Once the weather turns wet, cycling in the rain can quickly become cold and uncomfortable if you’re not well-prepared.

But there’s a lot you can do to get yourself and your bike ready for wet-weather riding, and to make it more pleasant and safe once you do strike out in the rain.

From choosing the right clothing to fitting mudguards and avoiding riding through puddles, here are 15 tips to make wet-weather cycling more comfortable – and maybe even enjoyable.

1. Invest in the right clothing

Getting the right clothing for cycling in the rain is the first step to staying comfortable in wet weather.

It’s made tricky by your work rate as you ride, which can result in uncomfortable ‘boil in the bag’ riding in some options, as you build up a sweat, which condenses on the inside of your kit.

It’s particularly a problem for top-half clothing, so it’s worth investing in a cycling rain jacket.

Although the best waterproof jackets made from fabrics such as Gore-Tex and eVent are expensive, they use the most advanced fabrics and have the highest breathability ratings. Less advanced, less expensive options exist that can work almost as well though.

To ensure that water stays out, look for garments that have taped seams.

A technical baselayer will stay warm even if you get wet. Avoid cotton, which gets cold when wet.

If it’s warm and wet, layering is less of an issue. You may be more comfortable just wearing a jersey and getting wet, rather than getting sweaty in a rain jacket.

Wet-weather jerseys, of which the Castelli Gabba was the archetype, provide less water resistance than rain jackets but are more comfortable if you’re riding hard.

Bottom-half clothing may include waterproof overtrousers, although many cyclists prefer water-resistant bib tights. Although they’ll keep the rain off less well, bib tights are more comfortable to ride in.

For really foul weather, a waterproof onesie may be the business, particularly if you’re mountain biking.

2. Get some overshoes

Waterproof overshoes will help keep your feet dry for longer when cycling in the rain.

Even when wet does get in, overshoes should help keep your feet warmer. They’ll hold the warm water next to your feet and provide a windproof outlet layer. Plastic bags over your socks will help keep your feet drier for longer as a last resort.

Overshoes tend to wear out quite quickly, so if you want a more robust footwear solution, consider investing in a pair of winter cycling shoes or boots. These will have a fully enclosed sole unit and a waterproof upper, so the only way for your feet to get wet is for water to trickle down through the ankle cuff.

3. Wear gloves

It’s a good idea to wear full-finger gloves in the rain.

Gloves will help you grip a wet handlebar and stop your hands from getting numb if it’s cold and wet.

As with other clothing, modern winter cycling gloves employ a range of technical fabrics.

They usually have a palm with silicone grippers for a sturdier grip on the handlebars, a breathable waterproof upper surface and well-placed insulation to keep your hands warm without impacting your grip.

4. Put on your glasses

Rain spraying on your face is uncomfortable and may reduce your vision. Spray from the road can wash grit into your eyes as well. So, wearing a pair of cycling glasses can help protect your eyes.

Many of the best cycling glasses enable you to select a clear lens, either as an optional extra or as part of a multi-lens set. Photochromic glasses are also handy when riding in wet conditions because they will adapt to the light level.

Most cycling glasses have a hydrophobic coating on the outside of the lens to help repel water and keep them clear.

5. Wear a cap

You’ll stay more comfortable in the rain if you wear a cycling cap. Most have a peak, which will help keep water out of your eyes.

A standard cotton cap will do the job, although it will soak up water, get wet and may feel cold and clammy. There are more sophisticated options that will be more comfortable though, made either from thin fleece-type material or a breathable waterproof fabric.

6. Fit mudguards to your bike

The number one item that will make riding in the rain more comfortable is a set of mudguards.

Full-cover mudguards are the ideal solution, keeping road spray off most of you and your bike.

Many modern road bikes and gravel bikes have the bolt bosses necessary to fit mudguards, but clip-on mudguards are a reasonable alternative.

There are specific mountain bike mudguards and gravel bike mudguards, which tend to provide less coverage than full-length fenders but will still do a good job of protecting you from rain and mud.

7. Use lights

Wet weather can reduce your visibility to other road users, not just because of cloud cover and lower ambient light, but also because visibility out of vehicle windows may be impaired by the rain.

It’s important to use bike lights, even during the day, to increase your road presence. Use a flashing mode at the front and rear if you don’t need your front light to see by, because this should increase other road users’ awareness.

Rearview radar lights can be particularly good during wet weather because they will notify you of traffic approaching from behind.

8. Check your tyres and tyre pressures

Unlike car tyres, cycle tyres are not prone to aquaplaning because of their narrower widths, so it’s not necessary to have a tread on your tyre when riding on tarmac.

You will need a tread for grip if you’re riding on loose, muddy surfaces in the wet though.

It’s a good idea to reduce your tyre pressure a little when riding wet roads because this will increase the size of the contact patch and the grip on offer.

Make sure your tyres aren’t worn down, because the extra debris on the road when it rains means you’re more likely to get a puncture.

9. Use the right chain lube

Use the right chain lube to avoid your drivetrain becoming exposed.

Your chain will be jet-washed by wheel spray as you ride in wet conditions. This can rapidly remove a dry lube.

A suitable wet lube will stay on your chain and protect it better if you are riding in the rain.

The downside is wet lubes tend to attract dirt, so you may need to clean your chain more often than if using a dry lube.

10. Keep your bike clean

Just like your chain, your whole bike will work more effectively if it’s kept clean, so give it a good wash when you’re back from a wet or muddy ride.

Bearings don’t like wet weather, so dry them and spray them with a water-displacing product such as WD40. The main areas to pay attention to are hubs, headsets and bottom brackets.

Any steel or chromed parts on your bike are also prone to rusting, so dry them off.

11. Keep your clothing clean as well

As well as your bike, it’s important to keep your clothing clean for it to be effective in the rain.

The breathable membrane in fabrics such as Gore-Tex needs to be kept free of oils, which you produce as you sweat, as well as picking up from the road, for it to be effective.

The surface of rainwear is typically treated with a durable water-repellent (DWR) product to repel water.

You should wash rain gear using specialist products to preserve the DWR coating and periodically reproof your waterproof cycling gear to keep it feeling as good as new.

12. Avoid riding through puddles

It goes without saying that you’ll stay drier if you try to avoid riding through standing water. Don’t be intimidated into riding right at the side of the road.

As a cyclist, under the Highway Code you have the right to use the whole of your lane, so if there’s a large puddle ahead, signal and move towards the centre of the lane to avoid it as much as possible.

It’s not just water in puddles that’s a danger. Often, they’ll accumulate mud and grit, so you risk skidding or a puncture.

A puddle may hide a pothole with an abrupt edge. Hit this and you may get a pinch flat, damage your wheels or even be thrown from your bike.

13. Steer clear of ironware

It’s important to avoid ironware on the road.

Tyre grip on metal surfaces is significantly lower than on tarmac. Manhole covers are the main obstacle, but drains too can be slippery. Cattle grids are another obstacle to be taken carefully when wet.

If you do have to ride over a metal road feature, control your speed beforehand and don’t try to brake or turn as you pass over it to lower your risk of skidding.

14. Brake carefully

Use your brakes judiciously in the rain. Stopping distances increase in wet conditions, so anticipate when you’ll need to brake and start braking earlier than you would in the dry.

This is particularly true of rim brake bikes, but it applies to bikes with disc brakes too.

In the wet, rim brakes have to cut through the film of water on your wheel rim before they start to bite, which can lead to a worrying delay before any braking happens. Disc brakes are better in this respect, but not immune to the problem.

Once your brakes start to work, they can lock up your wheel. Since adhesion between your tyre and the road surface is less in the wet, this can cause a skid.

Be particularly careful when cornering. Try to get all your braking done before you begin to turn, enabling your bike to freewheel through the corner.

When you get home, check your brakes for wear, because riding in the rain can increase the rate at which brake pads wear down. Also check wheel rims on rim brake bikes, because they can wear quickly in wet conditions.

