Zwift Academy is a training program, designed across 8 weeks featuring 10 different workouts and activities that will give you the tools to get after your training goals, whatever they may be. For a detailed program overview, please see https://www.zwift.com/academy/zaroadOpens a new window.

Ready to get after it with Zwift Academy? Great training begins with clear performance measurement. Start Zwift Academy with a Baseline event, and end with a Finish Line event to see your progress.

We’ll start with setting a benchmark time on three segments designed to hit different areas of your fitness. Focus on hitting your LIMIT on each of these segments, then recovering between each challenge.

First, choose a Baseline category:
A: Advanced Ride (Open)
B: Advanced Ride (Women-only)
C: Standard Ride (Open)
D: Standard Ride (Women-only)

Important: Pro contenders are required to do the Advanced option.

A few things to note to get the most out of the event.

Drafting and power ups are turned off so that your segment efforts are measured accurately.

You will hit the segments at the following markers, in that order.
Look out for the leaderboard to pop up on your screen and the segment start is a flashing line across the road. Go hard until you see the Zwift Academy arch!

Advanced Baseline Ride
Short Segment starts at 2.6 km / 1.6 mi
Medium Segment starts at: 11.9 km / 7.4 mi
Long Segment starts at: 21.7 km / 13.5 mi

Standard Baseline Ride
Medium Segment starts at: 4.3 km / 2.6 mi
Short Segment starts at: 16.8 km / 10.2 mi
Long Segment starts at: 21.3 km / 13.2 mi

Coaches’ Tip: Plan ahead! To get the most accurate progress results for Zwift Academy, you’ll want to choose the same course (Advanced or Standard) for your Baseline and Finish Line rides. Pro-Contenders: the Advanced Baseline and Finish Line rides are required events.

The Advanced Baseline Ride will be on CLIMBERS GAMBIT. You’ll start with the Sprint Reverse segment, a 65 ft // 20m effort. Next, you’ll unleash your maximal sprint capabilities. After a short recovery, you’ll hit the Titans Grove Reverse KOM: 2,952ft and 900m at 6.6% incline. This will push your anaerobic pathways to its ceiling and push your attack power to its limit with this short, explosive effort. Expect some easy spins before tackling the mountaintop finish—the Epic KOM Reverse: 3.9 mi // 6.3 km at 6.3% incline. Pace your aerobic power perfectly on this long climb and get ready for an effort close to your FTP. We’ll push your sprint, anaerobic, and aerobic power to their limits here in order to determine your ‘baseline’ before you get after your main Zwift Academy workouts. Looking to go pro? This Baseline ride is a required event.

Route:
Lead-in: 669.6 ft // 204.1 m

The Standard Baseline ride will be on LEGENDS AND LAVA. First up, you’ll take on the Titans Grove Reverse KOM, which is 2,952 ft // 900m of fun at a 6.6% incline. Ideally, you’ll go all out for this short effort, attacking this climb to peak out at a high VO2 max by the end. You then have some recovery before the Sprint Forward: 1,312 ft // 400m of high-intensity efforts. This is where you explode over a short segment, and where we assess your ability to sprint to your limit for around 20sec. Your final segment is the Volcano KOM: 2.3 mi // 3.8 km at 3.2% incline. This climb will see you settle into a high pace at an effort above your FTP, before squeezing out every ounce of your power in this final hilltop finish. Recover well between each segment in order to secure an accurate benchmark.

Route:
Lead-in: 666 ft // 203 m

This program was designed by Stephen Gallagher and Dan Fleeman from Dig Deep Coaching. Their complete coaching approach ensures every Zwift Academy athlete learns the building blocks for successful training.