Mahle has released an updated version of its X20 electric bike motor.

Here are three key things you need to know:

• The X20 is Mahle’s flagship motor system, sitting above the X30 and X35.
• Mahle has boosted the torque delivered by the X20 by 18 per cent, from 55Nm to 65Nm.
• The peak power produced by the new X20 motor has increased from 250 watts to 275 watts.

The X20 is a drive system designed for premium and lightweight road, gravel and urban bikes that cut a similar silhouette to unassisted bikes.

The motor is housed in the hub of the rear wheel and, on the Orbea Gain pictured, a 350Wh battery is found in the down tube. Mahle says this provides a range of around 140km, and you can add a range extender to give you another 60km of motor-assisted pedal power.

With 275 watts of peak assistance, there’s plenty of power on tap for steep climbs. Beyond the increase in power, Mahle says one of the key features of the new X20 is the increase in torque, from 55Nm to 65Nm.

Torque plays an important role in how quickly an electric bike can deliver its power and, as a result, the acceleration, as well as its ability to handle a variety of terrain and surfaces, is ideal for e-gravel bikes.

Each bike manufacturer that works with Mahle defines specific motor mapping, so every bike brand has its own ‘riding DNA’ pre-configured from the factory. Riders can then fine-tune within the ranges defined by each brand via the app.

Mahle says the torque sensor is central to the natural pedaling feel: the more torque applied by the rider, the more assistance the system provides. The motor is also designed so that it doesn’t just cut out above 25km/h, it reduces resistance gradually until 27.5km/h, for a smoother ride, according to Mahle.

The total system – motor, torque system, a small 250Wh battery and a bike computer – weighs a claimed 3.2kg.

You can find the X20 on ebikes from mainstream brands including Van Rysel, Ribble, Rose, Ridley, 3T, Wilier, Bianchi and Mondraker – and smaller boutique brands such as Pashley, Origine, Conor and Nordic Bikes.

This week’s event picks are a nice mix, starting with a popular charity ride, hitting two (very different) races, and including two banded group rides to help you tackle especially tough routes. See details below!

Sir Chris Hoy’s Tour de 4

La Roja Tour (TNP): Stages 3 and 4

PACK Banded Buddies: Road to Sky

A Sunday in Hell with DZR

LA MARCHA HISPANA (Enable Rubberbanding)

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!

Cervélo has officially launched the fifth generation of its R5 range, a super-lightweight climber’s bike. It’s a stunning example of a genre that still has plenty of allure, and is a bike I would love to ride. It’s just a shame it costs a mind-bending amount of money, at £5,000 for the frameset alone.

BikeRadar’s ever-diligent tech sleuth, Simon von Bromley, first spotted the new bike at the 2025 Tour de France Grand Départ in Lille, where Matteo Jorgenson and his Visma–Lease a Bike teammates were already racing on unreleased versions.

Even then, it was clear Cervélo had doubled down on trimming every possible gram. 

BikeRadar weighed Jorgenson’s size-58cm bike at 7.03kg, including empty bottles. With those removed – as they would be for UCI checks – the bike would sit close to the 6.8kg UCI weight limit. That’s very impressive for a larger bike in close-to-race-ready spec.

With official details now to hand, Cervélo claims the new frame and fork come in at 657g and 302g, respectively. There are lighter frames from mainstream manufacturers – an S-Works Aethos frameset is claimed to weigh 585g, for example – but that’s still impressively feathery for a disc bike by any measure.

Complete builds dip as low as 5.97kg – well under the UCI’s limit.

Unashamed nostalgia

And this is where the heart of this gently nostalgic man in his early 30s still leaps a little. 

Nobody questions the importance of aero gains, but like many riders, I still romanticise a little about days when the weight figure was the headline spec. And not just because the (often pointless) pursuit of chasing low weight is entertaining. 

Although everything has been slimmed down – the pencil-thin seatstays now measure the bare minimum 10mm, and junctions have been pared back – the R5 retains its classic silhouette, and it looks absolutely banging. 

The bike and others of its ilk, such as the Orbea Orca, have an elegant air in a way most modern aero bikes don’t, and I’m totally here for it. 

It would be unkind to describe this as a throwback to the heyday of the lightweight bike in the rim-brake era – this is a thoroughly modern bike with all of the tech trappings to match.

But it shares a common thread with the classic double-diamond frames of old, and I simply love the way it looks.

The bike for me… if I could ever afford it

And for someone whose road riding amounts to little beyond chewing up the local lanes with pals, with the odd effort on choice climbs or long days thrown in, a good-looking bike that gets me excited to ride is more important than outright performance.

Of course, for the World Tour pros reading this, there is still a performance benefit to climbing bikes – particularly for lighter riders.

As outlined in his excellent piece comparing the bikes ridden at the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes, BikeRadar’s road and gravel presenter Ollie Smith highlights that the typically lighter riders in the women’s peloton have more to gain by opting for lighter bikes. 

• Read more: I’m a pro cyclist and the UCI weight limit is completely outdated – here’s why

However, as appealing and high-performance as the bike might be, there is the unfortunate question of cost. 

Cervélo will offer five complete builds at launch, priced from £8,500 to £11,500. Framesets are £5,000. That’s a breathtaking amount of money, no matter how deep your pockets are.

In fairness (if you can call it that) to Cervélo, an S-Works level Aethos frameset is also £5,000.

Difficult as it might be, putting the wild price aside, I’ve still got time for brands that haven’t abandoned the traditional climbing bike – even if few of us can ever afford them. 

For all the rightly deserved aero hype, there remains a place – and a powerful emotional pull – for beautifully light, simple, classic-looking race bikes. And for riders like me, that’s reason enough to get excited.

Last year, Zwift held their first-ever Zwift Camp: Baseline – an assessment-oriented training program consisting of six stages. And it was a hit, besting even Zwift Academy as Zwift’s most popular workout series of all time!

Following last year’s proof-of-concept, this year Zwift is leaning heavily into the Zwift Camp concept, launching a three-camp series that kicks off with Zwift Camp: Baseline on September 15.

Below, we’ll share what we know about Zwift Camp: Baseline, and a bit of info on the two camps that follow: Zwift Camp: Build and Zwift Camp: Breakthrough. Let’s dive in!

On a related note: Zwift has announced that Zwift Academy will not take place this year, but that it “will return in 2026 and work is already underway to make sure the 10th edition is the best yet.” This season’s Zwift Camps are clearly positioned to replace Zwift Academy for riders not pursuing pro contracts.

Baseline Basics

The first Camp of the season is best seen as a launchpad for the Camps to follow. It’s all about completing four separate “Power Check” workouts, which will update your power curve with max efforts across standard time intervals:

• 5-second power (Zone 6+)
• 1-minute power (Zone 6)
• 5-minute power (Zone 5)
• 20-minute power (Zone 4)

Workout Details

To complete those Power Checks, Zwift has created four different workouts. Complete the workouts and you’ve completed Zwift Camp: Baseline:

Each of the four power checks consists of an ERG workout combined with a new route. The workouts each run you through a warmup section, followed by some “leg opener” efforts, then a bit of recovery before hitting one or more free ride sections where you are expected to put out maximal power for a specific duration.

Each workout will be held on a new route of the same name, created just for Zwift Camp: Baseline:

• Red Zone Repeats
  • 19.6km, 87m elevation
  • 390 XP Bonus
• Power Punches
  • 23.7km, 205m elevation
  • 470 XP Bonus
• Climb Control
  • 24km, 191m elevation
  • 475 XP Bonus
• Flat Out Fast
  • 22.3km, 49m elevation
  • 430 XP Bonus

Tip: If the workout finishes before the route, keep riding to earn the achievement badge and bonus XP at the route’s finish line!