15. Protect items you’re carrying

If you’re carrying any items with you, whether on a commute or a leisure ride, they need to be kept dry too.

Many bike bags and cycling backpacks are made with waterproof materials, and include taped seams and a roll top to keep out water. Nevertheless, you may want to pack anything sensitive in a dry bag or sleeve inside.

Some saddle packs are not as well protected though and their contents may get wet. Multi-tools can rust, so if they’ve been on a wet ride, take them out of a saddle bag and dry them out.

Finally, don’t sit around in wet clothing. Get changed into something dry as soon as you can and sit back, pleased at having conquered the rain.

The 2017 Giro d’Italia winner Tom Dumoulin has just completed his first marathon with a time that will be the envy of many seasoned runners.

Two years ago, the 34-year-old ran Amsterdam’s Mizuno Half Marathon with an impressive time of 1:10:04. This Sunday, he completed the Amsterdam Marathon in 2:29:21. 

“I wanted to run under two and a half hours, and I succeeded. But it was painful and difficult,” Dumoulin told Het Laaste Nieuws. 

“Of course, I started way too fast. I was running so well that I thought, ‘I’ll see’. I don’t do that on the bike. I know what I can do and how to pace myself. With running, I secretly know that too, but I just enjoy it,” he added. 

Dumoulin’s time meant he was the 116th fastest runner at the marathon out of 23,000 participants. 

He ran in a group with Ethiopian Aynalem Desta, who won the women’s race in a time of 2:17:38, but halfway through, he said he felt everything “tense up”, fearing he might have to pull out. He stopped twice with cramps. 

“After stopping three times because of cramps and thinking I could not finish anymore, I managed to hold on to a pace just fast enough to still finish in a sub-2.30 time,” Dumoulin wrote in an Instagram post. 

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A post shared by Tom Dumoulin (@tom.dumoulinofficial)

In terms of training, the former professional cyclist said he did what he could and balanced training enough with avoiding injury. 

After completing the 26.2-mile course, he told Het Laaste Nieuws: “I trained up to 34 kilometers at an easy pace. Then I really came crashing down. Today I finished the first half in 1 hour and 9 minutes and the second half in 1 hour and 20 minutes. My decline is enormous. You can tell I’m not getting the kilometres in.” 

Dumoulin isn’t the only cyclist to take up running. Lance Armstrong has completed many marathons. He ran the 2006 New York Marathon in 2:59:36 and bettered his time by 13 minutes the following year.

Last week, Geraint Thomas revealed he had completed his first Parkrun. 

Whyte Bikes has announced it has been bought from Cairngorm Capital by Causeway Capital, an Irish private equity firm.

The deal sees 100 per cent ownership of Whyte Bikes transferred to Causeway Capital, with the brand saying the “move is a major step forwards for the future and international growth of
Whyte”.

Whyte’s existing management team will remain in place, with Nikki Hawyes continuing to lead the company as CEO.

Whyte and Causeway Capital believe the partnership will strengthen the company’s ability to drive ongoing innovation, service Whyte’s dealer base and help it collaborate with key suppliers and partners. Further, with Causeway’s support, Whyte plans to ramp up efforts to extend its reach beyond the brand’s current strong foothold in the UK, with plans to expand further in continental Europe and worldwide.

Hawyes said: “This new partnership is an exciting step forward, building on our 25-year history of producing high-quality bikes. We will enhance our product offerings, expand our global footprint, and invest in our brand. This will allow us to create even better experiences for our partners and riders worldwide. I want to thank the team at Cairngorm Capital – their partnership and support have been invaluable in driving our transformation and bringing us to where we are today.”

Matt Scaife, partner at Causeway Capital, said: “Whyte is a category-leading British brand built on design, engineering and innovation. Wellness and outdoor recreation show strong long-term growth. The performance mountain bike market is accelerating, driven by technology innovation and increasing participation amongst younger riders. We are delighted to use the first investment from Causeway Capital Partners II LP to back Nikki and the Whyte team.”

The UCI has published the list of women’s and men’s professional road teams that have submitted the essential registration documents for the 2026 season. 

Candidates had until 15 October to submit their registration files, and the UCI is now assessing the applications.

While many team names remain the same as the 2025 season, the UCI’s list reveals Tom Pidcock’s team will start using Pinarello bicycles. 

Now called Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, it was rumoured that Pidcock’s squad would be switching to Pinarello from Scott. 

Since joining the team, Pidcock has ridden Scott bikes on the road but stuck to Pinarello for off-road racing, most recently riding a Pinarello Dogma GR at the Gravel World Championships.

However, Pinarello’s owner is Ivan Glasenberg, a mining billionaire who also has a controlling interest in the squad’s other sponsor Q36.5, the Italian cycling clothing company. So, Pinarello now sponsoring the team can be seen as Glasenberg aligning his interests.

Ineos Grenadiers confirmed last week that it will continue its partnership with Pinarello for another three years, following speculation earlier in the season that it may be forced to find a new supplier. 

This also raises the question of whether Scott will provide another team with bikes. Scott hasn’t yet responded to our request for comment. 

The list of team names will also attract attention, after Israel–Premier Tech revealed it would change the team’s name. Factor and Premier Tech threatened to withdraw their sponsorship of the squad, following continued protests at the Vuelta a España.

The UCI’s list reveals that Israel–Premier Tech is listed as Cycling Academy, but a spokesperson for the team told BikeRadar this won’t be the name. Instead, it is a placeholder for the UCI registration prior to announcing a new name. 

The UCI, cycling’s international governing body, says the applications are broken down into: 

• 16 women’s teams for registration as UCI Women’s WorldTeams
• 20 men’s teams for registration as UCI WorldTeams
• 6 women’s teams for registration as UCI Women’s ProTeams
• 14 men’s teams for registration as UCI ProTeams

Not all teams submitted the essential documents by the deadline last week, but the UCI has included them in the above count. “However, they still have the possibility to rectify their situation before the end of the registration process, which would enable them to be registered for the 2026 season,” the UCI said. 

The final list of teams registered for the upcoming season will be published on 10 December. 

MAAP has launched its latest jersey, the Pro Aero, which it claims will save you between 6 and 8 watts, equivalent to as much as 60 seconds over 100km, thanks to its aero features. 

The new jersey has been developed alongside the Jayco AlUla men’s and Liv AlUla Jayco women’s WorldTour pro teams, which are kitted out by MAAP.

Between them, the two teams have scored four victories during the 2025 season, including Ben O’Connor’s summit win on the Col de la Loze on Stage 18 of the Tour de France. 

MAAP uses a proprietary thin aero fabric, which it calls Aatero Flyte, which includes woven ribs in the sleeves that it claims reduce airflow turbulence.

MAAP says its new fabric was the culmination of testing of 16 prototypes and is only 20 microns thick, with a weight of 100g/m².  

The bad news is MAAP says the aero gains are only achieved at riding speeds of over 40km/h. The good news is it states the aero features are woven into the fabric, and so are permanent and won’t wear out or degrade over time.

Other features designed to make you faster include raw hems to the sleeves with internal silicone grippers, hydrophobic fibres to increase evaporative cooling, an ergonomic collar and bonded rear pockets.

MAAP says the new jersey, made in Italy, has a lower environmental impact too, thanks to an elastomer made without solvents that reduces chemical use during production, and is more durable and more easily recycled.

You can purchase the MAAP Pro Aero jersey from MAAP’s site, its Lab stores and retailers of its clothing, priced at £210 / $265 / €220 / AU$345. It’s available in MAAP’s usual men’s S to XXL and women’s XXS to XL sizing, and in the purple and green colours shown.

Today, Zwift launched a new “FTP Check” mini-challenge, with the goal of encouraging Zwifters to test their FTP in a uniquely Zwifty way so training metrics are accurate as we head into indoor season.

