RIDING THROUGH ZWIFT’S NEW CLIMB PORTALS TAKES CYCLISTS TO A UNIQUELY VIBRANT NEW ENVIRONMENT THAT MIMICS REAL-WORLD CLIMBS

Zwift’s Climb Portal, available to ride at 12 PM PDT on June 30, is the newest addition to the virtual worlds of Watopia and France. Climb Portal allows the Zwift community to come together and ascend imaginative versions of real-world cols, summits, gaps, and passes in a brand new Zwift experience. 

The new Climb Portal recreates the Col du Tourmalet, and other legendary Tour climbs, as part of a partnership between Zwift, the leader in virtual cycling, and both A.S.O., organiser of Tour de France and Tour de France avec Zwift. Zwift is the Official Training Software Partner for both races in 2023, and riders will see branding for both races at the entrance to the portals during the month of July. 

Inside the portals, cyclists will see a road surface that floats in a vast, colorful expanse. Cyclists will be able to see the challenge ahead, illustrated by a colorful ribbon climbing into the distance, changing color to mimic the gradient variations of the climb. The pitch and direction of the climbs perfectly match their real world inspirations, giving Zwifters the realistic challenge of these climbs, as well as a completely new visual experience. 

There will be two portals in Zwift: One just outside the volcano in Watopia, and one in France. The climbs available through the portals will change, but will take Zwifters to legendary climbs used in the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift during the month of July. To access the portals, Zwifters can choose the portal climb options via a dedicated tile on their homepage, from within the routes list, or they can navigate their own way to the portals in-game if riding in Watopia or France. The Climb Portal routes will all feature a flat warmup, before Zwifters enter the portal and begin climbing. 

Athletes in this year’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and Tour de France will race up the legendary Col du Tourmalet. It will be the first time a women’s race will tackle the hallowed Pyrenean Hors Catégorie (HC) climb. The Tourmalet is of the most storied roads in Tour de France history; male races have tackled its grades and switchbacks 88 times since 1910. This climb will be among eight climbs taken from the 2023 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift routes available to the Zwift community in July. 

This new Zwift feature brings the greatest climbing challenges to your home, enabling cyclists to experience some of the world’s most famous climbs via virtual tourism. At launch, all climbs will be modelled on those featured in the Tour, however there will be other famous climbs replicated in the portal in the future. 

During July, Zwift will run the Climb Portal First Ascent Challenge featuring climbs from both the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2023 routes. Zwifters looking to complete the Climb Portal First Ascent Challenge will need to finish two on-demand stages, each of which will offer Zwifters four different climbs to choose from: the Cote de Trébiac, Col des Aravis, Col d’Aspin, and Puy de Dome for stage one. And for stage two, choose between Cote de Domancy, Cote de Pike, Col du Platzerwasel, and Col du Tourmalet. To complete the mission, Zwifters need to complete one climb per stage between June 30 and July 30. ​​

Following the Climb Portal First Ascent Challenge the portals will feature a selection of the world’s best-known climbs, with new ascents available every two weeks. A schedule of climbs is available here.