Zwift launches more features and an all-new climb in latest update

Over the coming months, indoor training platform Zwift will be adding new features to improve the user experience. Along with these features, a new climb called 'The Grade' will also make its way into the world of Watopia, representing a new challenge to any Zwifters out there.

The new features will become available over the next few months with the first new addition available from the end of April.

• Read more: Zwift routes & worlds - a complete guide to Watopia and beyond

My List

For those that use Zwift in collaboration with the companion app, the new ‘My List’ feature will allow riders to create a queue of workouts and routes in the app. These queued activities will then automatically load up when you next log in to Zwift, saving time and getting you riding quicker.

© Zwift

My list allows you to select and preload a workout or route, giving you more time to ride

Zwift has introduced this as a way to streamline riding time so you can get your workout or ride set up and ready to go as quickly as possible so you don’t, “lose a precious five minutes choosing between a new route and a structured workout".

• Read more: Indoor training apps all cyclists should know about

HUD refresh

Joining ‘My List’ a little further into the summer will be an update to the head-up display (HUD). This will bring more data straight to the screen of the rider. One of the notable additions to the HUD will be a new ‘climb mode’ dynamic elevation profile that will display where you are on a gradient profile, colour coding the gradients of the climb. Having this on display aims to help riders better pace their efforts.

© Zwift

The HUD will now be customisable along with a new 'climb mode' dynamic display

The updated HUD will also allow riders to customise the data displayed in the ‘power tile’ in the top left-hand corner of the screen. When the update is rolled out, riders will be able to choose from speed, average power, power-to-weight ratio (W/Kg), cadence and heart rate. Part of this update will also see the ‘mini-map’ provide better clarity for route progression and elevation.

Training connections

Another new feature set for launch this summer is training connections. This aims to provide better integration for training plans from third-party platforms and coaching services. If you are an athlete who has your training set by a coach via a different software, the new API connection will give riders better flexibility over how they train and make importing sessions easier.

© Zwift

The new open-API will allow you to load in workouts from third-party apps more easily

This new API will pull workouts directly from third-party applications and load them in the custom workouts folder. The training API will launch later this spring with a few selected partners, with other providers able to sign up for this open-API later in the summer.

• Read more: How to make your own training plan

The Grade

From June 2024, Watopia will gain a new climb called ‘The Grade’. This will create a direct, steep passage from Ciudad de La Cumbre to the top of Epic KOM. Ahead of the update, Zwift said, “The Grade is designed to be a testing climb for Zwifters. Built on the West side of Zwift’s most recent expansion, Watopia’s Southern Coast.” Along with the release of the new climb, Zwift will also be releasing several new routes, that incorporate ‘The Grade’ for freeride, training and racing.

© Zwift

The grade is an all new climb that provides a more direct route to the top of the Epic KOM

Tour de France fever is back for 2024

After the success of last year's campaign, Zwift, the official training partner of the Tour de France, will be hosting three weeks of Tour-themed riding in July. The ‘climb portal’ will allow riders to virtually ascend the most iconic climbs from this year's edition of the race. The schedule of which climbs will be available and when has already been released, so make sure to mark your calendars for the climbs you want to take on.

© Zwift

Throughout the Tour de France, riders will be able to take on some of the most iconic climbs of the race

Week 1:

• Côte des Forche - Stage: 1, Elevation: 159 m, Avg Grade: 6.3 %, Distance: 2.5 km
• Col du Galibier (Lautaret) - Stage: 4, Elevation: 563 m, Avg Grade: 6.6 %, Distance: 8.6 km

Week 2:

• Pas de Peyrol/Puy Mary - Stage: 11, Elevation: 628 m, Avg Grade: 6.9 %, Distance: 9.2 km
• Pla d'Adet - Stage: 14, Elevation: 873 m, Avg Grade: 8.2 %, Distance: 10.7 km
• Col de Peyresourde (Avajan) - Stage: 15, Elevation: 555 m, Avg Grade: 7.7 %, Distance: 7.2 km

Week 3:

• Isola 2000 - Stage: 19, Elevation: 1157 m, Avg Grade: 7.1 %, Distance: 16.2 km
• Col de la Couillole - Stage: 20, Elevation: 1145 m, Avg Grade: 7.2 %, Distance: 15.9 km
• La Turbie/Col d’Eze - Stage 21, Elevation: 616m, Avg Grade: 3.1%, Distance: 15.9km

Along with the climb portal, both the regular Paris and France worlds will have a Tour de France flavour to celebrate the race. There will also be events and races taking place throughout July and August with a distinct Tour de France theme, with more information on these coming closer to the time.

• Read more: Tour de France 2024 route revealed

Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift

Back for its third edition, the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift will conclude atop cycling's most famous climb, Alpe d’Huez. To celebrate this, Watopia’s Alpe du Zwift will take on a special look with RoboPacer events taking place every two hours between 18-25 August for riders looking to set a PB on the climb.

As the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift draws closer, more details will be announced regarding updates and special events on Zwift, so make sure to stay tuned for these.

For all the latest tech news, make sure to head over to the dedicated tech section of the GCN website. If you are new to the world of Zwift and don’t know how to get started, then head over to our indoor training content where we have everything you need to get started.

Zwift

Zwift is a fitness technology company that allows users to interact, train and race on its virtual online cycling platform. Zwift has approximately one million subscribers and has completely changed how cyclists view training.