Get your smart trainer pain cave ready to rumble this weekend for the Haute Route Watopia gran fondo on Zwift.

The new online pandemic pedaling event organized by “Ride Like a Pro” Haute Route, in partnership with online platform Zwift, offers #lockdown cyclists a three-day gran fondo stage race in the virtual world of Watopia.

The race runs 3-5 April and includes typical Haute Route Alpine style routes from the comfort of your smelly sweaty Zwift pain cave.

Stage 1 on Friday 3 April is a 48km route aptly named, Three Sisters or as most call it Three B*tch*s, tackling the Watopia KOM, Epic and Volcano climbs.

Stage 2 on Saturday is a mountain top time trial only 25km long, but with 1161m vertical climbing up a virtual Alpe d’Huez – Alpe du Zwift.

The final stage of Haute Route Watopia on Sunday takes riders on the familiar “Pretzel” course, featuring 72km and two big climbs sure to soften up legs and solidify final general classification rankings.

With riders being cooped up for weeks under COVID-19 #lockdown, expect a lightning fast start and some Zwift cheats and dopers battling for virtual glory.

Haute Route Watopia is free to enter, you just need a smart trainer and Zwift account. All riders receive general classification ranking and each stage offers several start times per day to accommodate riders in different time zones.

Since the world is void of group rides and gran fondo style events for the foreseeable future…what are you waiting for?  Sign up at www.hauteroute.org.

Check the GFDN Worldwide Gran Fondo Calendar for the most accurate and up-to-date listings of current, cancelled and rescheduled events