The sun is out in Mallorca and the mountains are calling. Smooth asphalt winds through the countryside lining the ocean which spans widely into the horizon, glittering under the golden glare. This is a cyclists’ playground, showcasing the very best of the best of what is possible if you head outdoors on two wheels. Why are we here? The answer may surprise you.
When an invite to a press event exploring Mallorca with the world-famous indoor training platform, Zwift, dropped into my inbox a few weeks ago, my initial reaction was one of confusion. Zwift is all about indoors – what would they get from hosting an event in one of the best places in the world for riding in the real world? For me, hearing the word Zwift means sweaty indoor training sessions, pain caves, online racing, an escape from the rain in the depths of winter. It has never really been about feeling the sun on my skin, or smelling the breeze of sea air, swerving down descents or grinding up mountains. According to the American company, however, things are changing.
Since its inception in 2014, Zwift has made a name for itself transforming once monotonous indoor rides into a world of gaming, competition and social interaction. In many ways, it has revolutionised the way people train, from humble beginnings as a small start-up to a global platform where riders can come together, push their limits and achieve fitness goals with other like-minded individuals. The platform has hosted e-racing World Championship events and even a virtual Tour de France over the years – especially important during the Covid-19 period when real world racing was impossible.
Through initiatives like the Zwift Academy – a talent identification programme that allows users to compete for a professional contract on men’s and women’s WorldTour squads Alpecin-Deceuninck and Canyon//SRAM Racing – Zwift had already slowly and tentatively began to bridge the gap between real world and virtual cycling. As the company now turns ten years old, that gap is becoming even smaller.
Presenting to a room full of global press and brand ambassadors in Mallorca, Mark Cote, the VP of Product at Zwift, began to unveil the reasons why they’d brought people here to ride outdoors with Zwift in one of the best countries on the planet for cycling.
“Outdoor now counts on Zwift,” Cote grinned. “To provide the best training insights, Zwift Companion App will now use outdoor riding data from Garmin and Wahoo devices for the first time. Zwift members will also earn additional XP for their outdoor rides, at a rate of 5XP per kilometre.”
With Hammerhead also expected to be compatible later in the summer, Zwifters worldwide can now expect outdoor data to be pulled into the Zwift Companion App to inform Training Score and Training Status metrics. Cote added that 53% of active Zwifters have a 4-week streak or greater on the platform, highlighting the importance of habit when it comes to increasing fitness using Zwift - those with at least a 4 week streak are 1.5x more likely to increase their FTP (functional threshold power). There’s also rewards on the platform for people who have been consistent: at four weeks, Zwifters unlock a Scotty medallion (Zwift’s cartoon mascot), 12 weeks secure a Scotty Key Chain, and 24 weeks will unlock a waving animated Scotty.
Cote explained that outdoor riding playing a part on Zwift isn’t the only upgrade that is new to the platform for 2025. The Companion App is seeing some big changes, with Zwifters able to set weekly goals and track their fitness progress within the ecosystem for the first time. Zwift’s new Training Score – which indoor riding will count towards – will reflect long-term cycling fitness by averaging recent training load over time, combining both workout volume and intensity into a single, simple daily number. This will help inform a Training Status indicator in the app which reflects current training load by comparing long-term fitness (42 days) and short-term fatigue (7 days).
Other new features this season include new maps in France including cobbled sectors, more advanced training metrics on screen while riding and the ability to enable splits using the Zwift Action Bar (which will make interval training easier on the platform). From a hardware perspective, there are changes to the Zwift Ride indoor bike as Zwifters who wish to use differing crank lengths now have the option to purchase adjustable cranks as an upgrade accessory. The Zwift Ride adjustable cranks provide five crank length options.
It became clear during the Zwift Community Live event that the American company’s heart still largely remains on the iPads and laptops it was created for – outdoor rides do not earn drops and the mileage does not contribute to upgrades in virtual bikes, for example – but upgrades this season mark a step change in Zwift’s ever-evolving identity. Cote stressed that the company is still learning, the introduction of outdoor riding is new and will be monitored with more changes expected along the way. Zwift has tried to introduce real world riding to the platform without drastically altering the indoor experience by ensuring that the XP points earned outdoors are significantly less than those earned on Zwift.
Evidently, Zwift are not resting on their laurels when it comes to continuously trying to evolve the platform and its offering. The move towards including outdoor riding is helping Zwift get closer to being a one-stop shop for every cyclist’s training needs, all year round. This is no longer just an indoor training tool, but a place to log, track and improve on fitness, whether those miles are being tracked on the tarmac or in the garage.
