All About Zwift Games 2026: The place the World Involves Race!

The third version of Zwift Games, the platform’s hottest stage race sequence, has simply been introduced. Racing begins February 16, however associated rides kick off right this moment!

Below, you’ll discover every thing you want to learn about indoor biking’s premier race competition.

New This Year

Zwift’s learnings from earlier Games have been utilized to this yr’s occasions, main to varied enhancements, together with:

• Fresh routes: Six new routes have been added to the sport to host the Games phases.
• Road to Glory intro occasions: New to Zwift racing? These orientation occasions kick off right this moment.
• Power metrics in leaderboards: Web-based GC leaderboards now embody 90-day and Zwift Games 2026 energy finest metrics, so you’ll be able to instantly evaluate your Zwift Games metrics to current performances.
• On demand: Zwift Games routes could be ridden “on-demand” as a solo effort starting Friday, February 13. This makes it straightforward to recon the races, and also you’ll additionally get credit score for finishing the stage!
• Bonus Stage 6: for the primary time, Zwift is providing a sixth “bonus stage” with two distinctive race codecs:
  • Individual Time Trial: This will probably be Zwift’s first mainstream TT expertise
  • Crit Cade: Gamified race in Crit City utilizing steering, boosts, and hazards
• New unlocks: Of course, what would an enormous Zwift occasion be with out new unlocks? This yr options Oakley glasses and a helmet, Zwift Games 2026 equipment, and an enormous XP bonus!
• Equipment not neutralized: This would be the first yr that bike frames and wheels aren’t neutralized, which means your digital bike selections will have an effect on your velocity in recreation. Upgrades additionally rely!
• Bonus XP at arches: Most Zwift Games races will provide you with a feather powerup within the pens, and any arches you experience by way of will provide you with a ten XP bonus. But there’s an elevated 5% probability that you simply’ll get a 250 XP bonus at every arch.

Most of those new gadgets are mentioned in additional element under. Read on!

Stage Details

Zwift Games is an escalating problem! Stages get progressively tougher, with every route each longer and extra climby than the one earlier than:

Stage 1, February 16-22: Sprint

Stage 2, February 23-March 1: Sprint

Stage 3, March 2-8: Punch

Stage 4, March 9-15: Climb

Stage 5, March 16-22: Epic

Stage 6, March 23-20: Bonus/Optional Races

Make-Up Races: March 30-April 5

See all upcoming races at zwift.com/events/tag/zwiftgames2026

Standard Schedule

The largest race fields will probably be discovered within the Standard (combined) occasions held hourly, 24x each day, at 10 minutes previous the hour. These races alternate every hour between two totally different Racing Score ranges:

• Range 1: 0-159 | 160-269 | 270-389 | 390-509 | 510-650
• Range 2: 0-209 | 210-329 | 330-449 | 450-569 | 570-725

The two ranges give racers a selection between a stronger class that will assist them get a quicker course time (nice for the GC competitors) or a barely weaker class that provides them a greater shot at a race win.

Advanced Schedule

Racers with a racing rating of 650+ can leap into the Advanced Races held each two hours at quarter-hour previous the hour.

See Advanced races at zwift.com/events/tag/zwiftgames2026advanced

Women-Only Schedule

Women-only races will probably be held 5x each day at 10am, 12pm, 5pm, 6pm, and midnight UTC.

These races will use their very own Racing Score-based bands: 0-199 | 200-299 | 300-399 | 400-499 | 500+.

If you’re a girl who hasn’t raced but on Zwift, see our Women’s Racing homepage for a little bit of inspiration >

GC Leaderboards

Zwift Games race outcomes will probably be delivered by way of leaderboards on Zwift.com. The following leaderboards will probably be accessible:

• Overall General Classification
• Rankings for every stage (1-5)
• Ranking for TT (Bonus stage)
• Ranking for Crit Cade

Leaderboard rankings could be filtered by Gender, Racing Score band (buckets of 100), and Country. These filters can be utilized together.

This yr, Zwift has added energy metrics to the leaderboard, so you’ll be able to evaluate your Zwift Games numbers to your 90-day bests. Here’s a mockup Zwift despatched, the place my League Best numbers could also be a bit overstated…

View Leaderboards at zwift.com/racing/leagues/zwiftgames2026

Zwift Games Unlocks

A complete of 4 in-game rewards can be found to all Zwifters:

• Any one stage: Oakley Sphaera Strike Glasses
• Any three phases: Zwift Games 2026 Kit
• Any 5 phases: Oakley Velo Stelvio Helmet
• All six phases: 6000 XP bonus

Road to Glory Events

This yr, Zwift has spun up particular “Road to Glory” occasions to assist newer racers be taught the fundamentals of Zwift racing. These group rides function on-screen textual content all through the occasion explaining powerups, drafting, Ride Ons, specific Watopia course options, and extra. Rides are on 1 lap of Watopia’s Triple Twist, which is 24.5km lengthy, with 201m of elevation acquire.

I not too long ago rode a Road to Glory preview occasion and located it well-planned, with many useful suggestions packed into a comparatively brief time. I extremely advocate it when you’re in any respect nervous about Zwift racing and on the lookout for some hands-on coaching.

How to Register

No particular registration is required – merely be a part of any Zwift Games occasion to take part, or experience the programs on demand! Events needs to be accessible for signup starting right this moment (February 9).

See all upcoming races at zwift.com/events/tag/zwiftgames2026

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