Events + On Demand

Ride the four Zwift Camp: Baseline workouts in scheduled events with others, or on demand by selecting the workouts and completing them on your own. Group events will run on the following schedule:

• Workout 1 (September 15-22): 5-Second Power Check, “Red Zone Repeats”
• Workout 2 (September 22-29): 1-Minute Power Check, “Power Punches”
• Workout 3 (September 29-October 6): 5-Minute Power Check, “Climb Control”
• Workout 4 (October 6-13): 20-Minute Power Check, “Flat Out Fast”
• Make-Up Events: October 13-20

Sign up at zwift.com/zwift-camp >

Each workout “stage” is a week long, with events beginning at 9am PST on Monday and scheduled hourly on the hour until 8am PST the following Monday.

Progressive Unlocks

Three unlocks are available as you work your way through Zwift Camp: Baseline:

• Complete 1 Workout: Zwift Camp: Baseline Helmet
• Complete 3 Workouts: Zwift Camp: Baseline Shoes
• Complete all 4 Workouts: Zwift Camp: Baseline Kit

Personal Dashboard

Zwift has launched a personalized Zwift Camp: Baseline dashboard for all participants, which includes a progress meter and your power bests across each of the four intervals.

Access your dashboard at zwift.com/zwift-camp/dashboard >

2025/26 Zwift Camps

Three Zwift Camps are planned for this year’s 2025/26 peak Zwift season:

• Zwift Camp: Baseline (September 15-October 20): Pure power analysis
• Zwift Camp: Build (November 10 – December 21): Power application through in-game segments/routes
• Zwift Camp: Breakthrough (February 2026): Pure power competition and analysis through Power Segments*

* Power Segments are an upcoming feature mentioned in This Season on Zwift released today. They’re the perfect way to test your power across various intervals, and should make a great addition to Zwift Camps. Inside sources also tell us Zwift Camp: Breakthrough may feature some population rankings, so you can see how your power numbers stack up against others…

Questions or Comments?

What do you think of the Zwift Camp proposition? Going to participate? Got questions? Share your thoughts below!

Scott has revealed its new Addict endurance bike, which is intended unashamedly for recreational use and designed to be “long ride ready”. 

The endurance bike follows the Addict RC 20 race bike, which was released last November. “This year, we wanted to bring the advancements learned on the RC to a larger range of customers on our most sold road bike, the Addict,” says Jean-François Boivin, the Addict’s lead engineer. 

Boivin says it hasn’t always been easy for Scott to define what an endurance bike should be. “In the past, the Addict had been designed as the RC’s little brother,” he says.

But, despite learning from the RC, the new Addict is its own bike, with Scott focusing on four main areas: extra comfort, relaxed geometry, confident handling and practical features. 

• Read more: The new Scott Addict 10 is practical and deceptively fast – but is that actually fun?

Greater comfort, but stiff where it counts

Boivin explains that when designing the new Addict, Scott worked carefully on frame compliance. The result is the new Addict has 25 per cent more compliance than the Addict RC, and it has 50 per cent more frame compliance over the outgoing Addict, which launched back in 2020. 

“We achieved this by reducing the seat tube section underneath the seat stay junction to allow for additional flex,” says Boivin. “This way, the seat tube can flex forward a bit more. The top tube is also slimmer to enable upward deflection, and the drop seat stay will flex outward to contribute even more comfort.” 

Julien Chauveau, marketing manager for road, gravel and triathlon at Scott, says the lessons for how to adapt the Addict’s tubes came from developing the RC race bike, where the team saw how the bike flexed in a fatigue machine at the company’s factory in China. 

“At that moment, we really understood how we could improve the tube shapes and the design of the bike to actually increase the frame compliance,” says Chauveau. 

However, the new Addict is really a balancing act between where compliance aids comfort and stiffness helps performance: the bike has the same stiffness as the Addict RC in the bottom bracket area and head tube. 

As soon as the moulds for the Addict were ready, Scott asked for frames with different layups and levels of stiffness, going from very soft up to the stiffness levels of the Addict RC.

After blind testing, Chauveau says everybody loved the stiffer bikes: “The main reason was the head tube stiffness. They all felt the handling was more precise and gave them more confidence. With a bike like this we want the rider to feel at ease, even when you go fast. The stiffer bikes were much better for that.”

“Bottom bracket stiffness was less easy to feel, but still the riders preferred the stiffer version for sprints and climbs,” he adds. 

38mm tyres and geometry tweaks 

The balancing act between comfort and performance continues with the Addict’s ample tyre clearance and geometry tweaks.

The bike can now fit 38mm tyres, which is 4mm wider than the tyre clearance of the Addict RC and 3mm more than the previous Addict. 

“Not only will you benefit from the added vibration damping of lower pressure tyres, but you will also get added confidence in grip,” says Boivin. 

Yet Scott seems aware that although tyre widths and clearances are increasing, running 38mm tyres on an endurance bike might still be a niche desire; the Addict’s geometry is optimised for 34mm tyres and models in the new range are specced with this width. 

Scott also wants the bike to be accessible to the average rider, and for that reason the bike’s stack is now 5mm higher and the reach is 5mm shorter. Although the bottom bracket drop and fork rake were adjusted to accommodate the wider tyres, Scott shortened the chainstays by 2mm to make the bike feel more playful.

This geometry is also a big reason why the Addict fits into Scott’s new ‘ride’ bike category, whereas the RC fits into its new ‘race’ category, alongside the Foil aero bike. 

“It’s not uncommon to see riders take the RC and add many spacers to fit their [body] or riding style,” says Boivin. “But in fact, if you were to use 35mm of spacers on the RC, you would actually get to the same position as on the Addict without spacers.” 

“If you use more than 30mm of spacers on the RC, you would probably be better suited with the new Addict,” he adds. 

Scott Addict geometry

Storage and hidden extras 

To help make the Addict ‘long ride ready’, Scott has equipped the bike with extra storage and accessories. 

The bike has storage integrated into the down tube, which is accessible via a hatch near the bottom bracket. This is fitted with a flat tyre ‘Save the Day’ repair kit, which consists of a mini pump, tyre levers and a TPU inner tube, held in a fabric sleeve. The kit is included on the top two Addict models, and is an optional upgrade for others. 

The location of the storage is supposed to be unnoticeable (because nobody likes to think about getting a flat tyre), but the position makes sense from an engineering standpoint, too.

Chauveau says the total weight penalty for the storage is only 40g, with the door weighing just under 10g and only an extra 25g of carbon required to reinforce the frame. The door only has to support its own weight, but if it was under water bottles, as on other bikes, it would have to be far more substantial, and therefore heavier.

The mechanism to lock the door is the same design Scott uses for its mountain bikes. “We know it’s going to work and last a long time,” says Chauveau. 

The bike also comes with a frame bag, which attaches to mounting points that are recessed in the top tube. This is so they don’t disrupt the clean lines of the bike if you’re riding without the bag. 

Like the Addict RC, Scott’s new endurance bike has a small multi-tool hidden in the handlebar, which can be used to adjust any of the bolts on the bike or remove the wheels.

The Syncros seatpost also has an in-built bike light, which can provide illumination for up to 20 hours, depending on the mode. 

Syncros compatibility 

Boivin says bike fit is “paramount” for long rides, and so Scott has ensured there is a large range of fit components from its in-house brand Syncros that will fit on the Addict.

“Most of the Addict’s small parts are compatible with the RC. This means that you get access to a range of parts that are interchangeable between the two bikes,” says Boivin. 

While the Addict comes with a -6˚ stem, this means you could also fit the RC’s -11˚ stem or its one-piece Syncros cockpit. 

“You’ll notice that we don’t have any road in the round handlebars anymore on the Addict lineup. All you will find are smooth surface handlebars for best in class ergonomics,” he adds.

Keeping the weight down 

While the focus of the new Addict is comfort and long-distance performance, Boivin says “a lot of effort” was made to keep the weight of the bike as low as possible. 

The new bike’s frame is available in two carbon fibre options – Scott’s premium HMX or more affordable HMF carbon. 

