Typically, when you see an elevation profile from Zwift on Strava, you get a graph that looks exactly like what you rode in Zwift- not what the terrain would be like if you followed the path of the Zwift road where it would be IRL (like the island of Te Anu for most of Watopia). For example:
This is what it has always looked like for me.
However, I’ve noticed on several others’ Strava activities, their elevation profile does follow the terrain as though they went to the place (Te Anu/Naunonga for Watopia, New Caledonia for France, etc.) and rode there. For example:
This activity showed 4100ish ft of climbing when all they did was Road to Sky (3500ish ft) and then down the Alpe a little. Mileage is correct for what they rode, though.
Does anyone know why this happens? So far my only theory is that the people with weird elevations used wheel-on while I’ve always had a smart trainer, but I don’t think that’s it.