Challenge Requirements

The Challenge has two parts, which are meant to be completed in the same session:

1. Ride the Ultimate Warmup
2. Complete the Oh Hill No route, going full gas on The Grade KOM as an FTP test.

About “The Grade”

While Zwift now looks at all activities and will alert you to an FTP increase if it detects on, The Grade KOM is particularly designed as an FTP test. When you finish the KOM segment, the game looks at your average power on the segment, as well as your segment time, then computes an FTP estimate, displaying it on the sign as you ride through the KOM arch:

Read my review of riding “The Grade” FTP test >

If you’ve never ridden The Grade before, it’s helpful to have an estimate of how long it will take so you can pace yourself accordingly. Here are segment times from our bot tests with a 75kg, 183cm rider on the Tron bike at various power levels:

• 150W (2 W/kg): 27:46
• 225W (3 W/kg): 18:47
• 300W (4 W/kg): 14:22
• 375W (5 W/kg): 11:44
• 450W (6 W/kg): 10:04

Challenge Rewards

Your reward for completing both parts of the challenge is 500 bonus XP, so you can level up faster.

Read more about Zwift levels and unlocks >

Joining the Challenge

To join the Challenge, just click its card on the home screen. If you return to the home screen after doing this, you’ll see the card now shows your progress. If it’s showing your progress (0/2, 1/2, 2/2) you know you’re signed up!

Deadline

This challenge is live from October 20-December 31. (We recommend finishing before the final day, though, as the Challenges sometimes end at an unexpected time on the last day.)

Questions or Comments?

Post below!

Rapha has announced a new partnership with USA Cycling as its latest financial results reveal a net loss for the eighth consecutive year.

Last month, Rapha revealed it was ending its seven-year partnership with EF Pro Cycling, and Rapha’s CEO Fran Millar said the relationship had “gotten tired”.

The new partnership is part of a renewed vision for the lauded cycling brand and will see Rapha working with USA Cycling for the 2028 LA Olympic Games.

• Read more: Rapha CEO Fran Millar: “We are the originals, we started this”

Speaking to a new demographic

“We wanted to build a broader portfolio that spoke to a new and different demographic of the sport in a way that we haven’t done before. This will be sort of one of the pinnacle things that we do,” Millar said at a press event in October. 

Millar, who joined Rapha last year, says the LA Games could have the same impact on cycling in the US that the London 2012 Games had in the UK, encouraging more people to ride bikes. 

Rapha will dress USA Cycling’s athletes from 2026 through to the end of 2029, which will take the company into new cycling disciplines, including BMX, and notably track cycling.

Working with the USA track team will push Rapha in ways Millar feels its relationship with EF Pro Cycling did not. 

Millar says the skinsuit for EF Pro Cycling was last tested in 2022. “That’s an anathema to me in terms of having a high-performance suit – that you wouldn’t test every year and get it in the wind tunnel to understand what you could be doing to go faster.”

She says there isn’t the luxury of waiting that long in track cycling “where every millisecond counts”, and that the performance gains developed for the USA track team will eventually filter into Rapha’s other products. 

Financial results and kicking the “discounting drug”

Millar says there is a “real confidence” in Rapha for the first time in a long time. Its financial backers are supportive of the company pursuing opportunities that could be seen as risky but with high-reward potential, including partnering with USA Cycling.

This may come as a surprise to those who have followed Rapha’s financial results in recent years. Rapha’s latest financial results reveal an annual revenue of £96.2m in the year ending January 2025 and a net loss – its eighth in a row – of £15.6m.

However, Rapha’s chief financial officer, Michelle Woolaghan, says this is not a number the company is focused on internally. Instead, Rapha is concerned by its Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation (EBITDA). 

In 2023, Rapha achieved a positive EBITDA of £900,000. For the latest results, ending in January 2025, the EBITDA has moved back to -£2.6m. Woolaghan says this is due to a conscious decision to reduce the level of discounting and promotional sales.

“Within the 2024 numbers, the full price sales held level and what dropped back was promotional or discounted sales. So our gross margin improved across all the channels. But nevertheless, because of that volume drop in the short term, that impacts profitability,” says Woolaghan.

“We’re kind of coming off the discounting drug, I suppose,” she says. 

£10 million payback 

Woolaghan and Millar are also keen to explain why Rapha’s results look the way they do, and a large contributing factor is amortisation, or the depreciation of goodwill and tangible assets, after it was bought by the grandsons of the Walmart founder Sam Walton, Steuart and Tom Walton, in 2017. 

Woolaghan says the amortisation is roughly £10 million a year: “So we just have that hit to the profits and losses every single year until we’ve paid off the kind of purchase price.” She expects this will continue for the next eight to 10 years. 

Rapha has also decided to reduce the carrying value of the company – the measure of a company’s value based on its balance sheet – by £102m. 

“What that means in practice is when we assess the outlook of what it will take to get back to strong EBITDA and revenue growth,” says Woolaghan. 

Millar says this will have no impact on customers. 

Women’s cycling is enjoying unprecedented attention and appreciation from a growing global audience, with more eyes than ever on its professional races and athletes. Women’s racing is dynamic, tactical, and CLOSE in a way men’s racing isn’t at the moment.  However, beneath this visible success lies a critical vulnerability: the foundational support and development structures may not be robust enough to sustain this boom and ensure the sport’s long-term health.  

Natascha Knaven-den Ouden, a Dutch development team lead with daughters in the pro peloton, posted the following on Instagram in spring 2025, highlighting what may be a growing problem with the evolution of women’s professional cycling.  

“On the surface, women’s cycling is booming. We see more live broadcasts, increasing prize money, and iconic races like the Tour de France Femmes and Paris-Roubaix are now part of the women’s calendar. Major WorldTour teams are fielding women’s squads, and fans are finally starting to recognize the talent and excitement in the women’s peloton.

It all looks like progress, and to a degree, it is.

However,  behind that spotlight is a problem we don’t talk about enough: the base of the sport is far too weak to support the weight of the top.

While the elite side is expanding, the broader structure, especially development and grassroots racing, is actually shrinking. Smaller races disappear. Continental and amateur teams struggle to survive. And most critically: young riders are left with fewer opportunities to grow gradually within the sport.

Today, it’s possible, even common, for a beginner to obtain a license, sign with a small continental team, and be thrown directly into the same races as world-class athletes like Lotte Kopecky. That would be unthinkable in football, tennis, or athletics. But in women’s cycling, it’s a reality.

This isn’t a criticism of individual riders or teams, it’s a systemic issue. A sign that we’ve focused too much on building the top, without strengthening the ladder that leads there. Without regional races, strong national calendars, and structured development programs, we’re setting up a system where only the most exceptional talent breaks through, and where many others drop out before they’ve had a chance to develop.”

Increasing the number of women racing bikes, inside or outside, has to become a priority for those interested in the future of the sport. The FemmeCycle Collab, a group of passionate cyclists and indoor cycling enthusiasts, has a few ideas to get more women onto the roads, whether they be virtual or IRL. We are dedicated to increasing the number of women racing bikes at all levels and ages.

What is something that could increase the number of women racing bikes?

Somewhat recent innovations such as indoor riding platforms (eg Zwift, MyWhoosh, Rouvy, and TrainingPeaks) are beginning to change the thin support for developing riders described above. These virtual environments serve as accessible training grounds, allowing women—whether casual riders or aspiring racers—to develop their skills and understanding of racing culture from home. These platforms enable riders to participate in structured workouts, group rides, and competitive events, with full transparency of their performance stats. Women can track their progress, analyze their strengths and weaknesses, and gain a deeper appreciation of racing strategies—all in a highly engaging, community-oriented environment.

Why are indoor platforms a good tool for accomplishing grassroots growth for women specifically?

While indoor platforms may not fully replicate training outdoor bike handling and pack riding skills crucial for professional racers, they offer a vital stepping stone. For racers in thinly populated areas, especially, these platforms provide an opportunity to compete against strong female competitors, helping them identify their unique talents, such as a “puncheur” superpower, which might otherwise go unrecognized when training with mixed-gender groups. Identifying an athlete’s strength is a starting point for building their personal race profile or strategies (think, Pidcock as a descender, or Cavendish as a sprinter, informing their training).