At 780g, Boivin says the Addict HMX is one of the lightest endurance frames on the market. 

He says the HMX frame is only 50g heavier than the previous-generation Addict RC, while the Addict HMF frame is 70g lighter than the previous Addict. 

The top-spec Addict Premium, with a Shimano Dura-Ace groupset and Fulcrum Wind 42 DB wheels, weighs a claimed 7.4kg. The rest of the range weighs between 7.8kg and 9kg. 

“Attractive and accessible” 

As well as plenty of fit options, Scott has provided a wide range of complete builds.

“We want the Addict to be attractive and accessible to the largest possible span of people,” says Boivin. “So this is why the bike builds go from the very affordable mechanical shifting to the high-end electronic group sets.”

In keeping with the ‘long ride’ philosophy and the focus on recreational use, Scott has specced the Addict with smaller chainrings and larger cassettes than you would find on racier bikes. 

The bottom gear on the new Addicts will be a one-to-one ratio with Shimano groupsets and 0.92-to-one with SRAM groupsets. 

The bike is also compatible with SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger, so it’s futureproof and compatible with as many drivetrains as possible. 

“The rest of the components go from affordable alloy parts to light carbon components and wheelsets. We think everybody will be able to find what they are looking for,” says Boivin. 

You may like

• Endurance bikes nearly died, but now they’re back with a bang
• Cannondale Synapse vs Boardman SLR: the winner stole my head and heart
• The latest endurance bikes will kill off the all-road bike, and I couldn’t be happier

Scott Addict range overview

Scott Addict Premium

• Frame: Addict HMX 
• Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace 
• Wheels: Fulcrum Wind 42 DB 
• Tyres: Schwalbe Pro One, 700x34c 
• Weight: 7.4kg 
• Price: £6,499 / $7,699 / €7,499

Scott Addict 10

• Frame: Addict HMX 
• Groupset: SRAM Force AXS 
• Wheels: Fulcrum Wind 42 DB 
• Tyres: Schwalbe Pro One, 700x34c 
• Weight: 7.8kg 
• Price: £5,499 / $6,699 / €6,399

Scott Addict 20 

• Frame: Addict HMF
• Groupset: Shimano Ultegra 
• Wheels: Fulcrum Wind 42 DB 
• Tyres: Schwalbe One, 700x34c 
• Weight: 8.3kg
• Price: £4,299 / $5,499 / €4,999

Scott Addict 30

• Frame: Addict HMF 
• Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2
• Wheels: Syncros Capital 1.0 40
• Tyres: Schwalbe One, 700x34c 
• Weight: 8.5kg
• Price: £3,299 / $3,999 / €3,799

Scott Addict 40 

• Frame: Addict HMF
• Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2
• Wheels: Syncros RP2.0 Disc
• Tyres: Schwalbe One, 700x34c 
• Weight: 8.9kg 
• Price: £2,749 / $3,399 / €3,199 

Scott Addict 50 

• Frame: Addict HMF
• Groupset: Shimano 105
• Wheels: Syncros RP2.0 Disc
• Tyres: Schwalbe One, 700x34c 
• Weight: 9kg
• Price: £2,249 / $2,799 / €2,599

Zwift just released their latest “This Season on Zwift” announcement detailing key game features, Companion app updates, events, and hardware news coming in the next few months. We’ve posted the complete press release below, and in the coming days, we’ll dive into some of the announcements in more detail.

There’s some fun stuff here, so let’s get on with it…

Personalized Recommendations, New Zwift Click Controllers and Much More Promise To Make It Easier To Level Up Your Fitness

Plus Many More Updates Landing This Season on Zwift, Including New Roads, Events and Racing Improvements

Zwift, the global online fitness platform for cyclists, today announces a series of updates and content experiences that promise to make it easier than ever before to level up your fitness. From AI-driven personalized recommendations designed to help Zwifters hit their goals to updated Zwift Click Controllers that unlock the full Zwift experience to new roads that encourage Zwifters to explore more, there is something new for every rider This Season On Zwift.

Zwift Ready & New Zwift Click Controllers

Shipping from September 9

Launched in 2024, the Zwift Ready program makes getting started on Zwift easier and more affordable. Zwift Ready trainers come with the Zwift Cog pre-installed, providing compatibility with virtually any bike, and with Zwift Click included, riders have everything they need to begin their journey in Watopia. In 2025, the Zwift Ready program is expanding with more variety than ever before, and with costs starting from as little as €250 // £279.99 // $299.99. Zwift Ready trainers will be available from Wahoo, Elite, Van Rysel, JetBlack, and Garmin-Tacx (USA only). 

Shipping from September 9th, the new Zwift Click controllers unlock the full Zwift experience thanks to integrated navigation and shortcut buttons, similar to those seen on Zwift Ride, and previously Zwift Play controllers. The new Zwift Click retains the ability for riders to mount the controllers in almost any location and they are compatible with all handlebar types. To ensure it can be placed in almost any location, the new Zwift Click allows you to customise the button configuration to orient your Zwift Click however you like. 

Zwift Cog and Click upgrade kits for all Zwift Cog-compatible trainers are available to pre-order from Zwift.com now, and will ship from September 9th. 

Levelling Up Your Fitness – Personalized Recommendations, Auto-Adjusting Goals & Improved Onboarding

Launching November

Building on the success of Fitness Trends, which rolled out earlier this summer, Zwift will make it easier for Zwifters to level up their fitness with the introduction of Auto-Adjusted Goals and Personalized recommendations.

From September, an improved onboarding experience will make it easier for Zwifters to set up connections with their outdoor head units from Wahoo, Garmin and Hammerhead. Zwifters connecting their outdoor accounts will not only benefit from additional XP for their outdoor rides, but they will also be able to track their Fitness Trends in Zwift Companion and set goals based on their past activities. Now, when Zwifters set goals, they will have the ability to set these to Auto-Adjust. Using the last several weeks of indoor and outdoor data, Zwift will adjust your upcoming weekly target goal, helping to support your continual development.

From November, Zwift promises to take things to the next level with Personalized Recommendations. Powered by AI, Personalized Recommendations will serve content tailored to help each Zwifter hit their goals. Recommendations served will account for recent training load, based on both indoor and outdoor (when connected) activity, riding preferences, including activity types, and much more, meaning Zwifters can jump in with one click, allowing them to spend more time riding and less time choosing. 

Using the ‘Tune button’ Zwifters will have the ability to choose from a mix of content types, including workouts, routes, events and Robo Pacer rides, helping preserve variety. However, with each recommendation accounting for recent ride history and personal goals, Zwifters can be assured that whatever activity they choose, it will be both productive and fun. Further, Zwifters will also have the option to adjust the duration of content – because sometimes life gets in the way.

For those who have connections in place with external coaching apps like TrainerRoad, these will take preference on the Home Screen. Zwifters will still have the option to ‘tune’ these activities should they wish to mix things up.

Personalized Recommendations will display both in the home screen in the main Zwift App and also in Zwift Companion.

Progress Report Screen

Launching November

Upon completion of an activity, Zwifters will now be taken to an updated Progress Report Screen. Here, Zwift will display a summary of all key information, including fitness score progression, training status, goal progression, current streak, bike upgrade progression, level progress, racing score improvements, and much more. This display will show at the end of any activity before returning to the home screen. Post-activity, Zwifters will have the ability to go deeper into these metrics using Fitness Trends in the Zwift Companion app.

Zwift Unlocked – An Entirely New Tour 

October 6-November 16

Running October 6th to November 16th, Zwift Unlocked is an entirely new Zwift Tour, replacing the Tour of Watopia. Like its predecessor, Zwift Unlocked offers double XP but brings with it 10 entirely new routes across multiple Zwift Worlds. Zwifters will have the ability to ride or race each stage, with long and short options on offer throughout. 

