Four years ago, a simple idea made a big splash in the world of Zwift racing: what if Zwifters could experience their own version of the Tour de France, with stage-by-stage racing that mirrors what the pros tackle in real life? That idea became Chasing Yellow, and on July 5, ECRO’s flagship Grand Tour returns for its fourth edition.
As previously announced on Zwift Insider, the E-Cycling Race Organization (ECRO) is working to transform virtual cycling with its comprehensive racing platform. And the heart of this ecosystem is Chasing Yellow: the 21-stage Grand Tour that started it all.
Racing Alongside the Pros
The concept behind Chasing Yellow is straightforward: when the pros face flat stages built for sprinters, Chasing Yellow participants get their own sprint opportunities. When the peloton tackles mountain stages, virtual riders experience their own climbing battles on challenging terrain.
Each of the 21 stages offers a mini-version of what the professional peloton faces that same day. This creates an opportunity to experience cycling’s greatest event from the inside, with stages that mirror the terrain and tactical challenges of each Tour de France day.
2025 Schedule
Chasing Yellow 2025 follows the same three-week schedule as the Tour de France, running from July 5 to 27. The 21-stage route offers diverse challenges, from flat sprinter stages to brutal mountain finishes.
Week 1: The Opening Salvos
- Sat Jul 05 | Stage 1: Sand and Sequoias (42.5k / 352m) – Rolling opener
- Sun Jul 06 | Stage 2: Astoria Line 8 (46.0k / 560m) – Early climbing test
- Mon Jul 07 | Stage 3: Island Hopper (36.1k / 258m) – Sprinters’ opportunity
- Tue Jul 08 | Stage 4: Tour of Tewit Well (21.6k / 408m) – Short and punchy
- Wed Jul 09 | Stage 5 (ITT): Tempus Fugit (19.6k / 30m) – First time trial
- Thu Jul 10 | Stage 6: Everything Bagel (34.9k / 525m) – Mixed terrain
- Fri Jul 11 | Stage 7: Makuri 40 (40.3k / 308m) – Rolling roads
- Sat Jul 12 | Stage 8: Richmond Rollercoaster (42.0k / 126m) – Fast and flat
- Sun Jul 13 | Stage 9: Outer Scotland (44.6k / 416m) – Climbing challenge
- Mon Jul 14 | Stage 10: Deca Dash (34.6k / 349m) – Mid-tour test
Rest Day: Tuesday, July 15
Week 2: Building Pressure
- Wed Jul 16 | Stage 11: Scotland Smash (35.8k / 400m) – Hilly terrain
- Thu Jul 17 | Stage 12: Temples and Towers (33.3k / 320m) – Undulating course
- Fri Jul 18 | Stage 13 (ITT): The Über Pretzel (15.4k / 586m) – Climbing time trial
- Sat Jul 19 | Stage 14: Lutscher (52.0k / 1,615m) – Queen stage
- Sun Jul 20 | Stage 15: Snowman (44.1k / 577m) – Mountain stage
Rest Day: Monday, July 21
Week 3: The Final Battle
- Tue Jul 22 | Stage 16: Ven-Top (21.1k / 1,545m) – Mountain top finish
- Wed Jul 23 | Stage 17: Mayan Mash (37.7k / 759m) – Climbing test
- Thu Jul 24 | Stage 18: Climber’s Gambit (27.9k / 670m) – Short but steep
- Fri Jul 25 | Stage 19: ZG25 Queen (32.6k / 559m) – Final mountain test
- Sat Jul 26 | Stage 20: Roule Ma Poule (49.1k / 313m) – Penultimate opportunity
- Sun Jul 27 | Stage 21: Champs-Élysées (36.1k / 198m) – Traditional finale
Full race times and registration details are available at www.ecro.app.
More Than Individual Glory
While the Tour de France crowns individual winners, Chasing Yellow embraces cycling’s team nature through ECRO’s team competition structure. Teams of up to 12 riders work together across categories, making strategic decisions that span the entire three-week competition.
The team dynamics add tactical layers that don’t exist in traditional Zwift racing. Teams decide when to send climbers up the road on mountain stages or control the race for sprinters in flat stages. These decisions play out across 21 stages, creating storylines that develop over three weeks.
Global Participation, Professional Structure
Chasing Yellow brings together riders from around the world through multiple race events for each stage. The competition uses ECRO’s five-category structure based on zwiftracing.app vELO ratings, ensuring riders compete against others of similar ability while contributing to their teams’ overall success.
This creates multiple competitions within each stage, from elite Category A battles to developing riders pursuing their first Grand Tour stage win in Category E.
Beyond the Racing
Chasing Yellow exists within ECRO’s ecosystem of team contracts, rider transfers, and virtual economics. Teams invest in riders throughout the season, and success in Chasing Yellow impacts rider values and team standings. A breakthrough performance can transform a rider’s virtual career, while team success enhances reputation and recruitment opportunities.
The three weeks of racing also bring the ECRO community together in the platform’s active Discord channel. July becomes a lively month of competition as riders debate tactics, celebrate stage wins, and offer support and encouragement throughout the demanding tour. The camaraderie and banter that develop over 21 stages often become as memorable as the racing itself.
Fourth Year Running
The 2025 edition of Chasing Yellow brings together established teams and emerging squads, promising competitive racing. With ECRO’s platform now supporting a full season calendar, teams arrive at the Grand Tour with established form and championship aspirations.
How to Join
Riders looking to participate in Chasing Yellow must obtain an ECRO Rider License ($7.99 for the 2025 season) and meet platform requirements, including Zwift Power registration and the use of a heart rate monitor. Teams require a Team License ($12.99 for the 2025 season) to compete in the full competition.
While anyone can join ECRO events on Zwift, licensed participants compete in the official standings and experience the complete Grand Tour competition.
Learn more about ECRO registration, pricing, etc >
The Yellow Jersey Awaits
Four years after its debut, Chasing Yellow has evolved from an ambitious experiment into what is arguably virtual cycling’s premier Grand Tour. For riders seeking more than isolated race experiences and teams wanting strategic depth, Chasing Yellow offers a three-week racing experience you simply won’t find elsewhere.
Chasing Yellow is part of the ECRO World Tour 2025, featuring 75 races including three Grand Tours throughout the season. Learn more about ECRO and register for the 2025 season at www.ecro.app
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