TCX files are similar to GPX files but can also include extra information such as waymarkers/points of interest and/or turn information. The professional teams using VeloViewer, the riders don’t need turn-by-turn navigation info but instead set up waymarkers to alert the riders to hazards, start/end of climbs, roadside staff with bottles/feeds, places to regroup before important sections of the race and many other things. It is important to get the TCX file onto your GPS device in the correct way in order to use these TCX files effectively and the method varies depending on the GPS device you are using.
Wahoo
Getting the TCX file onto an Wahoo Elemnt is as simple as downloading/opening the TCX file on your phone and picking the Wahoo Elemnt app when asked which application you want to open the file. Then sync the routes on your device (WiFi connection required) and the route will be brought across. Pressing the Route button on the map page will then list the waymarkers with distances along with popup alerts as you approach each one.
Garmin
Unfortunately if you open a TCX file using the Garmin Connect app on your phone, it will bring in the path of the route but it will strip out the waymarkers. So the only simple way to get the TCX file onto your Garmin with the waymarkers intact is to plug your device into a computer using a USB cable and copy the TCX file into the devices /Garmin/NewFiles/ directory. When you next fire up the Garmin the route will be available in the courses list.
It might also be worth turning off the “Turn guidance”, “Recalculation” and “Guide text”: to stop the device adding in it’s own turn-by-turn instructions but you might want that left on if most of the time you use the built in navigation.
About VeloViewer
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