Zwift’s famed Tour of Watopia is back! As usual, this event will feature some of the best roads of Watopia and will grant riders double XP. This year, Zwifters are in for a treat with the latest expansion coming to Watopia in the latter half of the tour.
Basics
The Tour of Watopia is Zwift’s premier annual event series and the only event on the calendar that awards Double XP. If you’ve been grinding away to hit Level 100 or unlock garage gear, this 5-stage tour is your single best opportunity to level up.
Key Event Info
- Dates: October 5 – November 15, 2026
- Make-Up Week: November 9 – November 15 (events run every 30 minutes for all stages)
- Double XP Earned:
- Cyclists: 40 XP per kilometer (64 XP per mile) compared to the standard 20 XP/km.
- Runners: 20 XP per 0.25 km (30 XP per 0.25 mile) compared to standard 10 XP/0.25 km.
- Format Flexibility: You can join group rides (scheduled hourly), races (scheduled hourly), or run sessions (scheduled every 2 hours). Late join is enabled, but if you prefer solo sessions, riding or running any stage route on demand in free ride, workouts, or meetups during its scheduled week will also count toward stage credit and award double XP!
Category Setup
Group rides follow the following structure across all stages:
- Group A: Longer Ride option
- Group B: Standard Ride & Race option
- Group C: Shorter Ride option
- Group D: Women Only option (uses the Group B Standard route)
Routes
The tour features 5 distinct stages packed with classic hammerfests and fresh climbs.
| Stage | Date | Long Ride (Group A) | Standard Ride & Race (Group B/D) | Short Ride (Group C) | Run |
| Stage 1 | Oct 5–11 | Watts of the Wild (42.2km / 309m) | Sand and Sequoias (22.4km / 181m) | Beach Island Loop (13.3km / 44m) | That’s Amore (6.7km) |
| Stage 2 | Oct 12–18 | Out and Back Again (42.5km / 335m) | Downtown Eruption (19.9km / 276m) | Tick Tock (19.1km / 59m) | Splash and Dash (6.2km) |
| Stage 3 | Oct 19–25 | Climber’s Gambit (27.9km / 670m) | Coastal Crown Loop (23.6km / 266m) | Jarvis Seaside Sprint (15.3km / 131m) | Titan’s Run (5.9km) |
| Stage 4 | Oct 26–Nov 1 | Pacific Pursuit (54km / 380m)* | California Roll (33.2km / 168m)* | California Dreamin’ (19.1km / 153m)* | Lava Legs (4km)* |
| Stage 5 | Nov 2–8 | One Ride to Rule Them All (38.7km / 506m)* | Molten Momentum (20.8km / 245m)* | Crit Cross (13.5km / 36m)* | Lightning Lap (5km)* |
*Denotes brand-new routes part of the upcoming Watopia expansion.
Upcoming Watopia Expansion
The biggest highlight for route completionists this year is that Stages 4 and 5 drop riders directly onto brand-new tarmac from the upcoming Watopia Expansion!
Zwift is using the Tour of Watopia as the official launchpad for these fresh roads:
- Stage 4 debut routes: Pacific Pursuit (54 km monster endurance loop), California Roll (33.2 km rolling terrain), California Dreamin’ (19.1 km quick loop), and Lava Legs (4 km run route).
- Stage 5 debut routes: One Ride to Rule Them All (38.7 km sporting 506m of elevation gain), Molten Momentum (20.8 km punchy profile), Crit Cross (13.5 km flat sprinter circuit), and Lightning Lap (5 km run).
Because these expansion routes are brand new to the platform, completing them for the first time during Stages 4 and 5 awards you Route Badge Bonuses on top of your doubled distance XP—effectively turning these rides into a massive triple-XP windfall.
Unlocks
Zwift has revamped the rewards structure for 2026, combining stage completion rewards with cumulative route completion bonuses.
Stage Completion Rewards
- Stage 1 Finish: Tour of Watopia Cycling Socks
- Stage 2 Finish: 500 XP Bonus
- Stage 3 Finish: Tour of Watopia Cycling Cap
- Stage 4 Finish: 500 XP Bonus
- Stage 5 Finish: Official ToW ’26 Finisher’s Kit
Cumulative Route Completion Bonuses
For those who tackle multiple route variations throughout the tour, additional bonus XP tiers and an exclusive kit are unlocked:
- 7 Routes Completed: 500 XP Bonus
- 9 Routes Completed: 1,000 XP Bonus
- 11 Routes Completed: 2,000 XP Bonus
- 13 Routes Completed: 3,000 XP Bonus
- 15 Routes Completed: 4,000 XP Bonus + Ultimate Challenge Finisher’s Kit