The Big Apple Just Got Bigger – New York Expansion

Launching October 27

The final two stages of Zwift Unlocked will take place on a freshly expanded New York map. This expansion will be Zwift’s largest map expansion in years, adding 31km of new roads to New York, including 20 new routes (16 bike and 4 run).

The expansion will take Zwifters out of Zwift’s futuristic Central Park, into the city and out to Prospect Park via New York’s subway network.

Power Segments

Launching October 27

Within the subways of New York, Zwifters will also find a new segment feature, Power Segments, launching with this expansion. Power Segments are a new take on Zwift’s timed Sprint Segments, where pure wattage is all that matters. Hit the start arch and hammer until the timer hits zero to try and average the highest watts possible. Upon completion of a segment, Zwifters will see their personal result and how it compares with their efforts over the previous 90 days – this is primarily a challenge of personal achievement. Zwifters will also see how they rank against the global community, with the overall leaderboard displayed shortly after the personal results screen. Power Segments will eventually roll out to other Zwift Worlds over time. 

Zwift Racing

Season Long

The Home of Community Racing is geared up to deliver the best season of competition to date. Whether it’s Zwift Racing League, starting on September 16th, zRacing, Zwift Games, any one of the 1000’s of community-run race events, or if lycra isn’t your thing, there’s even the Virtual Brompton World Championships in November – there really is something for everyone!

Helping make community racing fairer and more competitive, there are numerous improvements coming to the racing scene, beginning this September. Zwift Racing Score is now established as the default racing categorisation system, and the 11 categories now used for Zwift events have made racing even more competitive by keeping the competition more closely matched. 

The latest changes to Zwift Racing Score have seen ‘score decay’ introduced for racers who haven’t competed in the last 30 days, updated seed scores based on your most recent personal bests (inside or outside of races), and a new option for event organisers to categorise riders by their 30-day best score, not just their current score. These changes ensure your score reflects your current peak fitness, instantly rewards strong performances, keeps matchmaking dynamic, and makes races feel fairer and more competitive for everyone on the start line.

To help keep racing fairer, Zwift is also rolling out new anti-botting detection. This is live and has been actively identifying suspicious activity. Accounts flagged by this technology are moving through our standard enforcement pipeline, helping us clean up racing, protect leaderboard integrity, and stop unfair XP farming. The same system is laying the groundwork for a new generation of anti-cheating technology designed to detect and eliminate unrealistic performances and make racing on Zwift even more authentic over time.

Brompton World Championship

November 17-23

“Tweed Is Speed.” The world’s most dapper race has arrived on Zwift. A week-long Virtual Brompton World Championship race series event is set to be held in Zwift’s London. Races will be held on custom routes (short and long options) and all entrants will be able to unlock the very special Tweed Kit! Of course, the Brompton will be available to purchase in the Drop Shop from November as well.

Event Cooldown

Live Now

The fun shouldn’t stop when you cross the finish line. Now, when Zwifters complete a Zwift group event they will have the option to stay in the event world to cool down. This update aims to improve event experience by extending the opportunity to continue the conversation, reminisce about the epic battle that went down, share a funny moment, connect on Zwift Companion, or discuss plans for your next activity much like you would after completing an outdoor event. One extra loop, anyone?

Zwift Camp: Baseline

September 15-October 19

Zwift Camp: Baseline proved to be Zwift’s most popular workout series of all time, and returns bigger and better for 2025. Zwift Camp will consist of three distinct camps throughout the year: Baseline, Build, and Breakthrough. Designed to follow the structure of winter training, Zwift Camp has been designed to allow Zwifters to complete one or multiple camps. Beginning September 15th, Zwift Camp: Baseline is your launchpad for the season ahead. The four workouts are a chance to set your baseline fitness and lock in your best season yet. 

Head over to your personalized Zwift Camp: Baseline dashboard here – zwift.com/zwift-camp/dashboard

The Drop

Dropping September 25

MyCanyon colorways are landing in the Drop Shop on September 25th. This will be the first time Zwifters can purchase bikes with distinct colorways in the Drop Shop. From launch, Zwifters can choose from four designs from the Opus Collection, the Fabrio Collection, and the Mano Collection. Stay tuned for more Drops coming to the Drop Shop this season!

Watopia Essentials Collection

On Sale September 16

Born from a partnership with Pedal Mafia, the Watopia Essentials Collection is an investment in your cycling journey, bringing the highest quality cycling apparel to Zwifters indoors and outdoors. On and off-bike apparel will be available to purchase in the US, UK and EU from Zwift.com. Zwifters located in Australia will also be able to access the collection from pedalmafia.cc.  

To find out more about This Season on Zwift, visit zwift.com/this-season-on-zwift

Your Thoughts

What do you think of Zwift’s plans for the next few months? Share below!

Artificial intelligence (AI) is coming to Zwift this autumn, in the form of personalised recommendations for indoor rides and workouts.

With autumn on the horizon, Zwift has announced the latest round of updates to the popular indoor cycling app.

While the new AI tool is said to help “take out the cognitive load of figuring out what to do” on Zwift, there’s also a new world expansion, a new set of controllers, updates to racing categorisations and anti-cheat tools, and much more.

For an in-depth look at the new controllers, check out our Zwift Click v2 first look. Otherwise, read on for the lowdown on everything new coming to Zwift this season.

• New Zwift Click controllers make upgrading to virtual shifting cheaper than ever
• Zwift: your complete guide

Less time choosing, more time riding

According to Zwift, a big friction point for newer riders is working out what to do when they load up the app.

With so many routes, group rides, events, races and workouts available, the amount of choice can be overwhelming.

With its new AI tool, Zwift will offer personalised recommendations to riders at the top of the app homepage, with a suggested ride designed to account for your goals, preferences and current training load.

Rather than simply suggesting structured workouts every time, Zwift says its AI tool will recommend “a mix of routes, workouts, Robopacer rides & events allowing Zwifters to maintain variety“.

Riders will also be able to “tune” the recommendations around variables such as time, activity type, structure and more.

According to Zwift, the new AI tool is designed to help you “get fitter faster” and has been enabled by a recent update that allowed riders to track and gain experience points (XP) from outdoor rides, among other things.

The brand says its AI tool can leverage this data to gain a better understanding of a rider’s current fitness level and training loads, helping to improve its own recommendations.

Zwift says the tool is set to launch in November, and while it won’t offer ‘training periodisation’ at launch, the brand said it hopes to expand the tool’s capabilities in the future.

This update launches alongside updates to the ‘progress report’ that shows at the end of activities.

Upon finishing a ride, Zwift will display an in-depth summary of key metrics and information, including fitness score and goal progression, training status, level progress, racing score changes and so on.

Zwift also says its ‘goals’ feature – which is based on weekly riding goals riders can set for themselves – will now be able to update automatically to encourage continuous improvement.

At launch, Zwift says the auto-adjusting goals feature will be relatively simple, but that it has “big visions” for how it can be improved in the future.

The big apple is getting bigger

In its “largest map expansion in years”, Zwift is updating its iconic New York world with 31km of new virtual roads towards the end of October.

The expansion will include 16 new rideable routes (plus four for runners), taking riders out of the map’s futuristic Central Park area and to Prospect Park via the subway network.

While the original Central Park area has a few short, sharp climbs, Zwift says the Prospect Park expansion will feature “fast rolling roads” and iconic New York locations such as the Brooklyn Bridge.

Zwift also says it’s adding what it calls ‘power segments’ to the New York subway, which encourage riders to go for personal bests over short durations, from 5-30 seconds.

The goal with power segments is to set the highest average power possible, with efforts being recorded on in-game leaderboards.

Zwift says it intends the segments to be “primarily a challenge of personal achievement”, and so will display results compared to your previous efforts over the past 90 days, with community leaderboards following afterwards.

The brand says power segments will “roll out to other Zwift Worlds over time”.

Making Zwift racing fairer and more competitive

Zwift racing has exploded in popularity in recent years, helping riders get their competitive fix from the comfort of their own home/shed.

