Zwift Cafe Sport
ZWIFT COMMUNITY | on 20. September 2021 by Holly Blades
Welcome to the Zwift Cafe Sport, our base in Leuven for the UCI World Championships! If you dropped by our Harrogate Draft House in 2019 this will all be familiar to you, but if not, you’re in for a treat.
Every day we will bring you highlights from the Cafe Sport, chats with people we’ve seen, photos of things we’ve done, and all kinds of surprises.
If you’re on site in Leuven, it’s even more exciting! Stop by to grab a drink and check out what events we have in the downtime between the pros battling it out on the road.
Cafe Sport can be found at: Martelarenplein 13, 3000 Leuven, Belgium, about 1 minute from Leuven Station and only 15 minutes from that all important finish line!
And there we have it. Wow, what a week, what a journey, what a win for France! Allez Alaphilippe!
Today, while the Elite Men were working hard on the roads of Flanders, Hannah Walker sat down in relative comfort with Ashleigh Moolman-Passio to discuss the exciting future of women’s cycling.
Then, it was time to cut loose and let our hair down in the Belgian way. It may be the Zwift End of The Worlds Party, but don’t be sad. Check out these images from the day and remember us fondly.
88th World Championships – Road Race (WC) Antwerp – Leuven (268.3km)
Photo’s By Leon van Bon
88th World Championships – Road Race (WC) Antwerp – Leuven (268.3km)
Photo’s By Leon van Bon
88th World Championships – Road Race (WC) Antwerp – Leuven (268.3km)
Photo’s By Leon van Bon
As we prepare to close the doors of the Zwift Cafe Sport, we’re so grateful for everyone who came down to say hi, to watch an event, to take part in a Zwift hill climb challenge, or just to hang out. Huge thanks to all of our special guests over the last three days and to Dave Towle and Hannah Walker for keeping the atmosphere electric. We’re pretty sure we spotted a few familiar faces hanging around, soaking up the fun, so please don’t forget to tag us in your social media posts if you grabbed anyone for a selfie!
It’s safe to say we’re “loving Leuven” – This beautiful city has truly welcomed the World Championships with open arms. With bunting in the independent shops, and the Lion of Flanders flags on nearly every single corner, it has been a sight to behold and truly Flandrian. Bedankt!
The fun is well and truly underway in Leuven as the Elite women take to the roads.
After an illustrious career, double World Champion Anna van Der Breggen is hanging up her cleats. We had chance to chat to her before the race and show her how much she has meant to the Zwift Community.
Tonight it was all about the Next Generation. The U-23’s. Generation Z. Generation Zwift!
The day after they raced each other on the roads of Flanders, four young riders took to Zwift for five laps of the Crit City – Downtown Dolphin. Luke Lamperti, Marijn Van Den Berg, Arthur Kluckers and Maurice Ballerstedt represent the future of cycling and gave it their all over nearly 2km of fast racing. Luxembourg’s Arthur Kluckers was the fastest man tonight, and we can’t wait to see what all of these guys get up to in the coming years.
The U-23 women were represented by Neve Bradbury and Niamh Fisher Black taking on Neve’s fellow Zwift Academy winners Tanja Erath and Ella Harris on the Watopia Hill Climb. Dave Towle and Hannah Walker worked the crowd and Tanja stopped the clock first – What a fun race, we’re not sure Ella ever stopped smiling! Or was it her pain face?
Don’t forget to join another fantastic female cyclist tomorrow as Hannah chats to UCI World Esports Champion Ashleigh Moolman Passio, at 2pm at Zwift Cafe Sport. Visit our Eventbrite page to get your free ticket!
And it’s GO TIME!
The Zwift Cafe Sport is open for business, and action is already underway with ZRL’s Dave Towle and Zwift commentator and ex-pro Hannah Walker. The stage is set, the audience are excited, and the Leuven beer taps are flowing.
