ZRace Central

Looking for a challenge on Zwift? Zwift features lots of climbs like Alpe Du Zwift, a replica of the IRL Alpe Du Huez, Ven-Top, the replica of the famous Mt. Ventoux. One of Zwift’s most popular climbs is Alpe Du Zwift, a popular climb for Veveresting and daring races. Here are the 5 hardest climbs on Zwift.

1. Ven-Top

Ven-Top was added in the June 2020 update, and this climb is by far the hardest climb on Zwift. The climb was used for the virtual Tour De France, where riders climbed to the Chalet Reynard banner.

The Ven-Top route takes you up 5,033 feet in 13 miles. This climb is a virtual replica of the Mt. Ventoux climb that the Tour De France sometimes goes through. The climb features some pro cyclists’ or former pro cyclists’ names written on the roads to help push you to the finish.

Once you crest the top, you are going to do a small loop, which will then lead to the long descent. With an average gradient of 8%, this is an incredibly challenging climb, and you’re going to need those gears!

2. Alpe Du Zwift

Alpe Du Zwift was added back in 2018, and since then, thousands of riders have done this climb. This climb is also known for the Yeti that can sometimes be spotted towards the top of the climb. There is also a spinning “wheel of fortune” where you can score a Lazer helmet, KOM gloves, or Lightweight Meilenstein wheels.

The climb is 3,399 ft (1,036 m) over the course of 21 hairpin turns. Additionally, the climb is 7.5 mi (12.2 km) long, and typically takes around 1-1:30 to complete the climb. The average grade is slightly more than Ven-top, with an average grade of 8.5%.

3. Innbruck KOM Reverse

The Innsbruck KOM is another replica of a real-life climb. The climb is not very long, and only slightly less steep than the other two climbs. This climb is an average grade of 6.9% and is 3.5 miles long. However, unlike the others, this is not a very popular climb, as only a few routes go through it: Lutcher (Lutcher CCW) and Achterbahn. This is still one of the harder climbs, as the climb has a few steep bits that you really have to push through to get over the hump. The climb takes around 20-40 minutes, depending on your ability.

4. Epic KOM Reverse

The Epic KOM reverse is a very popular climb. This side of the Epic KOM is shorter than the Epic KOM, which is a longer way up the climb. The Epic KOM reverse is, however, steeper than the other side. This climb is very similar to the Innsbruck KOM reverse. The climb is just slightly longer, but not as steep as the Innsbruck KOM reverse. The climb is 3.8 miles long and has an average grade of 5.9%. For most riders, the climb typically takes around 20-40 minutes.

5. The Grade

As the newest major climb added to Zwift, “The Grade” is no joke. The Grade takes Zwifters from the Southern Coast expansion up to the summit of the Epic KOM. The Grade also serves as an FTP test—when riders reach the summit of the climb, there will be a screen that gives an FTP based on the effort up the climb. Additionally, Zwift included sectors in this climb to help riders pace their effort.

Honorable Mention: Bologna TT Climb

This is one of the most popular routes for time trials. The route is short and includes a very steep climb at the end. This is a replica of the Bologna TT climb from the Giro. The beginning of this course is very flat and fast, but once you hit the final ~2 miles, the road will start going up… The average gradient of the climb portion of the course is 9.6%; the grade hits over 15% at some points of the course, making it very hard to pedal. The climb is 1.3 miles long, and it ends at the upper lap banner. One way is approximately 15-40 minutes long, depending on how fast you are going.

Some of the hardest climbs are also featured in extremely challenging routes (like the Uber Pretzel, which features Alpe du Zwift as its grand finale). I’ve curated a list of the hardest routes on Zwift in 2026, which can be viewed here.