By engaging with these digital spaces, women can transition from casual cyclists to athletes, developing an understanding of their own racing tactics and the physical demands of competition. This accessibility democratizes participation by overcoming barriers like cost, geography, and time constraints often faced at the grassroots level. As more women utilize these platforms, they gain the skills, motivation, and confidence necessary to excel in outdoor racing.

Expanding participation through these virtual environments is not a substitute for traditional racing, but rather a complement that broadens the base of future cyclists. When women can immerse themselves in the sport digitally—competing, setting goals, and learning about race dynamics—they are more likely to stay engaged and aspire to compete in real-world events. Over time, these virtual experiences can feed into physical competitions, creating a seamless pathway from online training to outdoor racing.  The next step in this pathway would naturally be to take this larger pool of riders and build their skill level in outdoor settings in more local settings before they feed into the greater elite pool of riders.

Furthermore, increasing the number of women actively involved at every level—with the aid of such platforms—builds a strong, diverse talent pool. When participation is higher, talent is naturally identified earlier, and more riders receive the support they need to progress. A larger, more inclusive community nurtures the next generation of elite racers, ensuring that talent is not lost due to a lack of exposure or development opportunities.  In addition, indoor racing can help bridge the gap for riders who don’t have access to larger fields of racers in their hometowns.  Additionally, indoor racing offers a solution for riders in areas with limited access to larger competitive fields.

What’s one thing you’re doing right now to show you value racing?

The FemmeCycle Collab created an in-game kit for Zwift that reflects our hopes for the future of the sport.  That jersey is a statement of our belief that women’s racing should be more approachable and more visible.  Identifying a rider as a female racer shows other women on the platform that there ARE women racing, not just the elites, but moms, grandmothers, retirees, and everyone else that doesn’t have the bandwidth or desire to train 12+ hours a week.  Because the more women who race means the more women’s fields will be needed, inside and outside. We hope that increasing the number of women who race will, in turn, drive the demand for more women’s fields, both virtually and in real-world events.

Elevating women’s cycling will require a multifaceted approach. Building a robust base of participation through grassroots races, structured development programs, and innovative platforms like Zwift is crucial. These efforts create a sustainable pipeline where women can progress from casual riders to seasoned racers, understanding and appreciating the sport’s culture and intricacies along the way. A strong top must be supported by an equally resilient foundation—only then can women’s cycling reach its full potential.

And what do you think is next?

With a growing number of women participating in cycling, it’s crucial for those competing at higher community levels to grasp performance verification in indoor training. This encompasses everything from accurately inputting height and weight online to a thorough understanding of their equipment. Initiatives like the Fair e-racing alliance (https://www.f-e-r-a.org/) are already assisting teams with this vital aspect of legitimizing online racing.

And then? 

The sky’s the limit. 

British bike brand Genesis has released the CDA Junior, a new addition to its gravel adventure bike range tailored specifically for smaller riders.

Genesis says its CDA range is designed for riders “seeking a versatile and affordable bike” that’s equally at home on your commute or light gravel trails. The CDA Junior now brings the brand’s “spirit of adventure to riders of all ages.” 

Genesis has also revealed two new adult bikes, the CDA 10 and CDA 20, both costing less than £1,000.  

• Best kids’ bikes 2025: a buyer’s guide to children’s bikes
  

Genesis CDA Junior 

Genesis says its CDA Junior kids’ bike is a “scaled down model” that’s light, tough and easy to maintain. 

Instead of offering an age range, Genesis says the CDA Junior is suitable for riders between 140 and 157cm tall. 

The bike has a lightweight aluminum frame and fork engineered specifically for young cyclists. 

Genesis product manager, Sam Lawson, says: “The introduction of the CDA Jnr marks a new chapter for Genesis in children’s bikes. We understand how important the family side of cycling is, and that’s why we’ve created a purpose-built 24in gravel bike that delivers the same performance, versatility, and adventure-ready features as our adult platforms.”

The bike’s geometry is optimised for the 24in wheels. A 468mm effective top tube and 340mm seat tube are said to provide a comfortable and confidence-boosting fit. 

Elsewhere, it has a Microshift Advent 1×9-speed drivetrain for easy maintenance and to provide riders with a wide range of gears. There are even bottle cage mounts, top tube mounts and fork mounts for accessories or bikepacking bags.

The bike will retail for £749.99 / €899. 

Genesis CDA 10 and 20 adult bikes 

Alongside the CDA Junior, Genesis has released two budget gravel bikes for adults, the CDA 10 and CDA 20. 

Genesis says the CDA 10 is the “ideal entry point into the world of gravel” and combines practical features with “off-road capability”.

The £799.99 / €979 bike has an aluminium frame and chromoly fork, with Genesis promising a “smooth, confident ride on any surface”. 

The CDA 10 features the new Shimano Essa 1x drivetrain to ease maintenance and ensure there’s a ready supply of spare parts available, alongside 45mm Maxxis Rambler gravel tyres. 

While it has the same frame and fork as the CDA 10, the CDA 20 is “built for riders who want more range, control, and performance from their all-terrain bike.”

Instead of a Shimano Essa drivetrain, the CDA 20 has a Shimano Cues 2×10-speed drivetrain and TRP Spyre brakes with dual pistons for “reliable stopping power and a responsive lever feel”. 

The bike is complete with the same Maxxis Rambler tyres and Amplitude finishing kit.

The CDA 20 will sell for £999.99 / €1,199. 

With the nights drawing in and the weather becoming increasingly inclement, many of us are starting to dust off our trusty indoor trainers.

Riding indoors has increased in popularity over recent years, and has helped many people improve their fitness. It has also made cycling more accessible to time-crunched riders and those who lack confidence on the roads.

Indoor cycling isn’t without its drawbacks, though. In particular, there’s a high risk of getting ‘burnt out’ when spending many of your riding hours inside.

So, let’s explore why indoor training can cause burnout, and cover tips you can put in place to avoid becoming worn down by indoor riding.

• Beginner’s guide to indoor cycling: all you need to get started
  

Why indoor training can cause burnout

Initially, your enthusiasm for indoor training will likely be high – the appeal of shorter, structured sessions and even some group riding or racing can be just what’s needed after lots of longer outdoor miles.

It is also satisfying to complete some uninterrupted, time-efficient training sessions, rather than the often stop-start, and sometimes hazardous, nature of riding outside.

However, indoor riding can become monotonous (even if that’s the way some riders like it) since there’s no change in scenery.

Many would argue you don’t get the same satisfaction from completing a certain distance or reaching the top of a tough climb as in the ‘real’ world.

In a bid to keep indoor training interesting, riders tend to over-intensify training too, which can quickly lead to physical burnout. Ultimately, these factors can easily derail your training.

To help you reap the benefits indoor training offers and avoid the common pitfalls, here are some tips to help you keep training indoors on a consistent basis…

1. Use power variation (but keep this within the spirit of the session)

Choose sessions that are structured and varied, such as alternating between five minutes at one wattage, five minutes at another and so on.

This enables you to focus on smaller, more manageable chunks, rather than being overwhelmed by the total ride duration (and how much of it you still have left to go).

What’s important, though, is that any power variation should be within the spirit of the session.

For example, if you’re looking to do a training zone 2 endurance ride (~55 to 75 per cent of FTP), aim for a session where the power stays largely within this zone 2 range.

Plenty of indoor training apps will add bursts of intensity within an endurance ride to keep things interesting.

However, these often have no real physiological benefit and can undermine your training by creating unnecessary fatigue, potentially hindering some of the adaptations you’re looking to get from the rides.

2. Turn ERG mode off for some structured sessions

If you have a smart trainer, ERG mode is a fantastic feature that holds power at a target wattage, adjusting resistance according to cadence.

It’s great, because it enables you to follow a structured session while focusing on something else – such as watching TV.

However, our advice would be to do at least some of your structured sessions with ERG mode off.

This can provide mental stimulation and an element of challenge because you have to focus on holding your wattage at a target output.

