It barely feels like any time at all since we were wrapping up the Zwift Racing League Finals of the 2024/2025 Season. The teams did an amazing job, and yet again we were the 3rd biggest community in the series with 45+ teams. Check out our wrap-up report! But now it is time to do it all over again, and this time WTRL have brought more changes to the table.
What's new for this season?
Well a few things have changed from the previous season, but for those who have raced ZRL before, everything will feel very familiar:
- WTRL have introduced new 'development' teams for those who are racing around mid-pack. This should make it more competitive and fun for those who are not yet able to hang with the front riders. Admittedly, it would have been much more effective to use vELO racing categories but you can't have everything. It will be interesting to see how many development teams/leagues are set up and whether they survive the first round. If WTRL makes it work then this will improve the racing experience for many riders – which is no bad thing!
- The timezones have had some funky name changes, but essentially operate in the same way.
- We have gone from three rounds + finals to four separate rounds. Personally, I have said we should just have two rounds to make admin as simple as possible – but you still can't have everything :)
- For those of you that have been busy upgrading virtual bikes over the summer, you will be glad to learn that those pimped bikes will be allowed in ZRL. This one is probably a bit controversial, but I actually don't mind it so much. For the record, I have not upgraded a single bike, so this change definitely doesn't benefit me.
- This season there has been no attempt to introduce steering. So if you want to race and steer, join a Ladder League team.
- C/Ds can look forward to racing on shorter courses than the A/Bs. This is definitely a welcome change!
I may very well have missed some things, so it's always worth heading to Zwift Insider to read their full review of the new season.
We're famous
Well, kinda. Unbeknownst to us, WTRL decided to use our kit to promote the new season. Expect to see our flashy pink kit appearing not only in the peloton but on the WTRL website too. Perhaps in exchange they can promise that they won't bring the snow back to the website for Round 2? I thought these affects had died with MySpace.
Race with us!
If you would like to join us for the upcoming season then our internal registration is now open! We do accept late registrations, but we cannot always guarantee a spot on a team. Find out how to join our Discord here and once you've completed the onboarding you'll be able to register to race.
And if ZRL doesn't take your fancy, then we have a load more race series coming up. You can get a complete overview on our Race Series page.
Fair racing for all
Lastly, one thing that The Coalition has always dedicated itself to is ensuring that our riders act in a fair and transparent way. This has been at the core of our community since Day 1. It's one of the reasons we've been able to grow our racing teams and developed a reputation for contributing to a clean sport. You can read more in this post about Coalition's Fair Racing Policies. Hopefully you agree with us too.