Join the pros with Zwift's virtual group rides, workouts and races

Pro/Am Invitational Zwift Classic (Image credit: Zwift)

If you’re missing the Spring Classics and watching top-level teams and riders go head-to-head during the one-day races, the Pro/Am Invitational Zwift Classics (opens in new tab) offers six unique races where you can tune in to watch live streaming on Cyclingnews as the best men’s and women’s teams on Zwift race against each other during the month of April. In addition, the virtual platform will feature a series of rides and workouts led by some of your favourite pro riders – and you can join the fun.

For the Pro/Am Invitational Zwift Classics, each event takes place in a different Zwift world, and the courses will remain open for four days after the Pro/Am Invitational to all Zwifters to try them out.

"Racing on Zwift is a great feature and one I personally love participating in," said Eric Min, CEO and Co-Founder of Zwift. "The Zwift Classics is a fantastic introduction into some of Zwift’s best racing through our worlds. Watch the best race against each other live and then test your own ability across the six courses."

The Pro/Am Invitational Zwift Classic races will not only pit the best teams against each other for the sake of glory but also set fresh challenges in each race. Points races, team-based racing, and hill-top finishes all await.

The Pro/Am Invitational races started on April 5 at 7 p.m. BST / 2 p.m. EDT and happen every four days at the same time. The Zwift worlds include Yorkshire, London, Bologna, Richmond, Watopia, and will end with the new addition of Crit City.

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Pro-Am women’s teams and Pro-Am men’s teams will alternate different races. Pro-Am women’s teams kicked off the Zwift Classics with the Yorkshire Grand Prix (April 5) and will also lead the racing for the Trofeo Bologna (April 13) and Watopia Cup (April 21). The Pro-am men’s teams will race the London International (April 9), Richmond Challenge (April 17) and Crit City Slam (April 25).

Each Pro-Am race will feature different race challenges, ranging from a scratch race format, to a team points race and individual points. The teams lined up to race include SEG Racing, Ribble-Weldtite, Hagens Berman Axeon, NTT, Canyon-dhb, Canyon-SRAM and Twenty20.

The first race was already under way on Sunday with Megan Rathwell (SRIS) winning the opening round of the Pro/Am Invitational Zwift Classics-Yorkshire Grand Prix.

The event was a points race format on the Royal Pump Room course. The women's teams covered the full 2019 UCI Road World Championships course used last September in Harrogate, Yorkshire. They raced in both directions, and Team HEINO was crowned the winning team after securing the most points on the day.

Watch a replay of the Yorkshire Grand Prix below.

Pro/Am Invitational Zwift Classics - Calendar

April 5 - Yorkshire Grand Prix Pro/Am Invitational race, 7pm BST / 2pm EDT
April 9 - London International Pro/Am Invitational race, 7pm BST / 2pm EDT
April 13 - Trofeo Bologna Pro/Am Invitational race, 7pm BST / 2pm EDT
April 17 - Richmond Challenge Pro/Am Invitational race, 7pm BST / 2pm EDT
April 21 - Watopia Cup Pro/Am Invitational race, 7pm BST / 2pm EDT
April 25 - Crit City Slam Pro/Am Invitational race, 7pm BST / 2pm EDT

Ride with the pros on Zwift

If you're looking for company on your virtual training rides, Zwift is also offering an opportunity to ride with your favourite professional cyclists.

During the month of April you can join group rides, workouts and stages of the Women's Tour with Kasia Niewiadoma, Hannah Barnes, Christa Riffel, Hannah Ludwig, Alexis Ryan, Ella Harris, Rotem Gafinovitz, Tanja Erath, and Jess Pratt from the Canyon-SRAM women's team.

Twenty20 will also lead group rides with Jasmin Duehring, Georgia Simmerling, Jen Luebke and Sofia Arreola, as will Roxsolt Attaquer's Peta Mullens.

Men's WorldTour teams EF Pro Cycling will feature rides and workouts with Mitch Docker, Magnus Cort and Neilson Powless. Likewise, NTT Pro Cycling will be hosting multiple group rides and workouts.

Trek-Segafredo will feature group rides with both men's and women's teams and will feature Kiel Reijnen, Quinn Simmons, Toms Skujins, Elisa Longo Borghini, Tayler Wiles and Ruth Winder.

You can even ride with retired WorldTour professional turned gravel racer Peter Stetina on a special Gravelleurs ride.

To view the full list of group rides and workouts with the pros click on the link here (opens in new tab) or view the calendar below.