If you’re ultimately training to improve your power outdoors when the weather improves, switching ERG mode off will also make your indoor riding much more like the outdoors.

When performing high-intensity interval sessions, switching ERG mode off can also allow for higher-quality efforts in some cases.

This is because you can more easily fine-tune your wattage based on how you’re feeling – e.g. pushing a little harder if you’re having a good day, or backing off slightly if things are feeling harder than normal.

This can help avoid physical burnout or failed sessions.

3. Get Social

It’s perhaps an obvious tip, but using a social platform such as Zwift for some of your indoor riding can pay great dividends.

Joining an organised group ride or race can provide extra motivation and accountability, as well as help the time pass a lot more quickly. To enhance the experience, you can even join a Discord group to chat away with fellow riders via a headset.

4. Set yourself some process goals

Riding indoors isn’t all about sheer power output.

You can also work on abilities such as the smoothness of your pedal stroke, the left-right balance of your legs, or how well you’re engaging your glute muscles.

Having process goals like this for some of your indoor rides can help bring purpose to your training sessions, as well as providing something to keep your mind focused.

Certain equipment, such as a Wattbike or dual-sided power meter pedals will give you feedback on data including your pedalling smoothness and torque generation, so you can even set some objective goals to work towards and track your progress.

5. Test progress (but not too regularly)

Seeing clear improvements in your cycling fitness is an excellent way to keep motivation high.

You can measure your progress indoors in various ways, such as by performing one or more all-out efforts and looking for improvements in your power, or looking for a reduction in your heart rate and perceived effort when riding at a given wattage.

Ensure any testing you do is relevant to the type of training you are undertaking. So, if you’re looking to improve FTP, an FTP test is appropriate.

However, if you’re trying to improve your explosive power, then it would be more relevant to test your power over 30 to 120 seconds, for example.

As a word of warning, it’s best not to do maximal testing too often, because it can be a key cause of both mental and physical burnout. Generally, every eight weeks is the most oten we’d recommend.

6. Avoid over-intensifying training (and consider this when choosing a plan)

In a bid to keep training interesting, there’s a tendency for indoor riding to be over-intensified.

This means most of your training sessions have at least some time spent at a high ‘zone 3’ intensity, or above (e.g. 85 per cent of FTP, or higher).

This can be a fast track to becoming overtrained because you’re not allowing sufficient recovery between training sessions in order for your body to adapt.

It can also mean you’re never quite sufficiently fresh to go really hard in any of your sessions.

This can result in most of your training sessions being neither very hard nor very easy.

Over time, your training will lack the variety and acute adaptive stimuli needed to continue to see fitness improvements, and you’ll reach a fitness plateau.

Our recommendation would be to aim for no more than two high-intensity sessions per week (i.e. efforts above FTP, or a Zwift race).

Depending on your fitness and capacity to recover, you may find you can comfortably include one ‘middle intensity’ session each week (e.g. efforts between ~75 and 95 per cent FTP, or a hard group ride). The remaining training sessions each week would then be at a lower intensity level (less than 75 per cent FTP).

If you opt to follow a pre-built training plan (which can be a great motivator in itself), be careful about the amount of high-intensity work the plan includes.

Some commercial plans are built to achieve short-term fitness wins and to keep training ‘fun’ through lots of high-intensity sessions.

However, these plans can be a wrong choice over the longer term if they cause fitness stagnation and burnout.

7. Get your training environment right

Finally, we all know riding indoors can be a sweaty affair, which can place additional strain on the body, both in terms of temperature regulation and maintaining hydration.

To minimise this stress, we’d recommend investing in a good fan setup for your pain cave, and pre-chilling your drinks, which can make a big difference to your core body temperature as well as hydration levels.

If you’re still overheating, consider using a wet towel on the back of your neck and wrists, and if you’re a salty sweater (you’ll know this if you see salt on your kit, and often find sweat stings your eyes) try adding some electrolytes to your drinks.

Example training weeks to avoid indoor training burnout

Example 1

• Mon: Day off
• Tues: High-intensity interval session
• Weds: Zone 2 endurance ride, including 15 mins focused glute activation and 15 mins focused on smooth pedal stroke.
• Thurs: Day off
• Fri: Zwift race
• Sat: Zone 2 endurance ride with ERG mode off, alternating power every 10 mins between low, medium and high zone 2.
• Sun: Zwift group ride at a zone 2/ low zone 3 pace

Example 2

• Mon: Day off
• Tues: FTP Test
• Weds: Day off
• Thurs: Zwift race
• Fri: Day off
• Sat: Zone 2 endurance ride working on left/right power balance and some high-cadence drills.
• Sun: Shorter zone 2 endurance ride with ERG mode off, targeting 5 mins at 5W increments from the bottom to the top end of zone 2; followed by a short Zwift group ride.

In recent weeks, thanks to procuring a new (used) gravel bike while also testing a new smart trainer, I’ve spent more time with power meters, smart trainers, and dual recordings than usual. This includes swapping my Favero Assioma Duo power meter pedals (read my review here) between bikes with two different crank lengths, while also testing the accuracy of the smart trainer (a Wahoo KICKR CORE 2) in various Zwift activities.

In doing this, I realized I’ve never written a post about how crank length setting affects power readings on popular pedals like the Garmin Vector 3 or Favero’s various offerings. And while this may not be a topic many care about – most will just set the crank length to whatever matches their setup – I believe the info below will help explain why high-end Zwift races require riders to use certain smart trainers as their primary power source, vs a power meter.

Let’s dive in.

Test Setup

While simple math could deliver theoretical results, I wanted to prove the math using real equipment. So I created a simple Zwift workout which included three sets of the same three ascending 2-minute intervals.

The idea was to use a different crank length setting for each of the three sets and record the pedal power data to my head unit. Zwift would be recording my smart trainer’s power data, which should remain consistent across the 3 sets. Then I could compare the smart trainer’s data to the power pedal data to learn how much the crank length setting actually modified the power readings on the pedals.

Simple enough, right? Let’s look at the test results…

Test Results

You can see the full dataset on DC Rainmaker’s Analyzer tool, but I’ve summarized it below. I rode the first set of intervals with the crank length set too short, the second set with it too long, and the third set with it just right.

(Note that for each 2-minute interval, I took a 60-second sample of the data from the middle of the interval to arrive at my average power values below. This reduces data funkiness at the start of the interval as ERG targets change and trainer resistance adjusts.)

Set 1 (Crank Length: 167.5mm)

Set 2 (Crank Length: 177.5mm)

Set 3 (Crank Length Set Accurately to 172.5mm)

Takeaways

In simple terms, power is calculated by pedals like the Favero Assioma Duo as torque * angular speed (cadence). Torque is force * crank length.

Based on the math, changing crank length from 167.5 to 177.5 should increase power readings by 177.5/167.5, or +5.97%. And in fact, that’s what my test actually showed. The differences in power readings between the 167.5mm and 177.5mm crank length settings were:

• @160W Target: 5.87%
• @210W Target: 5.72%
• @260W Target: 5.96%

(These particular test numbers line up with the math quite nicely, although comparing other data like 172.5 to 177.5 doesn’t yield quite as clean a result. That’s sort of the nature of power testing, though. Between variations in power meter accuracy, pedalling style, drivetrain efficiency, and which data is actually being read and recorded by each recording device, you’ll easily see a variation of 1% from what the math says your results should be. And that’s OK.)

You may be wondering: in set 3, if the crank length is set accurately, why are the readings still higher on the pedals? I’d chalk this up to drivetrain loss, which most experts in the cycling world say runs between 2-3%. Every step of the way between your pedals and your hub, a bit of power is lost. Cranks, spiders, chainrings, chain, cassette… they can flex a bit, get worn, or be poorly lubricated. All those losses typically add up to a 2-3% reduction in power from what you’re putting into the pedals to what is actually delivered to your rear hub.

