Indoor cycling: Lots of Zwift news - coming in autumn 2023
Zwift wants to create new incentives to (continue to) use its platform with new content and functions. Gamification like Zwift makes it easier for some people to get on the indoor cycle after work or during their lunch break. "If I cycle for XX minutes today, I'll have reached the next level" or "I'm still missing so-and-so many drops of sweat, then I can buy a new virtual bike". Incentives like these and more lure you onto the roller and to the next indoor training session or the next race. And what is the goal? Clearly, on the one hand, to bind users to their own platform and, on the other, to create positive experiences in line with the motto - here we take a statement from Zwift's press release:
The most effective training tool is the one that you always fall back on - Zwift
The new functions are designed to appeal to everyone: New streets in Watopia fuel the desire to explore. The training programme of the new Women's Training Club or the Zwift Academy bring structure to home workouts and with the Zwift Play Controller, which can be used to brake and steer, there are also some new features in Crit City and Repack Rush.
This is what indoor cycling autumn 2023 at Zwift brings
Zwift has brought a whole range of indoor cycling product news for autumn 2023. The indoor training platform has been divided into three groups: Discover, Train and Competition. We start with an overview, then take a closer look at the individual points.
Discover
Train
Competition
Discover new things with Zwift
There will be new roads in Watopia from October 2023
Did you know? Watopia is the most popular world in the Zwift universe. The last expansion of this world was in 2019, after which there were "only" new worlds such as France, Yorkshire, Scotland and the Makuri Islands. So it's high time that Watopia had something new to offer again, especially because, according to Zwift, this is by far the world with the most users. But now to the facts. From October there will be 19 kilometres of new roads in Watopia. Among other things, a coastal motorway will be added, which will take you from the Fuego Flats directly to the Mayan Jungle and bypass the Epic KOM. So if you want to shoot, the new flat roads are perfect for you. What's more, especially important for long-distance fans, the new roads create important connections that generate long distances. There will be a total of 8 new routes from October, which are up to 48 kilometres long - making them some of the longest routes in Watopia.
The Tour of Watopia kicks off in October
Anyone who attaches great importance to XP - experience points - when playing Zwiften will know that you can collect double experience points on the Tour of Watopia. Incidentally, this is the only opportunity in the year to earn double XP and thus level up faster. In 2023, the Tour of Watopia stage bike ride consists of five stages. The practical thing is that you can ride all the stages alone, in a Club Ride, a MeetUp with friends or or or or.
Scalable climbs in the Climb Portal and changing climbs
The Climb Portal has been available at Zwift since July. If you only cycle outside in summer, you may have missed it. So here's a brief explanation: the Climb Portal features real climbs to ride up. The world around it is not designed as we know it from Watopia and the like, but it is still colourful.
The Climb Portal quickly became one of the Zwift community's favourite places. One in five Zwifters tackled gamified versions of real climbs. And of these, 88 per cent reached the summit - no mean feat when you consider that legendary climbs such as the Col du Tourmalet and the Col d'Aspin were included. These two famous climbs were also included in the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift.
If you have turned off at the right place and reached the climbing portal - or got there in a different way - you will have the option of scaling the climbs from autumn. You can either ride the climb 1:1 as it is in real life. Or it can be scaled to 50 per cent or 75 per cent of the original. This means that everyone can adjust the level of difficulty and, accordingly, the duration to suit their own schedule, ambition or training plan.
In Watopia, the selectable climbs will alternate. At the Climb Portal in France, there will be a "climb of the month" from autumn - whenever that may be.
Oktoberfest er... Pretzel festival
Motivation? Motivation! With the Zwift Ride series, which takes place every month. And every month there is also a new motto and a new opportunity to take part.
What's the best thing to do in September? Of course, the Oktoberfest. What do you mean, Oktoberfest in September? For us as an editorial team with offices in Munich, that goes without saying. Not for others. So a brief historical digression: Why is the Oktoberfest in September? The Munich Oktoberfest or "die Wies'n" - because it takes place on the Theresienwiese - has its origins in the early 19th century. Initially lasting six days, the world-famous folk festival was later extended and moved to late September due to the mostly fine and warm weather. As a result, only the last weekend of the Wies'n now falls in October. In 2023, it will take place from 16 September to 3 October.
The Pretzelfest at Zwift started on 4 September and runs until 1 October. The series consists of four stages, and those who complete all four stages will receive the lederhosen kit just in time for the last weekend of the Munich Oktoberfest.