From this month, Zwift says it is introducing a range of new features designed to make racing fairer and more competitive.

For a start, Zwift Racing Score now features ‘score decay’.

Designed for racers who haven’t competed in the previous 30 days, this will update your racing score – the measure used to categorise riders within events – based on your most recent personal bests.

Event organisers will also gain the option to categorise riders according to their 30-day best score, rather than only their current score.

The idea is to help a rider’s racing scores better reflect their current fitness levels, reward strong performances and help keep races fair and competitive.

According to Zwift, racing on its platform is now 64 per cent “closer” year-on-year – meaning the gap between the top and bottom finishers in each race is now significantly smaller than before.

The goal, Zwift says, is to make it so that “anybody of any ability can hop in and find a race they are competitive in”.

Beyond this, Zwift says it’s also “rolling out new anti-botting detection”, to detect suspicious activity on the platform, and combat cheating, bots and XP farming.

Accounts “flagged” by these tools will move “through our standard enforcement pipeline”, but the brand says this “is laying the groundwork for a new generation of anti-cheating technology”.

Brompton World Championships come to Zwift

In terms of events, there are a whole host of challenges to take on this season.

Replacing the Tour of Watopia, a new double-XP event series called ‘Zwift Unlocked’ is coming to the platform from 6 October to 16 November.

As well as helping riders level up faster, Zwift Unlocked will feature 10 new routes across multiple Zwift roads.

Zwift Unlocked events will be available as both group rides and races, with options for short and long distances.

Beyond that, there’s the usual Zwift Racing League, zRacing, Zwift Games and thousands of community events.

And if that wasn’t enough, the virtual Brompton World Championships are coming to Zwift this November.

As the name suggests, this event sees riders all aboard the British brand’s iconic folding bike, with an additional twist of everyone wearing a tweed outfit.

Zwift says riders can unlock the tweed outfit for their avatar simply by participating in a Brompton World Championships event, and can permanently unlock the Brompton folding bike via the Drop Shop.

Strava has launched its new redesigned app for the Apple Watch, which now features a “performance-focused” interface, Strava’s Live Segments, performance tracking and more.

The update follows an increase in users uploading activities from Apple Watches. Strava says there was a nearly 20 per cent year-over-year increase in athletes using an Apple Watch in 2024.

“Apple Watch has become an increasingly popular wearable for athletes on Strava,” says Matt Salazar, chief product officer at Strava. “This investment in Apple Watch is more than just tracking a workout – it’s about delivering the real-time, game-like features athletes love to motivate them in the moment.”

So what’s new? 

Strava says it made several key updates to the Apple Watch app, including bringing its Live Segments feature to the smartwatch. 

Live Segments enable you to compete against yourself or other Strava users on starred or popular segments.

“On Apple Watch, Live Segments are intuitive and motivating,” says Strava. “As athletes approach a segment, a banner with the segment name and a circle indicator appears on the watch face. As they enter the segment, the circle updates in real time to reflect progress, providing a clear visual cue that shows whether the athlete is ahead or behind their personal record.” 

Strava also says you will receive a haptic cue when entering a Live Segment. And once you’ve completed the segment, your result will be displayed instantly before the app transitions back to the standard recording screen. 

Elsewhere, Strava says its Apple Watch app will now enable you to see stats at a glance, including pace, distance, time and heart rate. 

Streamlined syncing is said to make uploading directly to Strava “automatic and reliable”.

Extra features for Strava subscribers

If you’re a subscriber to Strava, you will have access to more features on the Apple Watch.

The live performance tracking means you’ll be able to see how your current pace compares to your personal best in real time. 

The Live Segments feature is also enhanced for paid subscribers. With a subscription, you will have a countdown showing exactly how much distance remains in a segment. You’ll also be able to see how your completed segment time compares to your personal best immediately. 

Integration between Apple Fitness+ and Strava

The update to Strava’s Apple Watch app follows the enhanced integration between Apple Fitness+ and Strava, which was announced in January of this year. 

Strava teamed up with Apple’s fitness and wellness service to offer “more value, inspiration, and motivation”, thanks to three new features.

The integration between the two services enables users to track and share their Fitness+ workouts on Strava, and Strava subscribers can also unlock a three-month trial of Apple Fitness+ at no additional cost.

It was also revealed that Fitness+ would debut workouts featuring top athletes from Strava, including runners Hellah Sidibe and Kayla Jeter. 

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• The one benefit of Strava that nobody is talking about (and why it could make you happier)

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has said it “firmly condemns” the actions that led to the neutralisation of stage 11 of La Vuelta a España yesterday. 

With roughly 20km to go on the 157.4km stage, starting and ending in Bilbao, the race organisers announced the stage would end 3km early due to pro-Palestine protesters. 

In a statement released last night, the UCI said: “The UCI reiterates the fundamental importance of the political neutrality of sports organisations within the Olympic Movement, as well as the unifying and pacifying role of sport. Major international sporting events embody a spirit of unity and dialogue, transcending differences and divisions.” 

“The UCI would also like to reiterate that sport, and cycling in particular, has a role to play in bringing people together and overcoming barriers between them, and should under no circumstances be used as a tool for punishment,” it went on. 

The UCI added that staff and riders at La Vuelta should be able to “practise their profession and pursue their passion in optimal conditions of safety and serenity”. 

La Vuelta decided not to award a stage winner or award points for the points classification, with only points obtained at the mountain passes and intermediate sprints retained. 

The race organisers also “strongly condemned” the protests in a statement released after the stage, adding that: “La Vuelta respects and defends the right to peaceful demonstration within the context of the event, but cannot tolerate any acts that put at risk the physical safety of participants or any member of the race caravan.” 

Britain’s Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) was at the front of the race with general classification leader Jonas Vingegaard (Visma–Lease a Bike) when the decision to shorten the stage was announced. 

After the stage, he expressed frustration at missing his chance for a stage win. “I’m not saying I would have won, but I think I had a good chance to win,” said Pidcock.

“I felt like today was my day, but I feel like there always should be a finish line,” he added.  “We’re not riding a fucking sportive are we?”

“Putting us in danger isn’t going to help your cause. It’s not going to help what they’re protesting for,” Pidcock added. “Everyone’s got a right to protest whatever they want, but putting us in danger is not the way forward.”

The pro-Palestine protests at La Vuelta have primarily been against the participation of Israel–Premier Tech – the team co-owned by Sylvan Adams, a Canadian-Israeli businessman who is a vocal supporter of Israel and a citizen of the country. 

Israel–Premier Tech said they would not withdraw from the race, saying the team “remains committed” to La Vuelta. 

The team added: “Any other course of action sets a dangerous precedent in the sport of cycling not only for Israel–Premier Tech, but for all teams. Israel–Premier Tech has repeatedly expressed its respect for everyone’s right to protest, as long as those protests remain peaceful and do not compromise the safety of the peloton.

“We thank the race organizers and UCI for their continued support and cooperation, as well as the teams and riders that have expressed their support both publicly and privately and, of course, our fans.”

Israel–Premier Tech’s team time trial was disrupted by protestors last week, and other demonstrators entered the course on stage 10, after which Simone Petilli (Intermarché-Wanty) crashed. 

Petilli, who fell but finished the stage, wrote on X: “I understand that is not a good situation, but yesterday I crashed because of a Protest on the road.”

“Please, we are just Cyclists and we are doing our Job, but if it will continue like this our safety is not guaranteed anymore, and we feel in danger! We just want to race! Please,” he added.

There were meetings between the riders’ union, the Cyclistes Professionels Associés (CPA), and the race organisers before stage 11, with riders saying they would ride as long as protests were peaceful. 

There have been pro-Palestine protests at all three of this year’s Grand Tours. 

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement called for peaceful protests in April at this year’s Grand Tours against the participation of Israel–Premier Tech.