Power Meters and Zwift Racing

If power at the smart trainer is typically 2-3% lower than at your pedals, wouldn’t you want to use your pedals as your power source in Zwift? Well, yes, if no other factors were taken into account. Because we all want to put out more power, right? (Even if it’s unrealistic on some level, since outdoors, it’s the power at your rear hub that is driving your bike forward.)

There are other factors, though. Sticky watts is one factor that makes using a power meter on Zwift less desirable, unless you’re trying to cheat.

But I would submit that the biggest factor is that it’s very easy to change your power meter’s settings so it overreads power. While most modern mid and high-budget trainers are auto-calibrating, you can easily manipulate power data from a power meter.

Because of this, it’s become pretty standard for high-end indoor bike races to require riders to pair their smart trainer as the primary power source, even though they also require dual recording with a power meter.

Interestingly, I recently learned that Zwift Racing League leans this way as well, while stopping short of a hard requirement. From their rulebook:

6.1.3. Where a Smart Trainer is used, both its Power Meter and Resistance MUST be connected directly to the game as primary source. Participants using other forms of power meters when they have a smart trainer available may be penalised.

While Zwift allows event organizers to enable “hardware enforcement” that requires a power meter or smart trainer to be paired as the power source (no classic trainers/ZPower allowed), perhaps it’s time for Zwift to enable an even stricter setting, where only auto-calibrating smart trainers are allowed as a power source?

Your Thoughts

I hope you found this post interesting. Got questions? Thoughts on power meters or accuracy as they relate to Zwift racing? Share below!

Bianchi has expaned its gravel bikes line-up with an alloy version of the Arcadex and a new all-road reimagining of its classic Via Nirone 7.

Bianchi’s gravel offerings to date have consisted of the rough-stuff-ready carbon Arcadex and the racy aero-optimised Impulso, as ridden to victory in the Masters 40 race at the UCI World Gravel Championships by Nico Roche.

The new Arcadex AL is priced at £2,050 / €2,350 / $TBC, while the Via Nirone 7 comes in two models: a 1×11-speed Shimano GRX-equipped model at £1,590 / €1,890 / $TBC and a 1×12-speed GRX model for £1,690 / €1,950 / $TBC.

• Icons of Cycling: how Bianchi has maintained the winning habit for 125 years
• Best gravel bikes in 2025: top-rated carbon, aluminium, titanium and steel gravel bikes reviewed

New Arcadex AL

The aluminium Arcadex frameset comes with 50mm tyre clearances and a UDH-compatible rear dropout.

The bike’s hydroformed tubing gives it a similar aero aesthetic to its premium carbon cousin, with smooth welds adding to the carbon-like finish.

The slick look continues with full internal cable routing.

The front end uses a longer carbon fork, meaning it’s corrected for use with a gravel suspension fork.

With a 71-degree head angle and large tyre clearances, the Arcadex AL should appeal to roadies wanting to get way off-road and mountain bikers looking to get into gravel riding.

The Arcadex AL is a single model equipped with Shimano’s 1×12 GRX  mechanical drivetrain, combined with an SLX 10-51 cassette.

Velomann alloy wheels wrapped with Pirelli Cinturato 45mm tyres, a Velomann bar, stem and seatpost, and a Selle Royal SRX saddle complete the build.

Bianchi Arcadex AL geometry

Via Nirone 7 reimagined

The Via Nirone 7 is named after the original address of Eduardo Bianchi’s first workshop. The bike has historically been Bianchi’s point of entry into its road bike range.

For 2026, it has been reimagined as a multi-surface machine that, in Bianchi’s words, is “designed for riders entering the world of all-road gravel and bikepacking”.

The new aluminium frame is, like the Arcadex AL, made from hydroformed tubing. However, unlike the Arcadex AL, it can be built around both 1x and 2x drivetrains.

Up front, a full carbon fork, replete with triple anything mounts, complements the frame, which features a bikepacking-ready three sets of bottle bosses, top tube bag mounts, and both mudguard and rack mounts.

The Via Nirone 7’s geometry is a degree steeper up front, and the stack is lower, making it more of an all-road endurance ride. However, it has very generous tyre clearances and comes as stock with 40mm tyres.

Like the Arcadex AL, it has full internal cable routing, making it also compatible with Bianchi’s new one-piece carbon bar, as found on the premium Impulso and carbon Arcadex.

Bianchi Via Nirone 7 geometry

Geraint Thomas has wasted little time spreading his wings in retirement. 

The 2018 Tour de France champion, who called time on a glittering 19-year professional career after the Tour of Britain in September, revealed on Friday’s Watts Occurring podcast that he took part in his first Parkrun last weekend, ahead of his brother’s wedding in South Wales.

Parkrun, established in 2004, has become a global sensation, with more than 2,300 weekly, community-led 5km running events, and more than nine million registered participants.

“It was weird going to it,” said Thomas. “I was like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s just a 5k run’. Then I turned up and obviously there’s a mix [of people] there.

“There’s a few that look quite good, then it’s just families and a few people keeping fit, but I was like, ‘This is a whole new world now, isn’t it?’”

Thomas swapped his cycling shoes for running trainers at the Severn Bridge event, which crosses the border between South Wales and England. The event is one of the most iconic Parkrun events in the country, seeing runners cross the suspension bridge over the River Severn into England, before doing a U-turn and returning to Wales.

Thomas’ ex-team-mate and podcast co-host, Luke Rowe, asked the question we were all thinking: what time did he do it in?

Read more: Tadej Pogačar beaten by 40-year-old lawyer in Pogi Challenge charity ride

“Well, I didn’t have my QR code, so I couldn’t get an official time, but the guy I was with did 19:50 minutes and I was a bit behind him,” said Thomas. “He dropped me on the downhill.

“I reckon I was just under 20 [minutes].”

Will Thomas catch the Parkrun bug and return to better his time? Turns out it didn’t take long for that to happen…

“As [my brother’s] wedding was going on though, my time was getting better,” joked Thomas. “By midnight, I was doing 16-something.”

The average Parkrun finishing time is 29:32 minutes. The men’s record of 13:44 minutes was set by Nick Griggs in November 2024, while the women’s Parkrun record of 15:13 minutes was set by Ciara Mageean in December 2023.

The 5,000m world record on the track is faster still, with the current mark of 12:35.36 minutes established by Joshua Cheptegei in Monaco in 2020.

Cheptegei went on to win 5,000m gold at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics Games in 2021, before winning the 10,000m event at the Paris Games in 2024.

• Read more: 470 watts and 46,485.2km – Geraint Thomas’ Tour de France career in numbers

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This weekend’s notable events are headlined by Cycle Nation’s annual 24-hour charity ride, and we’ve also selected two popular community-organized races, a beginner-friendly community group ride, and of course Zwift’s popular Zwift Unlocked series. See details below!

Cycle Nation/CMC Distance 4 Difference 24 Hour Ride

Tour de Andrasta

La Cyclo MedioFondo Foudre

Bikealicious Weekend Social Mixer

Zwift Unlocked Stage 2

How We Make Our Picks

We choose each weekend’s Notable Events based on a variety of factors including:

• Is the event unique/innovative in some way?
• Are celebrities (pro riders, etc) attending/leading?
• Are signup counts already high, meaning the event is extra-popular?
• Does the ride include desirable unlocks or prizes?
• Does the event appeal to ladies on Zwift? (We like to support this under-represented group!)
• Is it for a good cause?
• Is it just plain crazy (extra long races, world record attempts, etc)?
• Is it a long-running, popular weekly event with a dedicated leader who deserves a shout out?

In the end, we want to call attention to events that are extra-special and therefore extra-appealing to Zwifters. If you think your event qualifies, comment below with a link/details and we may just include it in an upcoming post!

Belgian wax lubricant brand Cyclowax has launched an updated range, claiming you can cover up to 800km between treatments and triple the lifespan of your bike’s drivetrain. 

Cyclowax says its new hot wax formulation increases durability and performance, as well as keeping your chain cleaner and delivering ultra-low drivetrain friction, whatever the weather conditions. 

