Virtual training platform Zwift is about to fire the starting gun for the third iteration of its most popular pedalling challenge, The Big Spin.
Set entirely in the online world of Watopia, the 2026 event, themed 'Adventure is Calling', will see participants on indoor smart training systems like the Zwift Ride Smart take on four stages, virtually cycling through a quadrant of dramatically different environments across four weeks, beginning on Monday 16 March and lasting until 12 April (followed by a make-up week).
E-racing and indoor cycling has seen a spike in popularity in recent years, and initiatives launched by Zwift have been playing an active role in encouraging more women to get into competitive cycling.
The 'Adventure is Calling' tour kicks off with the Desert Discovery stage, which will be contested on the Flat Out Fast route across 21.4km of level terrain featuring just 46 metres of accumulated elevation - the perfect setting for fast group riding. From here riders will enter the imaginary jungle to take on the lumpier 21km-long Hidden Temple stage, with 147m of elevation, which utalises the platform's more demanding Mayan San Remo layout.
During week three, riders set off to the synthetic seaside for the undulating 26.3km Lost Coast Adventure stage, which rolls along the Southern Coast Cruise segment, enabling cyclists to sustain some decent pace.
The fourth and final stage, Titans Grove, takes place on the Sand & Sequoia set, where riders race along 20.1km of mixed digital dirt and asphalt, with 175m of elevation.
1 Desert Discovery 16-22 March. Route: Flat Out Fast (22.3km, 49m climbing)
2 Hidden Temple 23-29 March. Route: Mayan San Remo (21.3km, 219m)
3 Lost Coast Adventure 30-April 5 March. Route: Southern Coast Cruise (26.3km, 147m)
4 Titans Grove 6-12 April. Route: Sand and Sequoias (22.4km, 181m)
Make-Up Week 13-19 April
Along the way, participants will be able to tap into a rewards system, giving them the opportunity to unlock exclusive gear for their avatar, including footwear, headwear and eight different kits.
With the event spanning the holiday period, Zwift has hidden some Easter Eggs across the course, with Mystery Spinners placed at the end of some segments, through which riders who have completed the stage can score Big Spin 'vault' prizes (coveted items from previous Zwift Big Spins in 2024 and 2025, such as the BMX Bandit and the Atomic Cruiser).
The way the tour has been organised preserves the social culture of the challenge, with group rides setting off each hour on the half-hour mark for people who prefer to pedal in a virtual peloton.
Alternatively, you can use the Big Spin to organise Meetups, Club Rides, do the route during a workout or just ride the stages solo whenever suits.