The BDS Movement said in April: “As Israel escalates its ongoing genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza and its violent military occupation of the West Bank, international sporting bodies have a moral obligation to take all measures to prevent genocide, or risk being held criminally liable.”

There have also been objections to the inclusion of Israel–Premier Tech at La Vuelta from Spanish political parties. Izquierda Unida and EH Bildu both called for the team’s exclusion from the race. 

Read more

• “We feel in danger” – tension mounts at La Vuelta amid protests against Israel–Premier Tech’s inclusion 
• Pro cyclist Alessandro De Marchi “relieved” not to be cycling for Israel-Premier Tech 
• Pro cyclist Jakob Fuglsang says it’s “nicer to ride without an Israel logo than with it”

See zwiftinsider.com/tiny for current Tiny Race details.

There was no winner on stage 11 of the Vuelta a España in Bilbao today after pro-Palestine protestors disrupted the finish, with the general classification times taken with 3km to go. 

Protestors disrupted the race throughout the day, displaying flags and banners, with others encroaching on the race. 

The peloton was briefly stopped during the neutral zone at the beginning of the day as protestors entered the course. Later, Mads Pedersen was impeded on the intermediate sprint with 38km, and protesters ran onto the penultimate climb of the day, causing the peloton to change course. Images show riot police at the finish in Bilbao working to hold the crowds back.

• Read more: “We feel in danger” – tension mounts at La Vuelta amid protests against Israel–Premier Tech’s inclusion 

Towards the end of the stage, the race organisers announced that there would be no winner.

“Due to some incidents at the finish line, we have decided to take the time at 3 kilometres before the line. We won’t have a stage winner. We will give the points for the mountain classification and the intermediate sprint, but not on the finish line,” the organisers said, according to Cycling Weekly. 

The decision didn’t halt the GC battle.

Race leader Jonas Vingegaard (Visma–Lease a Bike) and Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) attacked in the closing kilometres of the stage to gain time over João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates–XRG), who is currently second in the general classification, and was in a group behind Vingegaard and Pidcock. 

Stage 11’s neutralised finish follows a string of protests over the presence of Israel–Premier Tech at the race.

Last week, protesters disrupted Israel–Premier Tech’s team time trial. And yesterday, demonstrators disrupted stage 10, which led to Wanty–Intermarché’s Simone Petilli crashing. 

Although he finished the stage, Petilli later called for calm. The Wanty–Intermarché rider said on X: “I understand that is not a good situation, but yesterday I crashed because of a Protest on the road.”

“Please, we are just Cyclists and we are doing our Job, but if it will continue like this our safety is not guaranteed anymore, and we feel in danger! We just want to race! Please,” he added.

The riders’ union, the Cyclistes Professionels Associés (CPA), also met with the race organisers before stage 11 began to discuss how to deal with the protests, allegedly stating they would ride as long as protests remained peaceful.  

Tension is mounting at the Vuelta a España amid protests over Israel–Premier Tech’s presence in the race. The riders’ union, the Cyclistes Professionels Associés (CPA), has met with race organisers to discuss how to approach the issue, and individual riders have called for calm and greater safety. 

Demonstrators have lined the roads waving Palestine flags at the race, and last week saw protestors disrupt Israel–Premier Tech’s individual time trial. 

Now the protests against the team, which is co-owned by Canadian–Israeli businessman Sylvan Adams, who is a vocal supporter of Israel, have affected other riders.

Wanty–Intermarché’s Simone Petilli crashed on yesterday’s stage 10 to Belagua after three protesters with Palestinian flags entered the course and the peloton tried to avoid them. 

| La Vuelta Euskal Herrian barrena dabil gaur eta bihar, @IsraelPremTech talde sionistaren presentziaren aurkako protesten erdian. Begira zer gertatu den Irunberrin.

GENOZIDAK EZ DIRA ONGI ETORRIAK EUSKAL HERRIAN! #LaVuelta25 #StopGazaGenocide‌NOW pic.twitter.com/rimAvHPRTo

— Malcolm iXa (@ideiazabaldub) September 2, 2025

Petilli, who fell but finished the stage, wrote on X: “I understand that is not a good situation, but yesterday I crashed because of a Protest on the road.”

“Please, we are just Cyclists and we are doing our Job, but if it will continue like this our safety is not guaranteed anymore, and we feel in danger! We just want to race! Please,” he added. 

Adam Hansen, the president of the CPA, said on X: “We remind everyone that cyclists are not involved in political or social disputes — they are simply doing their job: racing. Their safety must never be put at risk.

“While we respect the right to peaceful protest, actions that endanger athletes cannot be accepted. Rider safety must remain the highest priority.

“The CPA stands firmly with the riders: they just want to race in safe conditions.”

Soudal–QuickStep’s Louis Vervaeke also took to X, asking protesters not to endanger riders or themselves. “We fully acknowledge that everyone has the right to protest. However, we kindly ask that this be done in a safe manner. Our focus here is on our sport, not on politics or any particular position in this matter,” said Vervaeke. 

Before the start of stage 11 in Bilbao, there were meetings between the CPA and the race organisers, and several teams have registered their interest for Israel–Premier Tech to withdraw from the race, according to journalist Daniel Friebe. 

The peloton was stopped in the neutral zone of stage 11 when pro-Palestine protesters blocked the road.

Elia Viviani, a representative of the CPA at the race, told Friebe that: “riders said to commissaires/race organisation they would ride as long as protests are peaceful. If race gets stopped, riders will reassess.”

Friebe added: “Viviani also said CPA wouldn‘t demand Israel-Premier Tech riders pull out. ‘We wouldn’t go against our colleagues’.”

Friebe also said on X that riders want the UCI to intervene. “They feel exposed on an issue that’s beyond their knowledge/expertise/desire to expose private position,” he wrote on X. 

Basque political party EH Bildu called for Israel–Premier Tech’s withdrawal from the Vuelta.

“Israel is not welcome in the Basque Country and we urge the withdrawal of the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team from La Vuelta 2025,” the party said in a statement, according to the Domestique. “We do not want a team that represents a genocidal state in our country. It is unacceptable that sport be used to whitewash genocide.”

Spanish political party Izquierda Unida also asked the government to propose to the Vuelta organisers that Israel–Premier Tech be excluded from the race. 

The protests at the Vuelta follow demonstrations at the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia. An activist from Extinction Rebellion was arrested at the Tour de France after running onto the final straight on stage 11 wearing a T-shirt that read ‘Israel out of the Tour’ while waving a keffiyeh scarf.

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement called for peaceful protests in April at this year’s Grand Tours against the participation of Israel–Premier Tech. 

The BDS Movement said: “As Israel escalates its ongoing genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza and its violent military occupation of the West Bank, international sporting bodies have a moral obligation to take all measures to prevent genocide, or risk being held criminally liable.”

Two former Israel–Premier Tech riders have commented on no longer riding for the team in light of Israel’s war on Gaza. Alessandro de Marchi said he was “relieved” not to be cycling for them anymore and Jakob Fuglsang said that since retirement it has been “nicer to ride without an Israel logo than with it”. 

Derek Gee also terminated his Israel–Premier Tech contract last month, stating that “certain issues simply made my continuation at the team untenable”.

Israel–Premier Tech has been contacted for comment.

Fulcrum says its new Soniq 42 wheels “maximise comfort” thanks to their FF80 carbon lamination rims, while the sawtooth rim profile optimises aerodynamics and stability.

These features are a combination of technology that debuted on Fulcrum’s most recent wheels. The carbon lamination appeared on Fulcrum’s Wind wheels in 2023 and the ‘2-Wave’ rim profile is borrowed from its more recent Sharq wheels.

Fulcrum says the Soniq 42 is suitable for road and gravel riding. “It’s the ideal choice for anyone seeking a unique, distinctive, and functional wheel – ready to handle any road with ease and unmistakable style,” the brand says. 