It has presented a graph plotting the fall-off in drivetrain efficiency over distance and reckons that after 250km an oil-based lubricant will have lost around 8 watts in drivetrain efficiency, while its treatment halves that loss to 4 watts. 

Its premium product is its new Race Wax Tablet, priced at €58.95, and used by the Lidl-Trek team. The 200g tablet is claimed to be enough for six treatments and contains tungsten disulphide, as well as being vegan-friendly and PFAS-free.

According to Cyclowax, this delivers the fastest chain in the WorldTour, although teams are divided on whether waxing is the best option for chain lubrication during stage races.

“We’ve tested Cyclowax’s new Race Wax throughout the season and mainly in the Tour de France and we were blown away by the results. To date, the best hot wax we’ve used,” says Glen Leven, head of performance at Lidl-Trek.

At the 2024 Tour de France, we spotted Lidl-Trek using a prototype hot waxing machine from Cyclowax, which enabled the team to rewax chains before every stage without removing them from their bikes.

Cyclowax’s Race Wax was also used at the 2025 Unbound Gravel race by 2016 Olympic road race champion Greg Van Avermaet, who’s an investor in Cyclowax and praised the wax’s performance. He finished Unbound 200 30th overall, clocking a time of 9:08:08, averaging just over 22mph for the 200-mile course.

• Why I wax my chains (and how to wax your own)
  

Two additional hot waxes and two drip waxes

The Race Wax Tablet is one of three new formulations, with Cyclowax also unveiling an updated Performance Wax Tablet, priced at €28.95, and a Core Wax Tablet, priced at €18.95.

Cyclowax says the Core tablet is designed for everyday road, gravel and MTB riding, while the Performance tablet is claimed to last 50% longer than the previous formulation and present 10% lower friction. 

In addition, Cyclowax offers two liquid formulations if you don’t have time to hot wax your chain. The Core Pocket Wax is priced at €14.95 and the Performance Pocket Wax at €24.95.  

As well as its waxes, Cyclowax sells all the gear you need to hot wax your chain, including a heater bath, a swizzle wire and a whole range of chain tools and bundled kits. 

You can also buy pre-waxed chains from all the major brands for 11, 12 and 13-speed drivetrains, a pre-waxed track chain and even a hot waxed chain for the Zwift Ride smart frame.

Now in its 17th round, Zwift Racing League continues to take racing to the next level on Zwift! Registration is now open for the second round of the 2025/26 season, which begins on November 4.

This page contains everything you need to know about the current ZRL round, and is updated as WTRL announces new details.

Intro to ZRL

Zwift Racing League (ZRL) is team-based racing for all abilities. It’s also the world’s largest virtual cycling competition, with over 30,000 riders of all abilities participating in each of the past two seasons!

Organized by WTRL, this is a team-based points competition spanning multiple weeks, with teams divided into divisions based on time zones and ability. Races take place every Tuesday, and the season is divided into distinct rounds with brief breaks in between.

ZRL is Zwift racing at its highest level. Its unique structure and varied race formats drive serious Zwift racers to show up week after week while providing a place for new racers who jump in and find their first team home.

Key Changes this Round

Each year, Zwift + WTRL collaborate to modify ZRL’s structure and rules with the aim of engaging as many racers as possible. The vast majority of these changes were put in place for Round 1, so read that list here if you didn’t race the first round.

For more info, see ZRL Technical Guide & Rules, version 5.0.2 >

Routes and Dates

Each ZRL round comprises weekly races which are either scratch races, points races, or team time trials (TTT). Scratch Races and Points Races are both actually points-based in terms of final results, but Points races include intermediate segments while Scratch Race points are all earned at the finish line. TTT winners are the teams who complete the race course fastest, with team time taken from the fourth rider across the line.

Race #1: Greatest London Flat
November 4, 2025 (TTT)

The round kicks off with a team time trial in London, on rolling roads that will be familiar to Zwift racers. No big climbs here, but those false flats will make you work. Hup hup!

• 1 Lap of London’s Greatest London Flat (31.1km, 223m elevation)
• PowerUps: none �

Race #2: Rising Empire (A/B) or Everything Bagel (C/D)
November 11, 2025 (Points Race)

The first points race of Round 2 is also the first proper climbing race of the 2025/26 season. Riders will take on the New York KOM in both directions, with A/B teams hitting it both ways, twice!

• A/B: 2 Laps of New York’s Rising Empire (41.4km, 750m elevation)
  • Intermediate Segments (FAL+FTS):
    • New York KOM
    • NY Sprint Reverse
    • New York KOM Reverse
• C/D: 1 Lap of New York’s Everything Bagel (34.9km, 527m elevation)
  • Intermediate Segments (FAL+FTS):
    • New York KOM Reverse
    • NY Sprint
    • New York KOM
    • NY Sprint Reverse
• PowerUps: TBD �

Race #3: London Loop Reverse
November 18, 2025 (Scratch Race)

Didn’t get enough climbing in last week? How about a scratch race with the tough Fox Hill climb on each lap?

• A/B: 3 Laps of London’s London Loop Reverse (44.6km, 694m elevation)
• C/D: 2 Laps of London’s London Loop Reverse (29.8km, 463m elevation)
• PowerUps: TBD �

Race #4: New Route TBA
November 25, 2025 (TTT)

Our second TTT of Round 2 will be on an as-yet-unreleased route. Watch this space for details…

Race #5: Glasgow Crit Circuit
December 2, 2025 (Points Race)

Our second points race of Round 2 takes us to Scotland for multiple action-packed laps of the city’s crit course. Will you contest the punchy Clyde Kicker, the flat Champion’s Sprint, or just try to hang on for dear life?

• A/B: 10 Laps of Scotland’s Glasgow Crit Circuit (30.2km, 340m elevation)
• A/B: 7 Laps of Scotland’s Glasgow Crit Circuit (21.2km, 238m elevation)
• Intermediate Segments (FAL+FTS):
  • The Clyde Kicker
  • Champion’s Sprint
• PowerUps: TBD �

Race #6: New Route TBA
December 9, 2025 (Scratch Race)

Our second scratch race of Round 2 will be on an as-yet-unreleased route. Watch this space for details…

Race Timeslots

Some divisions and start times get tweaked between each round, so use the table below to find a current time slot that works for your team.

Teams/Registration

Team registration opened October 15, 2025 (go to wtrl.racing/zwift-racing-league/participants/ and click “Register a Team”. Registration closes November 2, 2025 at 00:00 UTC.

ZRL is a team-based competition – you cannot sign up as an individual rider. Teams can have up to 12 racers rostered, but only 6 can race in each event. Teams must have at least 4 riders on their roster, and a rider can be rostered on no more than 2 teams per round.

Want to race, but don’t have a team? Here are seven ways to find a team:

1. Recruit friends onto a new ZRL team, then sign up your team at wtrl.racing/zwift-racing-league/participants/.
2. If you’re already a member of a larger Zwift Club, contact a senior Club representative to see if you can join one of your Club’s ZRL teams.
3. Join an official team-lead ZRL Group Recon Ride (see below) where several teams can be found looking for more riders. These run several times a day, starting two weeks before the first race.
4. Join the ZRL Facebook Group and post preferred race times/league, Pace Group Category, and any other preferences under the #zrlteamhunt tag where many teams are eagerly waiting.
5. Reply to one of the #zrlrecruiting posts that teams make in the ZRL Facebook Group if you don’t want to post your own request.
6. Reach out directly to WTRL and they can match you to a team based on race times, category, and team preferences.
7. Use the new “WTRL Team Finder” tool once it becomes available at wtrl.racing/zwift-racing-league/teamhunt/.

