Zwift Academy 2024 Terms and Conditions

By enrolling in the 2024 Zwift Academy Road Program (the “Academy” or the “Program”), you (the “Participant” or “You”) acknowledge that you have read, understand and hereby agree to the following Terms and Conditions (the “T&Cs”).

Eligibility

By enrolling in the Academy You represent that you are in good general health. To be eligible to win a professional cycling contract with the CANYON//SRAM Generation or Alpecin-Deceuninck Development team (each a “Pro Contract”), You must be (i) an amateur cyclist aged 18 years or older as of January 1, 2024, and (ii) meet the gender policies and regulations of the International Cycling Union (UCI), as most recently defined by the International Olympic Committee. 

You will not be eligible to win a Pro Contract if:

  • You are a former Zwift Academy Road champion 
  • You are part of, or have been part of, a UCI Men’s World Tour Team or a UCI Pro Team
  • You have a contract (“2025 Contract”) for the 2025 season with a UCI World Tour Team (Men or Women), a UCI Pro Team or a UCI Continental Team (Men or Women) without the option for You to unilaterally terminate this 2025 Contract.  
  • You have previously competed in a Men’s World Tour race.

If You have a 2025 Contract with the option for You to unilaterally terminate this 2025 Contract, by enrolling in the Academy You agree that you will terminate your 2025 Contract, at your own costs, if you are offered a Pro Contract for the 2025 racing season.  

Zwift reserves the right to request additional information or testing to verify the eligibility of any Participant at any time during the Program, including physiological performance verification, weight verification, and anti-doping tests. Failure to comply with any verification procedures or provide information requested by Zwift will result in disqualification from the Program. Participant eligibility shall be at Zwift’s sole discretion. Any Zwift decisions regarding Participant eligibility shall not be subject to review or appeal.

Judging

Qualifying Phase: A committee of coaches, team management, and cycling experts will select up to 5 (five) male and 5 (five) female finalists[1] from the Participants who have completed the Qualifying Phase of the Program that runs from August 5, 2024 to November 3, 2024 at 11:59PM PST (Pacific Standard Time). Participants will be judged based on their performance of prescriptive content, including a number of structured workouts, and races on the Zwift platform. Data obtained from other sources outside of ZA workouts may also be considered for performance analysis.

Finals Phase: The finalists will be selected and must attend a 1-week final round expected to take place in Europe, in December 2024 or January 2025. Participants will complete a combination of indoor challenges on the Zwift platform as well as outdoor challenges. Although physiological abilities will remain important to the selection, overall cycling skills and potential fit for the team will play big factors in who moves on. 

At the end of the Finals, one male Participant and one female Participant will each be offered a Pro Contract for the 2025 racing season with the development team at Alpecin-Deceuninck Development and CANYON//SRAM Generation, respectively.

[1] Zwift reserves the right to modify the number of finalists at its sole discretion.

Data Protection

Any information (including data and images) related to the Participant that is collected or processed by Zwift at any time during the course of the Program will be used by Zwift, members of the judging committee, and Zwift’s suppliers and contractors (e.g., travel agencies) to administer the Program in accordance with these T&Cs and Zwift’s Privacy Policy (http://zwift.com/privacy/). Participants’ personal data may be used to send the Participants news and publicity material in relation to the Program and you hereby express consent to such use. In addition, you hereby expressly consent to Zwift’s use of your name and likeness and authorize Zwift and its affiliates to take photographs and videos and otherwise record, broadcast, or stream your identity, likeness and voice during and in connection with attendance at or participation in the Academy and to make use of such photos/recordings at any time, in any media and manner (including via the Internet) throughout the world, and for any purpose (including any advertising, marketing or promotional purpose). You hereby waive and release Zwift and its affiliates from any claim or action in connection with the use of your identity, likeness or voice relating to any stage of the Program.

Personal data on Participants’ fitness will be processed by CANYON//SRAM Racing, Alpecin-Deceuninck and/or those designated medical services providers exclusively for assessing the Participants’ suitability for participating in the relevant stages of the Program.

Release and Waiver

By participating in the Program, Participant waives, releases and discharges Zwift, and its respective officers, members, partners, shareholders, agents and employees from and against any and all claims for damages or other liability for death, personal injury, illness or property damage which may have, or which may hereafter occur to Participant, as a result of participation in the Program. Participant assumes all risks and hazards associated with participation in the Program. This waiver and release will be binding on Participant’s spouse, heirs, personal representatives, children, and other assigns.