Maximum comfort

While Fulcrum hasn’t given much away about its FF80 lamination, it says the carbon design provides “maximum comfort, especially on long rides and mixed surfaces”. 

When it launched the Wind wheels, Fulcrum also said the FF80 mix helped keep weight down compared to the carbon used in the Fulcrum Speed wheels, which had the same rim shape. So this carbon contributes to the Soniq’s claimed weight of 1,595g, too. 

The Soniq 42 has Fulcrum’s 2-Way Fit technology, where an undrilled rim bed means you can fit tubeless tyres without rim tape. 

“This makes the wheel not only stronger but also easier to manage and maintain – making Soniq 42 ideal for both seasoned cyclists and those seeking a high-quality, hassle-free product,” says Fulcrum. 

2-Wave rim 

The most distinctive feature of the Soniq 42 is the sawtooth rim, which it borrows from the Sharq wheels. 

It’s a design we’ve seen from other brands, such as Zipp and Princeton CarbonWorks, and Fulcrum says it “optimises aerodynamics and stability”.

Fulcrum hasn’t gone into any more detail, but if the rim is identical to that of its Sharq wheels, it should save 21 per cent energy at 0-10 degrees of yaw, and 29 per cent at 10-20 degrees.

Due to the wavy design, the rim depth varies from 42 to 47mm. Fulcrum says this “contributes to the wheel’s dynamic and responsive behavior”. 

The rim has an internal width of 25mm. 

A hub derived from the Wind series

Fulcrum says the hub on the Soniq 42 wheels is “derived” from the hub used on its Wind wheels.

With an aluminium body, the hub has sealed bearings and preload adjustment. Fulcrum says this “ensures long-lasting smooth rolling” for a “solid and precise ride feel”.  

The new Soniq 42 wheelset costs £1,599.99 / $2,079 / €1,590. 

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A Canadian endurance rider has turned to homemade energy gels to fuel his training, claiming his simple DIY recipe cut his nutrition costs by more than $70 a week – and it’s easy enough for any rider to create their own at home.

Oliver Dowd says he began experimenting with gels after realising the volume he needed for long rides made shop-bought products unaffordable. “I wanted the convenience of gels in training,” he explains, “but with the amount I was going through, I couldn’t afford to buy them.”

Dowd consumes between 25 and 30 gels each week. At retail prices, that would typically cost him around $80. 

By mixing his own using little more than sugar, sodium alginate and water flavouring, he estimates he spends only $5 per week.

Each serving contains around 70g of carbohydrate – “the important metric everyone cares about,” he says in a video posted on his Instagram feed – putting his recipe in line with commercial gels.

• Read more: Are your energy gels lying to you? New study shows many products contain fewer carbs than claimed

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Oliver Dowd (@oliver.dowd)

Dowd originally developed the recipe while preparing for an attempt at the cross-Canada cycling record, which was derailed after an accident left him injured. 

“I needed a way to make gels in a hotel room with no stove,” he says. A friend suggested sodium alginate as a substitute for cooking down the mixture, enabling him to refine the formula. Sodium alginate is used by brands, including Maurten, to create a gel-like consistency. 

Before the accident, Dowd tested the gels during two days of back-to-back riding, consuming 15 servings per day without any stomach issues. 

He hasn’t ruled out another record attempt in future, but admits it is “a lot to ask [of] my friends to take that much vacation to support me for two years in a row”.

For now, the gels remain his go-to fuelling option for training and long rides. “After tonnes of long rides as my main fuel source, I can confirm they do work,” he says.

Want to make your own?

Dowd packages the gels in refillable silicone travel bottles bought online. 

He says these are “no more messy than a regular gel” and reduce the waste of single-use wrappers. While the flavour doesn’t quite match his favourite store-bought options, he describes it as “good enough to eat for the whole day”.

Chris Froome suffered a life-threatening injury to his heart in a crash, alongside a broken back and ribs. 

The four-time Tour de France champion was airlifted to hospital last Wednesday after he collided with a road sign at more than 30mph.

Initially, Israel–Premier Tech, Froome’s team, reported that he had sustained a collapsed lung, five broken ribs and a lumbar vertebrae fracture. However, during surgery, doctors discovered the 40-year-old Briton had sustained a pericardial rupture, which is a tear to the sac that surrounds the heart and is usually the result of a blunt impact.

“It was obviously a lot more serious than some broken bones,” Michelle Froome, his wife, told The Times. “He’s fine but it’s going to be a long recovery process.”

Chris Froome’s surgery took place at the Sainte Anne Toulon military hospital, which is the highest-level trauma centre in the region and specialises in thoracic surgery. 

French newspaper L’Equipe reported that Froome remained conscious after the crash and was able to speak to those around him.

Froome, who is out of a contract for the end of the year, previously suggested 2025 could be his final year of competitive racing – and the crash could bring an end to his professional career. 

“He won’t be riding a bike for a while. Chris is happy for you to share this because people need to understand what is going on,” said Michelle Froome. 

Froome is one of the world’s most decorated professional cyclists. He has won a total of seven Grand Tours. He won his first Tour de France title in 2013, followed by consecutive victories in 2015–2017. He has also won one edition of the Giro d’Italia and two editions of the Vuelta a España.

Froome suffered a heavy crash at the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2019, which saw him taken into intensive care.

Team Italy is a longstanding Zwift club and racing team that helps riders of all abilities improve their fitness while having fun and competing in a supportive environment.

The Zwift Italy/Team Italy community was founded on January 4, 2017, with the goal of creating an all-Italian community on Zwift. Our numbers keep on growing thanks to inspiring leaders who motivate Zwifters from Italy and around the world to join our rides. Participation is also strong among women, thanks to our legendary “Pink Ladies!”

We proudly take part in the Zwift Racing League with both male and female teams. A big applause goes to our ZRL captains, who are reaching important goals and growing their leadership skills. We also have the Zwift Running Italy group for runners!

Our community is growing across all social channels, and Team Italy is active on Zwift Companion too. The Italian presence is strong and engaged — we want to play a significant role in the global Zwift community!

The club hosts ten group rides every week, including:

• Social rides for beginners
• Competitive training sessions
• A climbing & endurance event
• The famous Burn Calories Ride (perfect for pizza lovers)

We ride to train, but we also ride to enjoy more pizza and pasta — our special combo! Our ride leaders and our amazing red broom wagon make every event welcoming and fun.

Our weekly Rides include:

• Fat Burn Ride
• Super Early Ride
• Social SUB2 Ride
• Burn Calories Together Ride
• Endurance – Badge Hunting Ride
• Morning Early Ride
• Monday Afternoon Relax w/Rubberband Ride
• Smile! It’s Tuesday Ride
• Coffee Italian Ride
• Hunting Ride

See all Team Italy rides at zwift.com/events/tag/teamitaly >

Standing ovation for our Ride Leaders and Sweepers:

Elvira Wilhelm, Lily Franken, Cris Benato, Angela Di Prisco, Marco Xibilia, Simone Maffi, Niccolo’ Martinoli, Christopher Vigna, Andrea Anastasio, Oleg Smirnov, Nacho Rodriguez, Alberto Roncalli, Paolo Cairoli, Jason Taylor, Steffen Riemer, Mario Serratore, Massimo Asti, Eugenio Milano, Angelo Barra, Jim Brauer “Höf”, Jayde Cardoso, Enrico Oggiano, Fabrizio Germani, Thierry Bøudøuresque, Luca Acco, Milo Rad, Sergio Mercky, Felice De Rosa, Rob Julian, Enrico “Groot”, Fabio Benotti, Stefano Vesprini, Massimiliano Caccia, Silvio Coggiola, Marco Tandu, Diego Zanin, Daniele Pascali, Etienne Constant, Robert Jones, Richard Mattinson, Marcello Ferraro, Fabio Cola.

Join us in our events by signing up for Team Italy on Zwift Companion and following us on our social channels (links below).