Zwift group rides and workouts - Calendar (EDT)

Monday, April 6

4:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Jess Pratt
7:00PM EDT: Pole Position with Tony Kanaan
9:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Jen Luebke

Tuesday, April 7

2:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Rotem Gafinovitz
4:00AM EDT: NTT Pro Cycling Group Workout
4:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Christa Riffel
4:30AM EDT: Rapha + Hannah Ludwig, CANYON//SRAM
8:00AM EDT: Magnus Cort and Mitch Docker // The EF Pro Cycling Group Ride
9:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Hannah Ludwig
10:05AM EDT: Pete Stetina's Gravelleurs ride
2:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Alexis Ryan
6:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Ella Harris
8:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Sofia Arreola
10:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Neve Bradbury

Wednesday, April 8

12:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Justine Barrow
5:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Tanja Erath
8:00AM EDT: RCC Captain's Ride with Simon Mottram
8:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Natalia Franco
12:00PM EDT: NTT Pro Cycling Group Workout
12:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Christa Riffel
3:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Georgia Simmerling
5:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Jasmine Soh
7:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Simone Boilard
9:00PM EDT: Rapha + Neilson Powless, EF Pro Cycling
9:00PM EDT: Rapha + Neilson Powless, EF Pro Cycling

Thursday, April 9

1:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Peta Mullens
3:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Hannah Ludwig
6:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Lisa Klein
10:05AM EDT: Pete Stetina's Gravelleurs ride
11:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Jasmin Duehring
11:00AM EDT: Trek-Segafredo Group Ride with Reijnen, Simmons, Winder & Wiles
11:00AM EDT: Trek-Segafredo Group Ride with Reijnen, Simmons, Winder & Wiles
11:00AM EDT: Ivan Cortina // Team Bahrain McLaren // Ride As One Series
2:00PM EDT: Rapha + Simon Clarke, EF Pro Cycling
4:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Jess Pratt
9:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Ella Harris

Friday, April 10

2:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Rotem Gafinovitz
4:00AM EDT: NTT Pro Cycling Group Ride
4:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Tanja Erath
9:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Kasia Niewiadoma
10:00AM EDT: CCC Team #FridayFanRide Presented by Giant Bicycles
2:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Alexis Ryan
6:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Amanda Coker

Saturday, April 11

12:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Justine Barrow
5:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Omer Shapira
8:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Simone Boilard
12:00PM EDT: NTT Pro Cycling Rolling Race
12:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Hannah Barnes
3:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Georgia Simmerling
5:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Chloe Dygert
7:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Shayna Powless

Sunday, April 12

1:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Peta Mullens
3:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Lisa Klein
4:00AM EDT: Trek Segafredo x Saris Ride with Koen De Kort & Elisa Longo Borghini
4:00AM EDT: Trek Segafredo x Saris Ride with Koen De Kort & Elisa Longo Borghini
8:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Shayna Powless
11:00AM EDT: Trek Segafredo x Saris Ride with Ruth Winder, and Quinn Simmons
11:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Sofia Arreola
11:00AM EDT: Trek Segafredo x Saris Ride with Ruth Winder, and Quinn Simmons
1:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Tanja Erath
4:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Bree Wilson
6:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Amanda Coker
9:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Emily Herfoss

Monday, April 13

2:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Francesca Sewell
4:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Christa Riffel
7:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Tiffany Cromwell
9:00AM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Natalia Franco
2:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Courtney Nelson
5:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Ayesha McGowan
7:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Jasmin Duehring
8:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 2 with Jen Luebke
10:00PM EDT: SRAM Women's Tour - Stage 1 with Nicola Macdonald

Tuesday, April 14

4:00AM EDT: NTT Pro Cycling Group Workout
10:05AM EDT: Pete Stetina's Gravelleurs ride

Wednesday, April 15

12:00PM EDT: NTT Pro Cycling Group Workout

Thursday, April 16

4:00AM EDT: Trek-Segafredo Group Ride with Theuns, Stuyven, Ellen van Dijk and Lucinda Brand
4:00AM EDT: Trek-Segafredo Group Ride with Theuns, Stuyven, Ellen van Dijk and Lucinda Brand
10:05AM EDT: Pete Stetina's Gravelleurs ride

Friday, April 17

4:00AM EDT: NTT Pro Cycling Hilly Race

Saturday, April 18

12:00PM EDT: NTT Pro Cycling Group Ride

Sunday, April 19

4:00AM EDT: Trek Segafredo x Saris Ride with Jasper Stuyven and Lucinda Brand
4:00AM EDT: Trek Segafredo x Saris Ride with Jasper Stuyven and Lucinda Brand
11:00AM EDT: Trek Segafredo x Saris Ride with Edward Theuns and Tayler Wiles
11:00AM EDT: Trek Segafredo x Saris Ride with Edward Theuns and Tayler Wiles

Tuesday, April 21

4:00AM EDT: NTT Pro Cycling Group Workout

Wednesday, April 22

12:00PM EDT: NTT Pro Cycling Group Workout

Thursday, April 23

11:00AM EDT: Trek-Segafredo Group Ride with Reijnen, Skujins, De Kort and Longo Borghini
11:00AM EDT: Trek-Segafredo Group Ride with Reijnen, Skujins, De Kort and Longo Borghini