Frigid weather currently grips most of the United States. Zwift decided to break the ice.
Whether you’re snowed in or frozen out this winter, there’s a very good chance you’re not throwing down too many road miles on your bike.
Flat out, cycling in the cold sucks — it’s not a secret that many people choose not to do it. And if you do, it’s likely you’ll find yourself alone, which can make the misery that much more acute.
Happily, Zwift has the antidote. The Tour de Zwift starts on Jan. 9 and runs through mid-February. Throughout the rest of the winter, the indoor training platform delivers an eight-stage program across “destinations” worldwide, designed to keep cyclists stoked — and out of the weather.
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The indoor action kicks off in Yorkshire, England. Three different rides are on tap; the longest one is Zwift’s “Royal Pump Room 8,” a 17.2-mile tour of the town and countryside. Once you’re committed to riding, just choose a route and category, make it to the line before the gun goes off, and pedal to your heart’s content.
Rides function more or less like races, so be ready to hammer right from the get-go. Once you’re on the virtual road, race tactics come to the forefront; drafting works in Zwift, so you can save juice by staying on somebody’s wheel.
You can ride any or all routes in each stage. And the more rides you do, the more ducats you accumulate. Eventually, you can unlock the loud-colored 2023 Tour de Zwift kit. And at the end of it all, you’ll get a matching achievement badge.
The tour will whisk riders through a wide-ranging circuit, from New York to Paris, New Zealand, Scotland, and more locales.
Registration is free for members. It all wraps up on Feb. 12 — head over to Zwift and don’t get left out in the cold.
