality field – inside knowledge that you pick up from a team is really useful.” Her ZwiftPower profile reveals a best 20-minute power of 263 watts. Consistency, however, is the key component to obtaining the best possible Zwift ranking. “I’m not one of these people who dips in and out of Zwift; I do it all year round. The score is based on your best five races over 90 days, and if you drop off, your score resets.” Inside information, then, for those who want to challenge for places on the leaderboard.

The highflying duo

From climbing leaderboards to climbing mountains, Zwifting partners in crime Carry Cole from the Cotswolds and Ale Hdez (AKA Sweet Cheeks), who hails from the sunny shores of Tenerife, meet daily on the indoor riding platform. While pedalling for at least two hours at a time, they hatch plans for extreme riding challenges. 

“I asked out on the ether [of Zwift chat] what should I do for 2021, and someone came back with the circumference of Earth,” 45-year-old Hdez explains their first challenge. “I thought, OK, that sounds silly but let’s do it.” It would mean a hefty daily average: “I did the maths and it came to 100km per day.” And he means for the entire year, with no breaks. “I actually went a bit too far,” Hdez continues, “as the Earth’s circumference is 40,075km and I went over 45,000km.” 

Heading into 2022 and it was 54-year-old Cole who instigated the next challenge, this time aiming high, very high. “I started the new year with an Everest base camp [5,364 metres of vertical ascent], after that I said to Ale, why don’t we do 365 Alps [Alp du Zwifts] in 365 days this year, and he said yes – so it’s his fault!” 

With a gauntlet officially thrown down, 2022’s pedalling commenced in earnest. “It seemed like a good idea at the beginning of January,” continues Cole, “we started off really strong and did around 60,000 metres of elevation for the month – and it was like ‘yeah, this is great…’ And then. Then it got really hard!”

As Greg LeMond famously said, ‘it doesn’t get easier, you just go faster’ – a statement that Hdez can attest to. “It’s not just the fatigue of doing 365 Alps, it’s about how we did the rides. We started by completing the climb in just under an hour,” he says, “Then 59 minutes became the new normal, then 55, and then we started trying for personal bests.”

Not only were Hdez and Cole climbing the Alp’s 12.2km with an elevation gain of 1,036m every day, but they were getting faster as the year progressed, accruing some very impressive times. “I think I maxed-out at 45 minutes, while Carry did a 49,” says Hdez of their best times up the mountain. After a year of climbing, the pair’s notion of gradient had been significantly revised: “Five per cent genuinely feels flat now,” concluded Cole.

Hell of a week

Last December John Walkley’s aim was to ride a thigh-throttling 4,000 kilometres in seven days. But what led the 45-year-old to embark on such an extreme cycling challenge? 

“The primary reason was that my 13-year-old son, Edison, was diagnosed with quite severe Crohn’s disease last February and ended up spending a lot of time in hospital throughout the year,” says Walkley. “First of all, I wanted to try to raise money for the local children’s hospital that had been supporting him, just as a thank you.” 

Undertaking such a ride, he hoped, would also set an example and act as inspiration to Edison. “When I was thinking about the challenge,” Walkley continues, “I wanted something that first of all was big enough to attract some attention. And it was almost impossible. Because I wanted to show my son that, even though things may seem impossible, if you keep pushing and keep working, keep trying, you can eventually get through to the end. I needed it to be difficult.”

And difficult it certainly was. No one on Zwift had ridden 4,000km in a single week, and it was never going to be an easy pedal, particularly given the unrelenting nature of the challenge: “My plan [in order to complete the 4,000km] was to try and do two or three hours at a time, change my bibshorts, have a quick shower, jump back on within 20 minutes and sleep when I could.”

Having reached the halfway point in reasonable shape, Walkley then started experiencing ride-compromising issues. “When I got to the fifth day, both my Achilles tendons flared up. I had a nap and woke up and both legs were very bruised and swollen, I couldn’t stand. I spent a good seven hours elevating and icing, trying to get the swelling down. I really thought it was all over at that point.”

But the Zwift and local communities had other ideas. The support Walkley had received before and during his effort inspired him to lift the lid on hitherto unexplored levels of suffering. “That’s the big thing about Zwift when you’re doing challenges,” he says of the encouragement he received, “Even though it may be a solo challenge, you’re always surrounded by people, whether it’s through messaging on Discord or people coming in and riding with you, you’re never actually alone.”

With his Achilles issues limiting his power output, Walkley had to reframe the ride – 4,000km was now off the table, but his bloody-minded determination saw him complete seven days of riding an incredible 3,334.2km, not quite a record but an outstanding achievement nonetheless. Chapeau, Mr Walkley.

CW tries... Everesting

Inspired by our interviewees, I decided take on a challenge of my own – a virtual Everesting, eight times up and down Alp du Zwift, to join the hallowed 8,850-metre club. 

So buoyed up by my chats with bona fide Zwifting fanatics, I could barely imagine breaking a sweat, let alone failing to achieve my goal. What could possible go wrong? 

My first ascent of the virtual Alp, however, did not paint a promising picture of things to come. The unrelenting nature of climbing (particularly indoors) was something that, after a spring and summer’s worth of unstructured gravel riding, my quadriceps were not prepared for. With a time of 75 minutes, my first ascent was lacklustre, spinning within the 2-3W/kg bracket, keeping a steady heart rate. Using the 12-minute descent as quite literally down time, I unceremoniously ate half the contents of fruit bowl and necked a few pints of water before clambering aboard the Wattbike for round two. Sweat having infiltrated every nook of my being, perhaps even my soul, round two was uncomfortable. Not even the latest Netflix series could distract me from how utterly rubbish I was feeling. Cresting the climb in 85 minutes, I knew this was the beginning of the end. Which was validated when, halfway up the third ascent, I had to use my hands to push my thighs through the pedals. I was officially done, completing my third and final climb in a sloth-like 117 minutes. 

Everesting DNF – but still a triple munro, right?