Additional Requirements 

  • Participants must use a direct-drive smart trainer or smart bike and wear a heart-rate monitor for all Zwift Academy Road events. Participants are not permitted to use a power meter as a primary power source.
    • Only those direct-drive smart trainers and smart bikes that are compatible with Zwift shall be permitted. A current list of known compatible devices is maintained at https://support.zwift.com/en_us/supported-trainers-BkPlq7gr.
      • Only trainers and smart bikes with a manufacturer claimed power reading accuracy of +/- 2.5% or better shall be permitted.
      • Zwift reserves the right to prohibit the use of smart trainers or smart bikes for which the manufacturer does not currently provide product support. For this purpose, “product support” shall mean software or firmware updates, troubleshooting, and help instructions.
    • Smart trainer difficulty must be set to at least 50%.
    • Participants shall be responsible for ensuring that accurate cadence and heart rate data is recorded for at least 95% of the event participation time.
    • Participants shall not attempt to tamper with equipment, modify any data recorded or otherwise use any mechanical, electronic or other device which provides an unfair advantage or false result.
    • Participants shall be responsible for maintaining the accuracy of their equipment, including but not limited to, conducting a spin-down, zeroing or other calibration or offset procedure for smart trainers immediately prior to an event.
    • Participants shall use the most recently publicly available (not beta or testing) firmware for any equipment.
  • Participant must have entered an accurate weight and height in their Zwift platform account by the start of Academy
    • All those considered contenders will be asked during selection to submit a weigh in video and a height measurement video.
  • Instructions for weigh in and height measurement videos below:

Weight Test

Before starting the test:

  • Set up scales suitable for measuring body weight in the middle of a room on a hard, even surface, with nothing nearby to hold on to.
  • Find a heavy weight (approx. 10kg) that you can comfortably carry. Object must clearly indicate the mass of the object (e.g. “10kg” printed on the face of a kettlebell, “2.5kg” embossed on each of 4 dumbbells).
  • Make sure you are wearing cycling shorts and a cycling jersey.

During the test:

  • Start recording a video on any device; for example, a cell phone.
  • Show your face on the video.
  • Show yourself performing a live internet search for the current time and date, and the results that it gives. You must clearly show the URL of the website and refresh the webpage so it is clear that the time and date are current. Screenshots of mobile phone clocks or computer desktop clocks will not be accepted.
  • Show the scales.
  • Zero the scales.
  • Show the zero reading.
  • Show the portion of the object(s) showing the mass of the object (e.g., label or printing on the object).
  • Place the heavy object(s) weight on the scales and show the reading. Zoom in so that the reading is clear on the video.
  • Take the object(s) off and show the reading.
  • Pick up the scale and turn it over to show that there is nothing on the underside of the scale or on the floor. This must be shown clearly on the video.
  • Place the scale back on the floor approximately 30cm away from the previous location.
  • Stand on the scales yourself (without the weight) and show the reading. Zoom in so that the reading is clear on the video.
  • Take yourself off and show the zero reading.
  • Stand on the scales with the object(s) and show the reading. Zoom in so that the reading is clear on the video.
  • Take yourself off and show the zero reading.
  • Stop recording.

After the test:

  • Upload as an unlisted video to YouTube.
    • Please note that weight measurement videos must remain private. Publication of weight measurement videos, or otherwise sharing them with third parties, is a violation of these rules.
    • Send the link to the video to Zwift using the form provided in the applicable instructions.
    • Weight as shown in the weight recording video must be entered in the applicable form in kilograms to the nearest 0.1kg. Exactly the same weight must be entered into the Zwift application and used in-game.

Height Test

Before starting the test:

  • Set up a standard tape measure against a solid, vertical surface such as a wall or door-frame.

During the test:

  • Start recording a video on any device; for example, a cell phone.
  • Show your face on the video.
  • Stand against the vertical surface.
  • Show yourself marking the tape measure (using a pencil or piece of tape) at the same height as the top of your head.
  • Show the marking to highlight your measured height.
  • Step back to show the entire tape in the picture.
  • Stop recording.

After the test:

  • Upload as an unlisted video to YouTube.
    • Please note that height measurement videos must remain private. Publication of height measurement videos, or otherwise sharing them with third parties, is a violation of these rules.
    • Send the link to the video to Zwift using the form provided in the applicable instructions.
    • Height must be entered in the form to the nearest 1cm. Exactly the same height must be entered into the Zwift application and used in-game.
  • Participants agree to provide additional performance verification information as requested by Zwift. Failure to provide the requested information may result in disqualification.
  • Participant may not have any doping violations from any sports governing body

Additional Governing Terms

These T&Cs shall be subject to and supplemented by the general Zwift Terms of Service, which are incorporated herein by this reference.

Whew! Glad that’s done. Ride On!