Hot on the heels of the Men’s U-23 and Juniors’ World Championships Road Race today, we’re welcoming several groups of four excited Zwifters on to the stage to take part in a virtual 1km Hill Climb for the chance to win a World Champions jersey signed by the Lion of Flanders himself, Johan Museeuw. Tonight also saw ex-British National Champions and avid Zwifters Matt Stephens and Russ Downing, along with Cafe Sport’s very own cycling barman, Kristoff, take on Johan in a fifteen minute relay challenge. Spoiler alert, Museeuw won. We’re not sure if that was down to raw power or Matt Stephens decision to have a beer at the start of his second lap.
With events and competitions running until 9pm tomorrow and Sunday, if you’re in the area come along and check out the action. If not, watch this space for your chance to be a part of the fun.
We have so many cool events this weekend, so don’t forget to scroll through the blog and RSVP to our Facebook Events Pages, or to reserve your tickets on Eventbrite. We can’t wait to meet you!
Visit Eventbrite Tickets for Saturday’s In Conversation with Justin Williams and check out our Facebook Event Page for our Next Generation Celebration!
Set up is truly underway here at the Zwift Cafe Sport in Leuven as our team of worker bees hammer and chisel our awesome new stage and event room into shape.
The UCI World Championships are already half way through, with the Elite, U-23 and Junior Time Trials and the Mixed Relay completed and the final weekend of road racing is quickly approaching.
World Champioships Flanders TT men
Photo: Leon van Bon
World Champioships Flanders TT men
Photo: Leon van Bon
We’re kicking things off here in Cafe Sport tomorrow, Friday 24th, with our opening party and The Lion of Flanders himself, Johan Museeuw. If you’re in town, drop by, if not, keep your eye on here and our social pages for some exciting stuff!
Make sure to check out and RSVP at our Lion of Flanders event page on Facebook
And follow us on Instagram at @GoZwift for more daily updates!
Want to know everything that’s happening at Cafe Sport and how to bag your IRL tickets or RSVP online? Check out the schedules below!
Each day will feature a Zwift x BXL Flandrian Ride At The Worlds so join us as we take on the cobbles and climbs of the Flanders 2021 UCI Road Cycling World Championships ‘Flandrian Circuit’.
Departing from our HQ at the Zwift Cafe Sport in central Leuven, we head south and meander through the beautiful countryside of the Flemish Brabant.
Peppered throughout the 57km loop are the challenging climbs of Smeysberg (twice!), Moskesstraat, Taymansstraat, Bekestraat and Veeweide.
Leading the ride will be local expert Kardama Pohl of Pedal BXL, a Brussels based cycle courier and bike touring company.
FRIDAY
Zwift x Pedal BXL: Flandrian Ride at Worlds
Date: 24/10/2021
Time: 08:00am – 12pm CEST
Eventbrite link and more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/173708435607
It’s not just pros throwing down this weekend—bring your A-game and unleash fury in the pursuit of glory as we host a series of men’s and women’s races at Zwift Cafe Sport. All ages and fitness levels are welcome, so put on your best World Champ impression and come through for some quality action.
SATURDAY
Zwift x Pedal BXL: Flandrian Ride at Worlds
Date: 25/10/2021
Time: 08:00am – 12pm CEST
Eventbrite link and more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/174216344777
Justin Williams, rider-manager for Los Angeles UCI Continental cycling team L39GION, drops by Zwift Cafe Sport for a live conversation with special guests, among them Anna van der Breggen.
Come through for a candid peek at some of the sport’s biggest talents in this unscripted conversation.
Come see the next generation of talent race it out. We’re bringing together some of the best under-23 riders to take to the virtual tarmac and vie for the top spot. They won’t be the only ones turning up, however—we want to see what watts you’ve got, too! There will be open hill climb races for the public before and after the event. With prizes up for grabs, do you think you have what it takes?
SUNDAY
Zwift x Pedal BXL: Flandrian Ride at Worlds
Date: 26/10/2021
Time: 08:00am – 12pm CEST
Eventbrite link and more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/174216595527
Join Hannah Walker as we chat to some of the biggest names in Women’s Cycling, brought to you by Voxwomen!
What better way to celebrate the end of the fantastic 2021 UCI Road World Championships than with a massive party? As it all comes to a close, swing by Zwift Cafe Sport for some top-of-the-line fun. We’re going to crank up the music, get the drinks flowing, and turn the racing up to 11—come end the weekend with a bang.