Zwift is taking a mass participation approach with its newest cycling esports championships – the Zwift Games.
The online fitness platform born from gaming noted that… ‘Many championship events are reserved for those who’ve worked hard to qualify and are racing for a win – while everyone else watches from the sidelines.’
Zwift added that… ‘participating is more fun than spectating’, and wants the entire cycling community to join the Zwift Games in February and March 2024.
This new, month-long virtual race series includes three different cycling esports disciplines – Sprint, Epic, and Climb – for elite and community racers alike. There are different ways to participate, giving cyclists around the world chances to enjoy the fun and challenge of competing.
In Zwift’s first major racing tour open to all cyclists, participants will enjoy racing on new routes created just for the Zwift Games, and can earn unique unlocks.
Elite male and female racers will compete for a US$110,000 prize purse. There will be eight champions – male and female winners of each of the three disciplines – and two overall champions.
Elite qualification races for the Sprint championship will be held at multiple times on February 24-25, 2024, with the championship races for men and women following on March 2-3.
Championship Epic races will be held on March 9-010, and the Climb championships will be held March 16-17. There is no qualification race for the Epic or Climb events, and all eligible Zwift racers may enter. All elite competitors will be subject to performance verification.
At the same time as the elite races, there will be five stages for community competitors and all Zwifters are encouraged to take part. Each stage will offer multiple race times throughout the day, with options for all pace levels.
Anyone participating in the Zwift Games will have the chance to earn three unlocks that will be announced closer to the start of the event.
Those wishing to qualify for any of the elite championships should register their interest and meet all eligibility criteria by January 26, 204. Complete information on the elite championships and the eligibility criteria is available online.
Community racers will receive further details on their Zwift home screen on how to register for the Zwift Games Community Races. The complete community racing schedule will be announced in February.
Zwift Games Elite Championships Schedule
Sprint Qualifiers
Men – February 24, 2024, 02:00, 10:00, 18:00 UTC
Women – February 25th, 2024, 2am, 10am, 6pm UTC
The Sprint Championship is the only event that will have a qualification round. Qualifier events will consist of a single scratch race. In order to earn a place on the start line of the Sprint Championship, athletes will need to place in the top 30 during one of the three qualifier races.
Course: Watopia Hilly Route, 2 laps | Distance: 18.3km | Elevation: 217m
Sprint Championships
Men – March 2, 2024
Women – March 3, 2024
The Sprint Championship will consist of three back-to-back scratch races, similar to the Zwift Battle Royale format used for the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. A proportion of the top-placed riders will progress through each race, and only 10 riders will make the start line of the final race.
Courses:
Race 1 – Watopia, new course, 2 laps | Distance: 24.9km | Elevation: 289m | Top 30 qualify for Race 2
Race 2 – Watopia, new course | Distance: 19.5km | Elevation: 212m | Top 10 qualify for Race 3
Race 3 – Glasgow Crit Circuit, 5 laps | Distance: 15.3km | Elevation: 166m
Prizes: 1st place – US$7,000, and in-game unlock | 2nd place – US$5,000 | 3rd place – US$3,000
Epic Championships
Men – March 9, 2024
Women – March 10, 2024.
The Epic Championship is a gruelling scratch race that will take on a brand new course in Zwift, which has been specially curated for the Zwift Games. At more than 80km long with lots of opportunities for attacking, this Epic parcours will test every facet of competitors’ resolve.
Course: Watopia, new course | Distance: 81.6km | Elevation: 878m
Prizes: 1st place – US$7,000, and in-game unlock | 2nd place – US$5,000 | 3rd place – US$3,000
Climb Championships
Men – March 16, 2024
Women – March 17, 2024
The finale of the 2024 Zwift Games will be a scratch race that winds its way up the 21 hairpins of the Alpe du Zwift.
Course: Watopia, Road to Sky | Distance: 17.3km | Elevation: 1,047m
Prizes: 1st place – US$7,000, and in-game unlock | 2nd place – US$5,000 | 3rd place – US$3,000
Overall Championship
The Zwift Games Overall Champions will be the male and female athletes who have the strongest and most consistent performance across all three Championship events.
The top 90 finishers in each Zwift Games Championship will be awarded points according to their final position. Points will accrue over the three championship races, and the racers with the most points at the end of the Climb Championships will be awarded the title of ‘Overall Champion’.
Prizes: 1st place – US$10,000, and in-game unlock
