FAQ’s

• What are Checkpoints? Checkpoints are locations you need to visit in order to receive a badge in the ranking. Each host city of the Tour de Suisse 2025 is a checkpoint. However, there are also additional checkpoints that are part of the route but not official host cities. These checkpoints are treated equally to the host cities checkpoints.
• Where exactly do I need to go to receive a badge for a checkpoint? It is sufficient to visit the municipality of the host city or bonus checkpoint, meaning you just need to reach the municipal boundary. Ideally, you should plan a bike tour that passes through the respective municipality. Route suggestions can be found on the checkpoint landing pages.
• What does participation cost? Participation is free of charge. You can join digitally using your fitness tracker or bike computer (Garmin and/or Strava).
• How do I collect checkpoints? Register on this website and connect your preferred sports platform (Strava or Garmin Connect). Record your cycling activity using a GPS device or GPS app (e.g. Strava app) and sync it with the connected platform. Your activity must be publicly visible.
• How do I receive badges and where are they displayed? You receive one badge per completed checkpoint, visible on the participants list.
• Competition (Prize Draw): With 6 badges — meaning 6 visited checkpoints — you’ll be entered into our prize draw. More information can be found under Rewards.
• Route Matching: The matching is based on a comparison between your completed route and a GPX reference file. This uses the GPX matching system from LaceUp. Your results will be automatically synced after your ride. To be scored, your activity on Strava must be public; with Garmin Connect, private activities are also accepted.
• Timeframe: Bike tours and other visits on foot will be accepted from the opening of registration until the end of September. Final dates for the conclusion of the TdS Explorer will be communicated during the summer.
• Technical Issues: If your activity is not recognized due to a technical error and is not counted, we can manually register it (how? see below). If the error is user-caused (e.g., wrong navigation), we unfortunately cannot add it manually.
• Marking: Participants are responsible for correctly visiting the stage towns/checkpoints themselves.
• How are visited checkpoints detected? After uploading, your activity is automatically synchronized with the LaceUp system and compared to the reference routes. If the activity includes one or more checkpoints, you receive a badge for each checkpoint you visited. The time taken does not matter.
• Does Strava or Garmin Connect cost anything? You do not need a paid Strava membership to participate. Garmin Connect is free but requires a Garmin fitness tracker.
• I visited a checkpoint, but it wasn’t counted. What should I do?
  a) Make sure you are connected to the TdS Explorer service and, if using Strava, that your activity is set to public.
  b) Still not working? Fill out this form.
• Who is behind the format? The TdS Explorer is an initiative of the Tour de Suisse. Technical implementation by LaceUp GmbH, Zurich.
• The Terms and Conditions apply.

Further questions? All questions about the TdS Explorer will be answered via the following e-mail address.