Here's a brief preview of the Zwift Grand Prix 23/24 Round 5 Men's race, along with a recap of the exciting action from the women's race.
Another Zwift Grand Prix 23/24 Thursday, and another opportunity to recon for next Tuesday’s ZRL Race #5 with your mates. In Round 5 of the Zwift Grand Prix, the Men will battle Scotland’s unyielding Muckle Yin course, the unforgiving points race format, and the unbelievable competition between some of the best the sport offers.
In past Premier Division style, it’s reminiscent of when top-level competitors and community cyclists tackled identical Zwift Racing League courses in back-to-back weeks.
The spotlight is on the Men’s event and the culmination of a trio of rounds (Rounds 3-5) that mirror the ZRL’s routes and race structures. It offers an excellent opportunity to watch the competition unfold while getting acquainted with the course. Doing so could provide valuable insights for devising effective strategies to lead your team to success.
The $100,000 Zwift Grand Prix 2023/24 series specifics are here! First, let’s recap last week’s women’s action!
Round Four Women's Race Recap and Team Results
The ladies were sizing each other up during the first lap of the Zwift Grand Prix Round 4, a two-lap scratch race affair on the Makuri Islands Suki’s Playground. With two punchy drags each lap, 36.8 km of rolling terrain total, and only one point separating finish line placings, there wasn’t much motivating teams to give it a go from far out.
That didn’t stop Virginia’s Blue Ridge Twenty24’s Kristen Kulchinsky from rolling off the front, getting close to a 20-second gap, and staying away for almost 6 km before being placed back in the peloton on the climb to the Fishing Village with 10.6 km to go.
Gabriela Guerra (Saris | Nopinz) put in several serious digs, but the sprinters had their sights set. That is, until Coalition Alpha’s Lou Bates did Lou Bates things, launching all-in with 900 m to go and, on the momentum of a precisely timed aero power up, took the victory in stunning fashion.
Mika Söderström (Movistar eTeam) won the field sprint, and Lizzi Brooke (Wahoo Le Col) completed the podium in 3rd.
Coalition Alpha secured their second consecutive victory in Round 4 of the 2023/2024 Zwift Grand Prix, narrowly leading the team standings with 305 points. They edged Wahoo Le Col with 297 points and Hexagone with 294 points.
The win further strengthens Coalition Alpha’s position at the top of the Zwift Grand Prix – Series leaderboard, where they now hold a 13-point advantage over second-placed Hexagone.
Congratulations to the racers and women’s teams for an amazing performance in Round 4. Now to preview the Men’s Round 5 race format, course, teams, and where to watch!
Men’s Series Round 5 - Zwift Racing League - Points Race
Zwift’s Scotland map was the host for the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship. Despite not being featured in the three-race event, racers regard The Muckle Yin as one of the most engaging and enjoyable courses on Zwift.
With a diversity of challenging terrain and multiple intermediates with points on offer, the racers have little time for distraction and no shortage of excitement for those watching.
Total Riders: 80 (16 teams of 5)
Course: Scotland’s The Muckle Yin
Laps: 1
Distance: 23.7 km (14.7 mi.)
Points Breakdown
The points race scoring features FAL (first across the line), FTS (fastest through segment), and Finish Line placing.
FAL points: The first ten riders over the line at the Breakaway Brae (twice), Sgurr Summit (twice), and the Clyde Kicker.
FTS points: The top ten segment times for the Breakaway Brae (twice), Sgurr Summit (twice), and the Clyde Kicker.
Finish: All racers score points at the finish.
Listen to Si break down the course, bike choice, and a bit of tactics!
Course—The Muckle Yin in Scotland
The Muckle Yin takes racers on every road in Scotland, pitting them up against the long, draggy Sgurr climb both ways, the leg-busting Breakaway Brae each way, and then gives them a Clyde Kicker in the pants before the lead into the line.
Length: 23.7 km (14.7 mi.)
Elevation: 282m (925′)
Intermediate Sprint Points
Breakaway Brae Reverse 6 km
Length: 0.4 km (0.2 miles)
Elevation Gain: 8.5 m (28‘)
Average Gradient: 2
Breakaway Brae 14.9 km
Length: 0.62 km (0.4 miles)
Elevation Gain: 14.6 m (48‘)
Average Gradient: 2.4%
Sgurr Summit North 10 km
Length: 1.6 km (1.0 miles)
Elevation Gain: 59 m (194‘)
Average Gradient: 3.7%
Sgurr Summit South 19.1 km
Length: 1 km (0.6 miles)
Elevation Gain: 34 m (112‘)
Average Gradient: 3.3%
The Clyde Kicker 22 km
Length: 0.3 km (0.2 miles)
Elevation Gain: 10.7 m (35‘)
Average Gradient: 3.6%
Finish Line: 23.7 km (14.7 mi.)
Teams
Only the guys are racing this week. You’ll have to wait until next week for the women’s Round 5 race.
| 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 December 7, 2023, at 7 pm UTC on the Zwift YouTube channel. Check the times in your viewing area!
| Time Zone | Time Conversion |
|---|---|
| New York (EST) | 2 pm |
| California (PST) | 11 am |
| Britain (GMT) | 7 pm |
| Sydney (AEDT) | 6 am (next day) |
Click the image to hear a chat with WTRLs Martin Carew on balancing Cheating vs. Inclusion in the Zwift Racing League!
To subscribe to the Zommunique and receive more informative and entertaining articles like this one sent directly to your inbox, click here!
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.
