One of the excellent features of the indoor training app Rouvy is its regular celebration of racing’s greatest events. You might not be able to drive an F1 car or play baseball at Yankee Stadium but bike racing allows you not only the opportunity to buy almost exactly the same equipment the pros use (if you are well-heeled) but you can also ride on the very same roads where those sports heroes compete. But travel is expensive and jet lag incovenient so why not turn on the computer and ride the Tour’s iconic roads virtually.
Tadej Pogačar on the Tourmalet – Tour’26 stage 6
“Challenges” are time-limited events on Rouvy with a particular theme. Regular appearances over the years have included all three Grand Tours as well as interesting and quite scenic races like the Tour de Suisse and (a personal fave) the Tour of the Alps. In 2026 Rouvy has put up a whole series of TdF events. There have been races on the platform but also five different Challenges to test your enthusiasm and stamina. The Challenges all run until August 9 so still time to keep that Yellow Jersey feeling going! Wattbike is a sponsor so if you complete any of the Challenges you are eligible to win some nice prizes. These include Wattbikes, and chances to win an entry to L’Étape du Tour 2027 plus 3 nights’ accommodation/L’Étape du Tour Femmes avec Zwift 2027 plus 3 nights’ accommodation alternatively.
What are the TdF Challenges this year?
In addition to rides you do at your own pace, Rouvy offers focused training. “Grand Tour Makers” features four segments favoured by riders from Lidl-Trek and Visma Lease-a-Bike, ranging from 28 to 35 minutes. Enjoy lactate threshold training recommended by Mads Pedersen. The workouts are described as “easy.” Maybe for him!
“Barcelona to Paris” is one of the shorter Challenges, featuring just two rides. You will be in virtual Barcelona and ride from the seafront to Sant Montjuic, just as the Tour did in the team time trial. Then Paris, “the City of Love,” beckons and you will be cruising up that famous boulevard to the Arc de Triomphe.
Far more challenging is the “Pyrenean Crown” Challenge. Here you will face two giants of the Pyrenees, then finish in the Alps with a view of Mont Blanc. Three of the Tour’s iconic climbs, ridden the way the pros suffer through them. Meet the Col d’Aspin, the Tourmalet and the Col de Telegraphe/Galibier. A nice feature of Rouvy is that below each profile you will find a video letting you preview the ride. Not always a confidence-builder, alas…
A personal note here: I have ridden two of these climbs in real life and, some years later, did them again on Rouvy. While it is not the Real Thing, lacking wind or rain or heat, the gradients in this virtual world seem quite authentic and you will suffer indeed. Rouvy offers the Tourmalet from both directions and you will be impressed with how hard it is to climb. This year Tadej Pogaçar did the 17 km Tourmalet climb in 43 minutes 12 seconds. Rouvy has calculated my time to do it on the app at (sigh) 2 hours and five minutes! I did attempt to ride up the other side of the Tourmalet in 2010 but having ridden the Marie-Blanque, the Col d’Aubisque and crossed the easy Col du Soulor that day, I basically blew up with cramps around 3 kms up the Tourmalet. Unfinished business!
But wait – there’s more! Yes, additional climbing can be found in the “Riders for Riders” Challenge. Three routes are on offer here. The “Alsace Wine Route” is particularly nice and there is an excursion to the Chateau de Belvoir, neither really in this year’s Tour. But lots more climbing is on offer with the Alpe d’Huez. You have completed this Challenge having done the three routes but, hey, you can do the Alpe twice like the pros will if you want.
The last Challenge is pretty simple: “100 K Anywhere with Wattbike” leave the choice of routes entirely up to you as long as it is all done before August 9. Riding any of the other Challenge routes would contribute to this one so easy-peasy.
So if you have enjoyed watching the pros on the beautiful parcours of the Tour, it is fun to get a feel for the same roads on Rouvy. If not already a subscriber, a 7 day free trial is available here.
Rouvy Tour de France Climbs FAQs
Can you ride Tour de France climbs on ROUVY?
Yes. ROUVY includes many famous Tour climbs including the Tourmalet, Galibier and Alpe d’Huez through its Tour de France Challenges.
Are ROUVY Tour Challenges free?
The challenges are available to ROUVY subscribers, while new users can begin with a free trial.
How realistic are ROUVY climbs?
The platform closely matches the gradients and elevation profiles of real roads using augmented reality video footage, providing a highly authentic climbing experience.
Can you win prizes on ROUVY Challenges?
Yes. Many seasonal challenges include prize draws, with the 2026 Tour de France Challenges featuring Wattbike equipment and L’Étape du Tour entries.
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