Following recent public testing in the Zwift Labs Club, indoor cycling platform Zwift states that its new Zwift Racing Score… ‘will revolutionize racing by delivering more competitive, accessible and fairer competition.’
Zwift Racing Score is a new ranking system that reflects both fitness and racing skill. Going forwards, Zwifters entering events will only be able to join fields that match their own abilities, making Zwift racing fairer and more competitive.
More ambitious racers, though, do also have the option to compete in a higher category for the chance to secure more points.
For new racers especially, Zwift Racing Score will improve the accessibility of competing by making it easier to find the right race category. When entering a race for the first time, Zwifters will be automatically assigned a category that meets their current abilities, based on their most recent fitness data.
Zwift adds that entering more races will allow racers to build their Zwift Racing Score gradually. With points available for every finishing position, every race can provide motivation and reward.
Zwift Racing Score is a numerical value between 0 and 1,000, with a higher number reflecting a higher fitness level and racing skill. Every Zwifter is given a ‘floor value’ based on their best 30-second and 10-minute power numbers from the past 90 days. Racers can then improve their Zwift Racing Score by securing points in races.
For the first time, racers’ categories will be determined by more than simply their power curve. Zwift notes that racing skill, as well as fitness, is what makes a successful racer, so Zwift Racing Score awards racing skill points based on Zwifters’ finishing positions, with bonus points available for podium placings.
Zwift Racing Score also accounts for the field quality and size, with more points available in races with highly competitive fields. Points are available for every finishing position, and at the end of every race, Zwifters will see the impact their result has had on their Zwift Racing Score. Zwift Racing Score may increase or decrease depending on two variables – power and race finishing position.
Zwift World Series, ZRacing Community Festival, Zwift Academy Make Up Races, and Community Racing events will all be using Zwift Racing Score from October 7, 2024.
Zwifters will be able to find their current Zwift Racing Score in their profile, located in the Zwift Companion App, the Zwift Game or on Zwift.com. Zwift Racing Score increases the number of standard categories from four to five, allowing for more closely matched racing:
690-1,000
520-690
350-520
180-350
1-180
Beyond these five standard categories, Zwift Racing Score provides organisers with flexibility to set bespoke category boundaries, allowing more tailored racing experiences for specific ability groups, and up to 10-category racing. Zwift Racing Score will be used for both open and women’s category events.
“We are incredibly excited about the launch of Zwift Racing Score”, says Mark Cote, VP of Product at Zwift. “We have spent years researching the best algorithm, looking into data collected from millions of races held on the platform, and more importantly, working with the Zwift community to collect feedback on how the system is functioning.
“We know how important it is to get this right. The feedback from the Zwift Labs Club has been incredibly positive with many racers finding events more dynamic due to improved categorization.
“We will continue to evolve Zwift Racing Score and monitor community feedback but we are excited to see how Zwift Racing Score will help more people enjoy the benefits of racing on Zwift.”
