On December 3rd, more than 10,000 riders are expected to pedal their bikes inside to raise money for World Bicycle Relief as part of the second annual Ride On Zwiftathon.
Zwift is an online training and gaming platform, where riders on a trainer can engage with each other and the terrain in a few different virtual settings. The Ride On Zwiftathon will be held over 24 hours on Zwift.
You can join from anywhere with a trainer and an internet connection, and Zwift is also going to be hosting a few gatherings. A number of current and former pros will be turning the pedals indoors for the cause, including 2016 Paris-Roubaix winner Mat Hayman, Laurens ten Dam, Alex Howes, Jens Voigt, current US champion Greg Daniel, Andy Hampsten, Axel Merckx and current world cross-country champion Annika Langvad.
World Bicycle Relief is a non-profit that distributes highly durable 'Buffalo' bicycles to communities in need to support entrepreneurs, students and health care workers.
When riding on Zwift on Dec. 3, all participants' avatars will be riding the one-speed Buffalo bikes.
World Bicycle Relief hopes to raise $200,000 through the event. There is no registration fee — all donations go straight to WBR. Zwift is encouraging people to raise and/or donate $147, which is the cost of providing one Buffalo bike.
Trek Bicycles will match all funds raised up to $45,000 if participants pedal a collective 250,000 miles in the 24-hour event. The top fundraiser will also win a custom Trek Project One Madone and a CycleOps Hammer smart trainer.
Last year the event raised about $143,000, according to WBR's development director Katie Bolling.
For more information visit https://worldbicyclerelief.org/en/event/ride-on-zwiftathon/.
BikeRadar US is a proud supporter of World Bicycle Relief. We give our test equipment to The Pros' Closet, which auctions it off and sends the proceeds to WBR. In the past two years we have raised $23,000 for WBR.