App update & Women's Training Club - Zwift also has new features in terms of indoor training
Next news focus: indoor training. There's news about the next round of the Zwift Academy, the brand new Women's Training Club and a way to discover workouts in the Companion App.
Women's Training Club
A club for women? Why? Counter question: Why not? Zwift wants to strengthen the women's cycling community with the Women's Training Club. The club offers structured training, organised by world-class coaches such as three-time Olympic champion Kristin Armstrong. In weekly group training sessions and relaxed recovery rides, you can train together, but there are also tips and advice from leading cycling experts.
Women's training starts straight away, no waiting until October or November. Anyone who joins the club will find out more about upcoming events and trips. And how do you join? With the Companion App, for example:
- Open app
- Bet on clubs
- Select all clubs
- Search Zwift Women's Training Club
- Select the club
- Join the club
Specific questions can also be asked in the Club Chat in the Companion App. You're sure to find a woman who has the right answer. After all, there are always topics that you would rather discuss in a group of women than, for example, in an after-work meeting with 80% men.
Workout Discovery in the Zwift Companion App
From November, there will be an update to the aforementioned app, the Zwift Companion App. This should make it easier to explore the entire Zwift workout library - even before the Zwift app is launched. All available workouts can be viewed and all those that fit your own goals and schedule can be selected. And then you can get started with your indoor training.
A new round of Zwift Academy - kicking off on 6 November
The Zwift Academy has been an integral part of the online platform for years. The 2023 Academy challenges Zwifters to complete six workouts created by Dig Deep Coaching and two Zwift races.
Those who complete the programme will receive the Zwift Academy Kit, a Zwift Academy Canyon Aeroad livery and the chance to win a professional contract with CANYON//SRAM or Alpecin-Deceuninck for the best female and male performance.
Indoor bike race at Zwift
Even if the UCI Indoor World Championships will no longer be held at Zwift for the next few years, but at MyWhoosh insteadZwift Racing is not dead. On the contrary, product development has brought with it a whole handful of innovations.
The new unit of measurement for the Zwift Racing Score is called Zwift Racing Score
From the end of November, there will be a Zwift Racing Score, a unit of measurement to measure your own progress. This metric will take into account performance, race results and Zwift skills. Everything will be combined to assess the general racing ability of Zwifters. In this way, the Zwift Racing Score is also intended to help find equivalent racing competitors. The more races you ride, the more accurate the Zwift Racing Score becomes. The race score is updated after each race.
Back again: Zwift Racing League
The Zwift Racing League is back and will be offering team races every Tuesday in autumn. So far, more teams have registered than in previous years.
New experiments at Play Beta: Crit City Gamification
With the Zwift Play controller, which was presented in June 2023 - We were able to try it out briefly - it was clear that Zwift had more ideas for gamifying indoor training. From autumn, there will be new experiments with steering. With boost pads and obstacles added to events, steering and braking control is set to become more relevant, fun and challenging in Play Beta City Crit.
So you have to find and choose the best line in the race and at the same time navigate your avatar through the obstacles and take advantage of the boost pads. The steering and braking functions are optimised for Zwift Play, but races in Crit City can also be driven with any other compatible control unit.
More Play Beta: Repack Rush multiplayer mode
Repack Rush, which is also part of the Play Beta environment, will also receive new functions from autumn. In the summer, Repack Rush was introduced as a map for individual time trials. There you can practise your own downhill speeds as well as steering and braking skills. From autumn, the whole thing will be available in a multiplayer environment. In addition to boost pads and obstacles, there are also time deductions. You have to get out of the way of other riders and think carefully about your own line.
Repack Rush therefore requires both skill and tactics. In multiplayer mode, the player with the fastest time - after deductions - wins the race. It will take a few attempts to get the hang of the game and find the right line!
Repack Rush multiplayer mode is possible with Zwift Play or any compatible control unit.
Last but not least - anyone who buys a Zwift Hub gets a year of Zwift with it
Still looking for an indoor trainer for your bike? We have the Zwift hub, which was launched last year, tested. Of course, Zwift also wants to bind those who buy the trainer to its own training platform. So the company has come up with an idea. So if you buy a Zwift Hub, you get a year of Zwift with it. This should make it easier to get started.
The Zwift Hub bundle is available for 599 euros directly from Zwift, including one year of Zwift and a cassette of your choice: 8-, 9-, 10-, 11- or 12-speed.
