Date: 26th October 2024
Location: ADNEC Marina Hall, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Competitors: 22 men, 20 women
Platform: MyWhoosh
Equipment: Elite Justo 2
Stages:
1. The Sprint (1.7km)
2. The Strategist (9km)
3. All Out (16km)
Distance: 26.7km (total across three stages)
Prize money: 1st $15,000 and rainbow jersey, 2nd $10,000, 3rd $5,000 (equal prizes men and women)
"We were looking for a partner willing to invest in the discipline to evolve the sport, and MyWhoosh met that standard. They were willing to invest financially and dedicate resources. Not to say the others weren’t, certainly not. Everybody was willing to invest, but we felt that the investment MyWhoosh was willing to make would help legitimise and stabilise the sport for the next three years. Simple as that.”
During an interview for the Virtual Velo podcast, the UCI's Esports Coordinator Jacob Fraser shared his perspective on moving from Zwift to MyWhoosh for the next three UCI Cycling Esports World Championship editions. Zwift hosted the three previous World Championships in 2020, 2022, and 2023 after its 2019 partnership with the UCI laid the groundwork for the new discipline.
On August 17th, 2023, the UCI announced that virtual platform MyWhoosh would host the next three UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. The partnership has returned several firsts for the fledgling discipline, including a democratic public qualification pathway, performance verification of all 200-plus racers in the semi-finals, robust anti-doping measures, standardisation of all of the smart trainers, and the first live in-person final.
Where is the Cycling Esports World Championships?
The Cycling Esports World Championships will take place on October 26th at the ADNEC Marina Hall in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
All finalists will compete on MyWhoosh, but from the event venue in front of a live audience rather than from home. All 42 competitors are being flown to the venue by the organisers.
The newly minted triple crown winner Tadej Pogačar and consecutive three-time World Champion Peter Sagan will be in attendance as the 22 male and 20 female finalists will fight for the right to wear the iconic rainbow jersey. Representatives from the UCI and the International Olympic Committee will also witness the occasion.
Prize money
Alongside the world champion title and rainbow jersey, the finalists will compete for a total prize purse of $60,000, with equal distribution between men and women. It will be split $15,000 for first place, $10,000 for second, and $5,000 for third.
Performance verification, anti-doping, and equipment standardisation
To ensure fair competition, MyWhoosh and the UCI implemented a range of performance verification processes, requiring athletes to follow established protocols and instructions.
According to the UCI, a reporting system and data collection points help identify performance authenticity and accuracy, ensuring fairness for all participants, as was the case for athletes in the semi-final for the first time.
“The semi-finals were deemed a success, and the number of annulments in this event demonstrates MyWhoosh and the UCI’s commitment to thorough performance verification across all participating athletes. We can confidently say that every participating athlete underwent thorough performance verification, and the ruleset was applied consistently and thoroughly.”
In addition to maintaining a level playing field through comprehensive performance verification, fair and credible racing necessitates equipment standardisation and live in-person performance checks, which the UCI has identified as a key priority.
“The UCI’s primary concern is making sure we have a fair and legitimate race,” Fraser asserts. “We are the International Sporting Body, and we’re interested in ensuring that the sport is executed fairly and consistently. This year’s World Championship will have the most robust anti-doping measures we’ve ever seen, simply because all of the athletes will be in one location, which makes it easier.”
Representatives from MyWhoosh and the UCI met at the Elite headquarters in Italy in July to test the accuracy and standardise the 30 Elite Justo 2 smart trainers that the athletes will use in the finals. All smart trainers will feature an “Approved by UCI” label for the first time in an international cycling esports event, ensuring a power accuracy within an error margin of 1%.
MyWhoosh provided each finalist with an Elite Justo 2 trainer, which was sent to their homes to help them get used to the equipment before packing their bikes and hopping on an expenses-paid flight to Abu Dhabi.
How did competitors qualify?
For each competitor, the journey to the World Championship final began in March when the UCI rolled out a new qualification system based on points earned during the 2022 and 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, determining each nation's quota.
The UCI allocated ~80% of the starting spots to National Federations, each of which then organised qualifier events to select their representatives to compete in the semi-final. The remaining 20% secured their places in the semi-finals through the MyWhoosh public qualification pathway.
“We will always have an open qualification pathway,” states Fraser. “We at the UCI believe firmly that cycling esports is one of the unique disciplines where somebody can come out of nowhere. It’s a fantastic way to get them into the World Championships.”
On September 6th 2024, over 100 female and 120 male athletes competed in the semi-finals. Those who finished in the top 20 were then automatically invited to the final in Abu Dhabi.
In addition, two men received wildcard entries. The UCI also invited two Women’s WorldTour racers with prior success in the Cycling Esports World Championship, but they respectfully declined.
UCI Cycling Esports World Championships startlists
In the women's final, China Liv Pro Cycling's Hao Zhang is the only rider from the public qualification pathway to make the finals. Lou Bates, the former British National Hill Climb Champion, stood alongside Brazil’s Gabriela Guerra on the podium of the 2024 Zwift Games. Both seasoned esports competitors demonstrated their prowess by finishing 1st and 5th in the semi-final.
In the men's race, USA's Hayden Pucker took the 2nd step of the semi-final podium behind New Zealand's Ollie Jones. Defending champion Bjørn Andreassen poses a significant threat to repeat for historically successful Denmark after qualifying 4th. Former esports world champion and Alpecin Deceuninck rider, Jason Osborne, will also compete.