Zwift Italy and Team Italy are waiting for you — for fun rides, great company, and sharing the Zwift spirit with everyone!

Learn more about Zwift Italy/Team Italy:

• Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/zwiftitaly
• Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/c7PGKGv
• Live Streaming: https://www.twitch.tv/teamitalylive
• Other Contacts: https://linktr.ee/TeamItalyECT

Ride On! Ciao.

Hidden among Cube’s sprawling 2026 line-up is the Nuroad C:62 SLT – a race-focused carbon gravel bike with a spec sheet list that looks outrageous for the money.

For £5,299 (international pricing TBC), you get a full SRAM Red XPLR groupset with power meter, Newmen Advanced SL X.R.36 Vonoa carbon wheels, and a suite of Cube’s own carbon finishing kit. 

Although a road bike, the Boardman SLR made waves at £5,500 for a similarly top-end build.

The difference is that Cube follows a more traditional dealer-to-shop model, meaning you can buy the Nuroad C:62 SLT at your local bike shop, with all of the benefits that brings.

• Read more: Best gravel bikes in 2025: top-rated carbon, aluminium, titanium and steel gravel bikes reviewed

Comparing the build to other rivals, and the value is even more stunning.

Specialized is hardly a brand known for wild value for money, but an S-Works level Crux would set you back £11,500 – leaving you change to buy a whole other Nuroad C:62 SLT, and some. 

Trek’s a bit closer at £8,950 for a Red-equipped Checkmate SLR 9 AXS, which features house brand Bontrager wheels, but that’s still significantly more than the Cube.

At least here in the UK, Giant doesn’t appear to offer a Red-equipped version of the Revolt. Regardless, a Force-equipped bike is still more expensive than the Cube, at £5,599 for a build with Giant’s in-house carbon wheels.

Even the usual value leaders like Canyon can’t quite match this spec sheet at the price. The brand’s lowest-priced Red-equipped Grail CFR XPLR is £7,899, although that comes with branded Zipp wheels.

Those aren’t exact like-for-like comparisons – the frameset specs are all very different – but based on build alone, Nuroad C:62 SLT is one of the most remarkably priced high-performance gravel bikes we’ve seen.

Alongside the SLT, the brand is also offering aluminium Nuroad models, which look very handsome for the modest asking price.

Pictured is the Nuroad SLX. Priced at just £1,799, it features a GRX-equipped build and Newmen alloy wheels.

The bike includes mounts for racks and clearance for 50mm tyres, and could make a great all-rounder likely to satisfy most gravel riders.

Zwift began featuring a Climb of the Week in August 2025, giving Zwifters the chance to earn an XP bonus by completing a particular portal climb. Here’s the schedule of featured climbs, including the bonus XP you’ll earn for completing each. (Click climb name for details.)

Featured climbs switch at 9am Pacific each Monday (noon Eastern, 4pm UTC).

To access the Climb of the Week, begin by clicking the challenge card on the homescreen. Click the climb, confirm your difficulty percentage (you can ride the climb at 50%, 75%, 100%, or 125%), then click Start Ride.

Finish the full climb and you’ll get a completion banner across your screen:

Double Up

The Climb of the Week can be stacked with the Workout of the Week to earn bonus XP extra fast.

To do this, you must first click the Workout of the Week challenge card to be “registered” for the week’s workout challenge.

Next, click the Climb of the Week challenge card, click the featured climb, and enter the game. Once you’re in the game, pull up the list of workouts (use the “E” keyboard shortcut or access it by clicking Menu>Workouts).

Find this week’s featured workout in the workout archive. (If you aren’t sure where to find it, click the workout on the WOTW calendar above to learn where it’s stored.) Load the workout and complete it while completing the Climb of the Week. Double the fun!

Questions or Comments

Questions or comments about the Climb of the Week? Share below!

British bicycle company Pashley is known for its classic bike designs, including the Guv‘Nor (a 1930s-style race bike), and the step-through Britannia (complete with a wicker basket). 

Yet the historic brand has modernised its approach in recent years. Pashley has been growing its line-up of electric bikes and, in January, released the Roadfinder SL, which blends the company’s steel frame-building expertise with up-to-date tech such as electronic gears and a SRAM UDH dropout. 

Now Pashley’s latest bike, the Wildfinder, continues the brand’s change of direction and synthesis of old and new.

The bike is said to be an “all-terrain adventure machine” that is designed to “take a ride on the wild side”. And yes, we are still talking about the company that used to make bikes for the Royal Mail. 

A ‘grountain’ bike

Pashley’s project design lead, Mark Lloyd, says: “We have designed the Wildfinder to be a drop-bar mountain bike, blurring the lines between gravel and mountain genres (I like to call it a ‘grountain’ bike) primarily designed to be a capable machine for long-distance, multi-day, off-road bikepacking expeditions.”

Lloyd adds that, even if you’re not on a bikepacking trip, the ‘grountain’ bike is equally at home exploring more challenging gravel terrain and singletrack. 

Pashley has built the Wildfinder with this off-road capability and the more extreme end of gravel riding firmly in mind. It says the Wildfinder’s geometry has been suspension corrected, should you wish to run a gravel fork, and there is the option of a RockShox SID SL fork on all complete bikes and frameset options. 

Elsewhere, the bike is UDH compliant, uses a BSA threaded bottom bracket and has external cable routing. Pashley says these features futureproof the bike and make maintenance easier when you’re out “in the wild”. 

Cutting-edge manufacturing and craftsmanship

In keeping with the other gravel bikes in its ‘Finder’ collection, Pashley says the bike blends “cutting-edge manufacturing processes and technology with traditional craftsmanship”.

Pashley’s CEO Andy Smallwood says: “It’s the latest example of true British design and craftsmanship, incorporating the best use of Reynolds steel, all created from start to finish by our team of artisans in our Stratford-upon-Avon workshop right here in the UK.”

The frame is made using Reynolds 853 DZB tubing, which is coated for corrosion protection and has an “extra durable” powder finish, according to Pashley.

It features a 3D-printed junction between the seatstays and top tube, alongside a 3D-printed chainstay yoke, which provides clearance for 29×2.4in tyres and chainrings with up to 42 teeth. The 3D-printed dropouts accommodate a 180mm disc brake rotor, which Pashley says is “essential for fully loaded mountain touring.” 

Mounting points across the frame mean you can fit the Wildfinder with frame bags, cages and racks.

The Wildfinder is available in five sizes (XS to XL) and in three recommended builds, with a choice of Shimano GRX, SRAM Rival and Shimano SLX groupsets, as well as flat or drop handlebars. Prices range from £2,795 / $4,195 to £3,995 / $5,995. 

Zwift began featuring a Workout of the Week in August 2025, giving Zwifters the chance to earn an XP bonus by completing a particular workout. Here’s the schedule of featured workouts, including the bonus XP you’ll earn for completing each. (Click workout for details.)

Featured workouts switch at 9am Pacific each Monday (noon Eastern, 4pm UTC).

To access the Workout of the Week, begin by clicking the challenge card on the homescreen. Click the workout, click Start Ride, choose your route, and click Start Workout.

Finish the full workout and you’ll get a completion banner across your screen:

Double Up

Workouts of the Week can be stacked with the Route or Climb of the Week to earn bonus XP extra fast.

To do this, you must first click the Workout of the Week challenge card, which brings you to the orange screen shown above. This “registers” you for the week’s workout challenge.

Next, go through either the Route of the Week or Climb of the Week challenge cards to select a challenge and enter the game. Once you’re in the game, pull up the list of workouts (use the “E” keyboard shortcut or access it by clicking Menu>Workouts).

Find this week’s featured workout in the workout archive. (If you aren’t sure where to find it, click the workout on the calendar above to learn where it’s stored.) Load the workout and complete it while completing the Route or Climb of the Week. Double the fun!

Questions or Comments

Questions or comments about the Workout of the Week? Share below!