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Zwift launches virtual Prudential RideLondon course featuring Box Hill and London landmarks

London and Box Hill now available to ride virtually on Zwift

Miss out on a place in RideLondon this weekend? Well now you can take part: virtually. 

Zwift, the popular online 3D virtual world and training app, which provides a highly realistic riding experience, without leaving the comfort of your house, has today unveiled a virtual Prudential RideLondon course, featuring roads from London and Surrey and such highlights as Box Hill. 

- How to get started on Zwift

Zwift London 5.jpg

It hasn’t reproduced the full 100-mile route that the actual RideLondon takes, but instead is offering two shorter routes. There’s a 9.2-mile (14.8km) option that condenses key parts of the RideLondon route and connects the urban streets of London to the leafy lanes of Surrey.

Then there is a complete reproduction of the Prudential RideLondon Classique 4.3-mile (5.5km) used for the women’s criterium race. It’s a central London circuit that starts on The Mall in St James’s Park and goes up Constitution Hill, past Big Ben, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, Admiralty Arch and back on to The Mall.

The London addition to Zwift is available from today, and to mark the occasion, there are a number of planned rides. We’ve listed them below for you:

Prudential RideLondon Classique Group Ride

Saturday, July 30

9am PDT (California) / 12pm EDT (New York) / 5pm BST (London)

Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 Group Ride

Sunday, July 31

8am AEST (Australia) / 8am BST (London)

Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 46 Group Ride

Sunday, July 31

8pm AEST (Australia) and 7pm BST (London)

Zwift London 3.jpg

“UK cycling is going from strength to strength, so it’s fantastic to invite the world’s cyclists to our Prudential RideLondon course to feel part of this scene,” says Eric Min, Zwift co-founder and CEO. “85% of our community are from outside of the UK and I’m looking forward to riding together with them up Box Hill. As a longtime Londoner, I’ve ridden out to Box Hill on many occasions. My time up that climb is about to get some serious competition!”

Zwift London 8.jpg

“Prudential RideLondon is the world’s greatest cycling festival and showcases one of the great cycling cities and one of the most beautiful English counties,” says Prudential Ride London Event Director Hugh Brasher. “These new Zwift courses will give cyclists of all abilities from all around the world the chance to experience this incredible event every day.”

What is Zwift?

It's an online computer game/training tool, with your bike hooked up to Zwift via a smart trainer. You put your bike on a compatible turbo trainer and link it via ANT+ to your computer, and it can use speed/cadence or power, depending on the model of your turbo. Thrash away at the pedals and your avatar on the screen will start pedalling and vital stats like your speed, distance and altitude are displayed onscreen.

It's very realistic, it's as close to riding outside as you can get while riding on the spot in your garage or living room. You can ride on your own or join a group, with dozens of other cyclists spinning around the same course you're constantly overtaking others and being overtaken. There's a leaderboard showing your position and there are timed sections and climbs. 

Find out more in our Zwift guide here. 

Head to zwift.com for more info and to find out how to get online.

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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7 comments

Avatar
Judge dreadful | 7 years ago
0 likes

Oh god, here we go. Expect loads of people to 'ace' every 'segment' ( by hooking a washing machine up to the roller, then flipping the 'virtual ride' later). 

Avatar
durandal | 7 years ago
0 likes

3% up Embankment? I'm not convinced. Although the 'cheat' to get from Lambeth to Box Hill is a triumph of artistic licence!

Avatar
Yorkshire wallet | 7 years ago
2 likes

Zwifting in July. Must have a big fan.

Avatar
mrchrispy | 7 years ago
1 like

its down south so therefore not really a hill.
I suspect its similar to a rise you get over a railway line 

Avatar
Simon E | 7 years ago
2 likes

"It's very realistic"

... apart from the complete absence of wobbling charity riders and elbows-out Mamils with something to prove, celebrities or retired sports stars you can claim to have "beaten" in a recreational ride, potholes, punctures, wind, rain etc etc.

I know I'm likely to be in a tiny minority on this kind of thing but I'd prefer to go out and ride in the real world than sit and pedal in front of a laptop on Sunday. Even if it's raining.

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to Simon E | 7 years ago
0 likes

Simon E wrote:

"It's very realistic"

... apart from the complete absence of wobbling charity riders and elbows-out Mamils with something to prove, celebrities or retired sports stars you can claim to have "beaten" in a recreational ride, potholes, punctures, wind, rain etc etc.

I know I'm likely to be in a tiny minority on this kind of thing but I'd prefer to go out and ride in the real world than sit and pedal in front of a laptop on Sunday. Even if it's raining.

You can always do both... personally, i'm quite interested in seeing what Box Hill is actually like as it's not something i'd make an effort to go and find out in the real world - far too many better things to be doing/places to see before that - so that scratches an itch. YYMV obviously.

Avatar
Simon E replied to fukawitribe | 7 years ago
0 likes

fukawitribe wrote:

You can always do both... personally, i'm quite interested in seeing what Box Hill is actually like as it's not something i'd make an effort to go and find out in the real world - far too many better things to be doing/places to see before that - so that scratches an itch. YYMV obviously.

Hmmm, hadn't thought of it like that. Thanks.

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