If your New Year’s training goals need a nudge, or a full-on shove, Zwift is once again rolling out its biggest annual event. The Tour de Zwift returns for 2026, bringing with it massive group rides, global participation, and six weeks of structured motivation to start the year strong.
When Does Tour de Zwift Start?
The Tour de Zwift (or TDZ for those cool kids) runs from January 5 through February 22. It spans nine Zwift worlds and brings together hundreds of thousands of riders (and runners) for the biggest party on the virtual platform.
But don’t worry if you can’t do the whole TDZ; there are many route options and rides/races to choose from. TDZ is designed to meet you where you’re at, plus there are some makeup days in case you can’t make a stage or catch a cold.
What Kind of Stages Are We Talking About?
There are Long, Standard, and Short-distance options for every TDZ stage, with ride or race options. Each event is available as both scheduled rides and on-demand sessions, making it easier to fit into real-world training plans. Each stage runs for one week, with a dedicated make-up week from February 16–22 for anyone playing catch-up.
Runners aren’t left out, either. Throughout the week, Zwift will host shorter 5km runs, with a longer 10km option available on weekends.
You Can Win Prizes (In Real Life)
Beyond the social aspect, Tour de Zwift also emphasizes rewards.
For the truly committed, the Ultimate Challenge ups the stakes. If you complete every distance, Long, Standard, and Short across all six stages, you can earn a massive 12,500 XP bonus (Zwifters know). Finish it all, and you’ll also unlock the Afterparty Cap, plus score an entry for a chance to win a one-off TDZ x Pedal Mafia Zwift Ride Smart Frame.
If you want to take the party offline, there’s also a limited-edition Zwift x Pedal Mafia Tour de Zwift kit, available globally through Pedal Mafia. You can check out the whole TDZ x Pedal Mafia line here.
Tour de Zwift has become a yearly ritual for many Zwifters, and for good reason. Big packs, goals, and just enough gamification to make winter training feel less like work and more like a celebration. Pair it with some cyclocross World Cup action on FloBikes.com, and you have a winter training setup built for success.
More details and event registration are available at Zwift.com/tour-de-zwift