First-Timer Tips

If this is your first time racing on Zwift, here are a few tips to get you started fast:

1. You must create a WTRL profile linked to your Zwift account – do so at wtrl.racing/registration
2. The minimum category you’ll race is determined by your power history on Zwift. See this post for details.
3. Riders must use a power sensor to transmit power to the game – this would be a smart trainer, smartbike, or power meter. (You’re allowed to race C and D categories with a “classic” trainer and virtual power, but your points are cut in half.)
4. Heart rate monitors are required. (You’re allowed to race without a HRM, but your points are cut in half.)
5. Cadence monitors are required.
6. You’ll want to have at least a few races under your belt before you try to join a team, so you are confident that you’re in the correct category. It causes a lot of hassle if you join a team and are forced to upgrade to a new category mid-round!

Race Recon Events

If you’re unfamiliar with a particular week’s race course, join a ZRL recon ride! These happen multiple times per day and are led by experienced racers who may share route info and racing tips as you ride.

Find a list of upcoming ZRL recon rides at zwift.com/events/tag/zrlrecon >

2025/26 ZRL Dates

• Round 1: September 16-October 7, 2025
• Round 2: November 4-December 9, 2025
• Round 3: January 6-February 10, 2026
• Round 4: April 7-28, 2026

Questions or Comments?

We recommend checking out WTRL’s Zwift Racing League page for rules, team registration, results, and more. They also have a Help Center with lots of useful info, and their Facebook page is the place to go for discussion of all things ZRL.

You may also share questions or comments below!

M&M’s will be the official sponsor of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift for the next three years, in a bid to reaffirm the chocolate confectionary’s “French industrial and cultural history”. 

While the partnership between M&M’s and the world’s biggest bike race might come as a surprise, the Tour de France and the chocolate treats might have more in common than you think. The Tour de France is a point of national pride in France, and the bags of brightly coloured confectionery also have a place in the heart of France. 

“For 50 years, the famous coloured sweets produced in Haguenau, Alsace, have won the hearts of the French people and become a permanent part of their daily lives. Today, France’s second-largest chocolate confectionery brand is purchased by one-third of French households,” an official press release published on Tuesday said. 

We can also expect the M&M’s characters to make an appearance in the Tour de France caravans, which precede the pro peloton and consist of small vehicles designed to look like company products, including cheeses and even washing detergents. 

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme says: “We are delighted to enter into this partnership with M&M’S, one of France’s favorite sweets. 

“This is an adventure with a brand that perfectly embodies the values of conviviality and community spirit that define the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes with Zwift. The whole family will be in for a treat when the caravan passes by!” 

At the Mars Wrigley factory in Alsace, 750 workers help produce and promote 72,000 tonnes of M&M’s products each year.

Scoop up 20 victories in a year, your second rainbow jersey in a row, three monuments and your fourth Tour de France win, along with increasingly being referred to as the GOAT and surpassing Eddy Merckx, and you can expect to be rewarded well.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, that’s certainly the case for Tadej Pogačar, with the Italian sports journal estimating his 2025 earnings at €12 million.

That’s split between the salary from his deep-pocketed UAE Team Emirates-XRG team, a well-merited bonus, personal sponsorship and merchandising.

The Gazzetta says that, following the 2024 season, when he took the triple crown of the Giro, Tour and Worlds, UAE signed a six-year, €8m per season contract with Pogačar, securing his services until 2030, when he will turn 32.  

• Pogačar beaten by 40-year-old lawyer in Pogi Challenge charity ride

As an incentive to keep pedalling, the contract is claimed to add a bonus of €1m for winning the Tour de France, which maybe helps explain why Pogačar kept going in the 2025 edition despite suffering from knee pain.

There are further bonuses of €500,000 each in the contract for winning the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España, and €250,000 for winning the World Championships, according to the Gazzetta.

It calculates that Pogačar‘s bonus income has dropped by €0.5m this year from 2024, though, thanks to not competing in a second grand tour, having won the Giro as well as the Tour last year.

Plus sponsorship income

Turning to sponsorship income, La Gazzetta dello Sport reckons Pogačar‘s income from his main sponsors is €2m, with another two sponsors negotiating to come on board next year and rumoured to be paying €1m each.

The €2m is said to be paid out by bike sponsor Colnago, shoe brand DMT, MET helmets and a cluster of other brands, including the Slovene tourist office. Pogačar will play host at the UCI eSports World Championships in November, an event platformed by another of his sponsors, MyWhoosh.

Then there’s Pogačar‘s merchandising income, with his TP logo appearing on everything from Carbon-Ti chainrings to MET helmets. La Gazzetta dello Sport reckons that’s worth another €1m, paid out by brands including cycling kit maker Pissei, and sunglasses and bag vendor Scicon. You can buy one of 300 special Pogačar edition Colnago V4Rs bikes for €17,000.

More cash than Armstrong or Pantani

La Gazzetta dello Sport points out that there have been other high-earning cyclists in the past with, ahem, Lance Armstrong benefiting from a $28m contract with Nike.

In 1998, Marco Pantani, who had just taken the Giro-Tour double, declined an offer of 5 billion Lire from Mapei to leave his Mercatore Uno team. Even when translated to Euros, that’s quite a lot: the Gazzetta calculates it to be worth around 4 million Euros in today’s money, accounting for inflation.

Totting it all up, the Gazzetta comes to the €12m figure for Pogačar’s 2025 income, which it reckons he will eclipse in 2026. It points out that it doesn’t all end up in his pockets, though, with some of Pissei’s cash paid into the Tadej Pogačar Foundation, which funds cancer research, support for sick children and assistance for victims of natural disasters.

What if another team wants to sign Pogačar before 2030? It will need deep pockets; his contract with UAE Team Emirates-XRG includes a €200m break-out clause, so expect to see Pogačar winning in UAE team colours for some time to come.

YT Industries UK is selling off all of its remaining assets in an online auction, with 30 bikes among the listings, after the brand entered insolvency in September.

Auction house Marriott and Co. is hosting the sale, with 144 lots on offer. The auction kicked off on 7 October and runs until 3pm on 22 October.

The listings include mountain bikes and eMTBs, with one lot consisting of a quantity of miscellaneous MTB parts with a claimed value of £170,000.

There are also two Transit vans, electric workstands, power tools and posh coffee equipment going under the hammer.

We’ve rounded up some of the most interesting lots you could bid on.

• YT Industries enters insolvency as CEO prepares to relaunch brand after buying it back
  

Ex-demo YT mountain bikes

Firstly, there are some 30 bikes for sale. These are ex-demo bikes, so will have likely had some use, but they could sell for bargain prices.

All the lots containing bikes have already met their reserve price, so will sell for whatever price they reach.

The cheapest bike at the time of writing is lot 10, a YT Izzo Core 1 CF trail bike in XXL. Bidding has reached £694, with a full retail price of £2,699.

There is also a YT Jeffsy Core 4 in size Large with SRAM AXS Transmission, which is currently going for £1,010 and retails for £5,000.

There are electric mountain bikes galore and we like the look of lot 34: a YT Decoy MX Core 5, which has an RRP of £7,799 but is selling for £1,110 at the time of writing.

The most valuable bike is lot 33, a YT Decoy SN 29 Core 4, which retails at £8,499, but is currently bid up to only £1,280.

Both these eMTB lots come with spare Fazua motors.

Parts bin special

Lot 36 is made up of miscellaneous MTB parts, presumably destined for bike builds on frames that will now never arrive.

The listing’s description says the stock is worth £170,000 and it’s currently at £2,600 without meeting the reserve.

Looking at the photos, it’s possible to make out what appear to be brake rotors, cassettes and even a fork hidden high up on a shelf.

Van life

If you fancy a new van, lot 1 is a long-wheelbase, high-top Ford Transit 350 for £10,000 (and the reserve has been met). It looks perfect for some van-life adventures.

YT wizardry

If you fancy redecorating your house with a bang, lot 95 could be for you. It’s a display set said to have been built by the Harry Potter set designers and includes a Mk1 Ford Transit van front end.

Caffeine fiends

Lot 114 is a two-group coffee machine from La Spaziale, which retails for £5,699 and is currently bid to £780 with the reserve met.

Capra collectables

With Halloween coming up, you might want a goat’s head mask. If so, you have three chances to be the winning bidder on lot 124, lot 125 and lot 126.