Here's a brief preview of the Zwift Grand Prix 23/24 Round 5 Women's race, along with a recap of the exciting action from the men's race.
In the Zwift Grand Prix 23/24 Round 5, the women take to Watopia’s Triple Flat Loops for a fast TTT. The event format returns to the Premier Division days when elite racers and community riders took the same course in consecutive weeks during the Zwift Racing League.
This week, it’s exclusively the Women’s competition, marking the final of three rounds (Rounds 3-5) replicating the ZRL courses and formats. It is another valuable opportunity to watch the action while familiarizing yourself with the course to pick up a few tips for navigating your time trial team’s voyage to victory.
The $100,000 Zwift Grand Prix 2023/24 series specifics are here! First, let’s recap last week’s men’s action!
Round Five Men's Race Recap and Team Results
Intermediate Sprint Points
Breakaway Brae Reverse 6 km
Holden Comeau (Saris | Nopinz)
Kjell Power (Movistar eTeam)
Bjoern Andreassen (Wahoo Le Col)
Sgurr Summit North 10 km
Martin Maertens (Toyota Elite ECycling)
Marc Mäding (Beastmode p/b Rose)
Lionel Vujasin (Coalition Alpha)
Breakaway Brae 14.9 km
Chris Dawson (Wahoo Le Col)
Kjell Power (Movistar eTeam)
Lennert Teugels (Abus-Synergy)
Sgurr Summit South 19.1 km
Lennert Teugels (Abus-Synergy)
Marc Mäding (Beastmode p/b Rose)
Martin Maertens (Toyota Elite ECycling)
The Clyde Kicker 22 km
N. Fryett (Restart pb Alex Coh Coaching)
Josh Harris (BL13 p/b LEVEL Velo)
Bjoern Andreassen (Wahoo Le Col)
Finish Line: 23.7 km (14.7 mi.)
Martin Maertens
Marc Mäding
Lennert Teugels
Lennert Teugels consistently scored in each intermediate sprint in an impressive display, propelling ABUS–Synergy to the top with 139 points.
With a remarkable show of strategy and depth, NeXT eSports pb Enshored placed two of their riders among the top 10 and another two among the top 25 despite being out of the money for most of the race, securing 121 points and a commendable 2nd place. Coalition Alpha clinched third place.
The Zwift Grand Prix standings witnessed a major reshuffle, with Wahoo Le Col slipping to 7th in Round 5 and off the podium. Meanwhile, ABUS–Synergy maintains its lead in the series, with NeXT eSports pb Enshored trailing behind and Coalition Alpha ascending to third place on the podium.
Congratulations to the racers and men’s teams for an amazing performance in Round 5. Now to preview the Women’s Round 5 race format, course, teams, and where to watch!
Women’s Series Round 5 - Zwift Racing League - Team Time Trial
In the exhilarating Round 5, the spotlight shines on the women’s teams as they gear up for a Team Time Trial challenge set against the scenic Triple Flat Loops in the virtual world of Watopia.
Spanning a distance of 36.3 kilometers, this race is not just a test of speed but a true testament to the power of teamwork. Each of the five team members must pull their weight, showcasing their endurance and strategy to clock the best cumulative time.
The unique twist in this time trial is the scoring system. Points at the finish line are allocated based on the team’s total time, but here’s the catch: the clock stops when the third rider crosses the line. So, it’s all about how well the team stays together and pushes through as a cohesive unit.
Total Teams: 16 (teams of 5)
Course: Watopia’s Triple Flat Loops
Laps: 1
Distance: 36.3 km (22.6 mi.)
Finish: Awarded on finishing time of rear wheel of third rider to cross the line
Listen to Si break down the course, bike choice, and a bit of tactics!
Course—Watopia's Triple Flat Loops
Flat and fast! Not much to speak of, but that doesn’t mean the teams won’t have to communicate. With a few extended false flats and rapid descents the teams will need to stay close to eek out every second from this course!
Length: 36.3 km (22.6 mi.)
Elevation: 134m (440′)
Teams
Only the ladies are racing this week. You’ll have to wait until January 11th for the men’s Round 6 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 14, 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!
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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.
