Elite cycling esports racing is back for the 2nd season of the Zwift Grand Prix. Here’s everything that you need to know!
Prepare for the action-packed points hunter race format as sixteen elite men’s and women’s teams tackle the challenging 2015 UCI Worlds Course in Richmond. It’s the kickoff to a seven-round battle to crown Zwift’s top team for 23/24. Here are all the details!
The $100,000 Zwift Grand Prix 2023/24 series specifics are here!
Race Format—Points Hunter
Get ready for the return of the Points Hunter event, a fan favorite from last season, back for a thrilling send-off to ZGP 23/24!
In the Points Hunter format, every decision counts right from the gun as the riders bust out of the pens. Teams will need to communicate, coordinate, and make split-second strategic choices—should they rack up points early or take a flyer for the big rewards at the finale, knowing the high-stakes gamble could mean going home empty-handed?
The race features eight intermediate locations, each with varying point values, alongside a limited number of points available at the finish line. However, riders who collect points at intermediate locations will be withdrawn from the race, ensuring that each rider can only score points once during this engaging event.
As riders pass through the lap arch at the end of the lead-in and complete lap 1, they’ll receive an Aero PowerUp, adding an extra layer of strategy to this competitive race. With 80 riders starting the race, 26 eliminated at the eight point-scoring intermediates, and 54 left to compete for glory at the finish line, it promises to be an action-packed event.
- Total Riders at Starting Line: 80 (16 teams of 5 racers)
- 8 Intermediate Points of varied values
- Racers scoring points eliminated (26 riders total)
- 54 riders fight for eight scoring opportunities at the finish
Course—2015 UCI Worlds (Richmond)
The Richmond UCI Worlds route replicates the 2015 UCI Road World Championships course in Richmond, Virginia, USA. The first half starts flat and fast with two sprint points: Monument Avenue and Broad Street.
The second half includes a challenging descent leading to the cobbles of Libby Hill, followed by the steep 23rd Street KOM climb. After descending, riders face a gradual climb to the false flat straightaway towards the finish.
Race: 2 laps (16.2 km)
Distance: 32.7 km (20.3 mi.)
PowerUps: Aero at the lap arch (end of the lead-in and lap 1)
Intermediate Points
| Point | Distance | Segment Length | Gradient (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lap One | |||
| Monument Ave Sprint | 4.2 km (2.61 mi) | (0.22 km / 0.14 mi) | -0.4% |
| Broad St. Sprint | 7.7 km (4.78 mi) | (0.28 km / 0.17 mi) | -0.1% |
| Libby Hill | 12.9 km (8.02 mi) | (0.64 km / 0.40 mi) | 6% |
| 23rd St. KOM | 14 km (8.70 mi) | (0.26 km / 0.16 mi) | 9.3% |
| Lap Two | |||
| Monument Ave Sprint | 20.5 km (12.74 mi) | (0.22 km / 0.14 mi) | -0.4% |
| Broad St. Sprint | 23.9 km (14.85 mi) | (0.28 km / 0.17 mi) | -0.1% |
| Libby Hill | 29.1 km (18.08 mi) | (0.64 km / 0.40 mi) | 6% |
| 23rd St. KOM | 30.3 km (18.86 mi) | (0.26 km / 0.16 mi) | 9.3% |
Teams
| Men's Teams | Women's Teams |
|---|---|
| ABUS – Synergy | Aeonian |
| Beastmode p/b ROSE | ABUS – Synergy* |
| BL13 p/b Level Velo* | Beastmode p/b ROSE |
| Coalition Alpha | BL13 p/b Level Velo* |
| dPAC-ELITE* | Coalition Alpha |
| Foudre Punchers Coalition* | Hexagone* |
| Hexagone | Movistar eTeam |
| Movistar eTeam | NeXT eSports p/b Enshored* |
| NeXT eSports p/b Enshored | Primór RWB esports Femmes* |
| Primór RWB esports* | Rocacorba Collective |
| Restart p/b Alex Coh* | Saris | Nopinz |
| Saris | Nopinz* | Team Castelli p/b Elite* |
| Team Castelli p/b Elite | Team Swedish Zwifters |
| Team Swedish Zwifters | Toyota Elite ECycling |
| Toyota Elite ECycling | Wahoo Le Col |
| Wahoo Le Col | Virginia’s Blue Ridge Twenty24 |
* Teams new to the Zwift Grand Prix in 23/24
How to Watch!
Zwift Grand Prix 23/24 Round One action will be live on October 19, 2023, at 6 pm UTC on the Zwift YouTube channel. Check the times in your viewing area!
| Location | Equivalent Time | Time Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Britain | 7 pm | BST (British Summer Time) |
| Australia | 5 am (next day) | AEDT (Australian Eastern Daylight Time) |
| California | 11 am | PDT (Pacific Daylight Time) |
| New York | 2 pm | EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) |
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Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