Format and courses
The competitors will face a new three-stage format designed to test the all-around capabilities of each rider. The aim is to give both sprinters and climbers an equal chance of success.
Stage One: The Sprint
Stage one, known as “The Sprint,” takes riders on a 1.7-kilometre flat circuit featuring a velodrome that foreshadows the venue currently under construction on Hudayriyat Island in Abu Dhabi for the 2029 UCI Track World Championships.
Inspired by Formula One, racers will have fifteen minutes to post their fastest time through a 300-meter timed segment, and a live leaderboard will showcase the times. While it may seem straightforward, the stage is highly tactical and sets the dramatic tone for what’s to come.
Riders can wait until the last moment to sprint, preventing others from setting a faster time, or opt to use the group's draft for an early fast time and conserve energy.
Sweden fields a six-woman squad to support Road and Esports Champion Mika Soderstrom. Her unique blend of sprinting ability and punchy power, combined with her esports experience, makes her a formidable contender for the podium.
Jacqueline Godbe, the only US rider to step onto a World Championship podium, will need a solid sprint to overcome a lack of MyWhoosh experience and secure a podium repeat. Belgium's Stefan van Aelst has a strong kick that could propel him onto the podium in the men's race.
The fastest rider will earn 40 points, with the total decreasing to 2 points for the slowest or unluckiest sprinter. The riders will line up for the next stage after a 20-minute refuel and recovery period.
Stage Two: The Strategist
Stage two, called “The Strategist,” features a single 9km circuit with a roughly four-minute climb at 2.1 kilometres, followed by a swift descent, several kilometres of rolling hills, and a 1km flat stretch to the finish line.
Twenty points are available at the base and summit of the climb, with double points awarded at the finish line. A maximum of 80 points are on offer.
With points available at the base of the climb, riders can opt for a full-gas sprint to the initial prime, which requires an intense effort to stay with the elite group. This strategy allows them to collect points as they crest the climb and compete for valuable finish line points.
Serious contenders such as New Zealand's Kate McCarthy and Kristen Kulchinsky, the US National Esports Champion who recently set the course record at Mt. Washington, could rise to the occasion and showcase their skills to the live crowd.
Poland's Michal Kaminski has focused on this moment, while the hearts of many cycling esports fans will be with Belgium's Lionel Vujasin. Both riders have the strength and strategy needed to compete for the title.
Stage Three: All Out
In Stage Three, titled “All Out,” riders will tackle four laps of a 4km circuit, including a sharp ~50-second climb to the start/finish line.
Each lap features an intermediate sprint point at the crest of the climb, with double points awarded at the finish. This final stage offers a maximum of 100 points, making late-race tactics crucial in this battle of attrition and strategy.
Three-time World Long Distance Duathlon Champion and seasoned MyWhoosh racer Merle Brunnée from Germany, will be a strong contender if the pace remains high. Her impressive engine and boundless endurance could play a significant role in the race.
Jason Osborne, the inaugural 2020 Cycling Esports World Champion, has made the podium in every edition. The former Olympic-medalist rower recently announced his decision to leave Alpecin-Deceuninck to concentrate fully on cycling esports, aiming to add another rainbow jersey to his collection.
Who will win the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships?
The margins between the world’s top esports athletes are razor-thin. We won’t know who will wear the iconic rainbow bands until the last rider crosses the finish line, but the course, format, and competition will ensure that the best all-around performer takes the title.
New Zealand's Ollie Jones, the first men's Zwift Academy winner, recently left his road team to commit fully to cycling esports. Switzerland's Kathrin Fuhrer, the 2024 Zwift Games Champion, is a member of the new breed of full-time esports riders.
Author’s Picks: Women's Podium
1. Kathrin Fuhrer (Switzerland) 🥇
2. Lou Bates (Great Britain) 🥈
3. Mary Kate McCarthy (New Zealand) 🥉
4. Mika Soderstrom (Sweden)
5. Gabriela Guerra (Brazil)
Author’s Picks: Men's Podium
1. Ollie Jones (New Zealand) 🥇
2. Hayden Pucker (USA) 🥈
3. Jason Osborne (Germany) 🥉
4. Lionel Vujasin (Belgium)
5. Bjørn Andreassen (Denmark
For the athletes, success means standing atop the podium, proudly wearing the rainbow jersey that signifies their dominance as the world’s top cycling esports racer. The UCI defines success this way, says Fraser.
“The technical infrastructure allows the racers to shine in their own right, feeling that they had a fair and legitimate chance to win the rainbow stripes with no disadvantage outside of their own ability that day.
"From the fan perspective, I want some exciting racing. The Rainbow Jersey is such a unique award. Hopefully, the next generation of cyclists can be inspired by esports athletes at the World Championship level.”
How to watch the Cycling Esports World Championships
For those in Abu Dhabi, admission is free for the event. The doors will open at 4pm GST, and the event will start at 5pm GST.
Alternatively, you can catch all of the action on MyWhoosh on YouTube and MyWhooshLive on Twitch.
Cyclingnews will be on the ground in Abu Dhabi to cover the race and speak to key attendees.
Alternatively, this author is running a separate LiveBlog on TheZommunique.com, where you can find an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the culture surrounding the first live in-person cycling esports final, as seen through the eyes of racers, broadcasters, journalists and influencers.
