Standardised trainers, anti-doping measures, 42 hopefuls and Tadej Pogačar? Your guide to the first-ever live UCI Cycling Esports World Championship final

As road cycling reaches the end of another season, a new kind of race is just beginning to take off—one not held on the iconic mountain passes and cobblestones but on the pixel-made roads of MyWhoosh. Cycling esports is our sport's newest frontier, blending athleticism, strategy and technology, and it's about to reach a new peak.

On October 26, 2024, the world’s top cycling esports athletes will gather in Abu Dhabi, UAE, for a landmark moment in the sport's young history: the UCI Cycling Esports World Championship final with a live audience and TV streaming. It’s a highly anticipated day for virtual cycling, marking a crucial evolution from the living rooms and training studios that have hosted virtual races in the past to the grand stage.

“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," says UCI’s Esports Coordinator, Jacob Fraser.

"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.”

The sport's evolution is part of the UCI's new partnership with the UAE and cycling platform MyWhoosh, which ousted Zwift, the popular indoor cycling platform that helped establish the discipline by hosting the three previous World Championships.

With the introduction of a new platform, standardised equipment, and the excitement of a live audience, this year's championship offers a lot for indoor cycling enthusiasts to get excited about. Here’s your guide on what to expect.

Venue and Prize Purse

Forty-two contestants will compete for a share of a $60,000 prize purse, equally distributed between genders ($15,000 for first, $10,000 for second, and $5,000 for third), in front of a live audience at the ADNEC Marina Hall on Abu Dhabi's waterfront.

This expansive venue can accommodate up to 6,000 people at a time. While the number of spectators who will want to witness this sporting landmark is yet to be seen, there will certainly be some notable people in the crowd. Among the confirmed spectators are none other than road cycling superstars Tadej Pogačar and Peter Sagan, as well as UCI President David Lappartient and IOC President Thomas Bach. The latter is sure to be looking on with particular scrutiny as these championships are meant to serve as a dress rehearsal for inclusion in the future Olympic Esports Games.

How the riders were selected

The athletes' quest for the World Championship title began in March of this year when the UCI introduced a new qualification system based on points accumulated by riders during the 2022 and 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships to determine each nation's quota.

The UCI allocated approximately 80% of the starting spots to National Federations, which hosted qualifier events and made selections to choose their national representatives. The remaining athletes competing in the semi-finals earned their spots through the public qualification process on the MyWhoosh platform.

To enhance their commitment to accessibility and inclusion, the UCI and MyWhoosh confirmed that 20% of the semi-finalists for the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships would qualify through the MyWhoosh platform’s public qualification races that took place in August.

“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.”

Whether selected by their federations or having earned the spot through the MyWhoosh Open Qualifier public pathway, over 100 female and 120 male athletes competed in the September 6th semi-final to secure a top-20 finish and punch their ticket to the Abu Dhabi stage.

In addition, two men gained a coveted wildcard entry—Finland’s cycling esports National Champion Teppo Laurio and Czech athlete Daniel Turek. The UCI also extended invitations to two Women’s WorldTour racers with previous Cycling Esports World Championship success, but both cordially declined.

The Equipment

All smart trainers used in the competition will feature an “Approved by UCI” label —a first in an international cycling esports competition— ensuring a 1% power accuracy. Representatives from MyWhoosh and the UCI met at the Elite Headquarters in Italy in July to test and standardise the 30 Elite Justo 2 smart trainers the athletes will use in the finals.

In addition to ensuring a level playing field through equipment standardisation and live in-person performance checks, fair and credible racing relies on effective verification, which the UCI has identified as a key priority.

“The UCI’s primary concern is making sure we have a fair and legitimate race,” asserts Fraser. “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.”

To ensure this, a range of performance verification processes has been implemented for the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, requiring athletes to adhere to established protocols and instructions. According to the UCI, a reporting system and data collection points facilitate clear identification of performance authenticity and accuracy, ensuring fair competition for all participants, as it was for all 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."

The race format and courses

In Abu Dhabi, the 42 riders will face a challenging gauntlet of bespoke pixelated parcours and a unique three-stage points format designed to test the all-around limits of cycling esports performance. The concept was developed as a departure from the trend of bringing outdoor cycling indoors, aiming to distinguish the discipline in a fashion befitting the sport's fourth World Champions.

Stage One: The Sprint

Stage one, known as “The Sprint,” will take riders on a 1.7-kilometer flat circuit. The course features a velodrome foreshadowing the venue currently under construction on Hudayriyat Island for the 2029 UCI Track World Championships.

Drawing inspiration from Formula One, racers will have 15 minutes to clock their fastest time through a 300-meter timed segment. A live leaderboard will display the fastest times, and points will be awarded based on the best segment time. It seems straightforward, but at second glance, the stage is highly tactical and sets the dramatic scene for the acts to follow.

Riders can wait until the last moment to sprint, preventing others from setting a faster time. However, this approach carries the risk of unforeseen circumstances that could lead to missed opportunities to score significant points.

Alternatively, riders may opt to bank an early fast time, optimizing the draft effect of the group, and then wait to see if it gets beaten, conserving energy for later races.

There are 40 points for the fastest, descending to 2 for the slowest or unluckiest sprinter. After a brief 15- to 20-minute refuel and recovery period, the riders will line up for the next stage.

Stage Two: The Strategist

Stage two, dubbed “The Strategist,” covers a 9-kilometre circuit consisting of an approximately 4-minute climb at 2.1 kilometres, a swift descent, several kilometres of rolling hills, and a 1-kilometre flat stretch to the finish line.

With points at offer at the base of the climb, riders may opt for a full gas gallop to the initial sprint prime, extending the extreme effort needed to stay attached to the elite group collecting points cresting the climb to battle for the valuable finish line points. The cream will rise to the top here, and the serious contenders will establish their presence before the live crowd.

Points are up for grabs at the base and summit of the climb, with double points awarded at the finish line. There are 80 max points available.

Stage Three: All Out

In Stage three, riders must give their all for a shot at cycling immortality. They will face four laps of a 4-kilometer circuit, with an approximately 50-second sharp and steep climb to the start/finish line.

Each lap features an intermediate sprint point at the crest of the climb and double points at the finish. In this final stage, there are 100 max points available, making valuable late-race decisions and tactical awareness crucial to success in this battle of attrition and savvy.

Every point counts when the margins are miniscule between the world's best esports athletes. We won't know who the new wearer of the iconic rainbow bands is until the last rider crosses the finish line, but rest assured, the course, format, and competition will ensure it will be the best all-around performer.

The Contenders

Top Women Contenders

Sweden brings a six-woman national team to ride in support of national road and esports champion, Mika Soderstrom. Her unique combination of sprinting ability and punchy power, along with her esports experience, positions her as a strong contender for the podium.

For a chance of securing another podium finish, USA's Jacqueline Godbe will need climbing support from teammate Kristen Kulchinsky, the U.S. national esports champion who recently set the course record at Mt. Washington. By effectively leveraging their respective strengths, both riders could bring the rainbow bands to the nation where the sport was born.

Former British national hill climb champion Lou Bates stood beside Brazil’s Gabriela Guerra on the podium of the 2024 Zwift Games, and these seasoned esports competitors each have a strong shot at glory in Abu Dhabi as well.

If the pace is high throughout, three-time world long-distance duathlon champion and experienced MyWhoosh racer Merle Brunnée (Germany) will be one to watch.

New Zealand's Kate McCarthy appears to be peaking at the right time to take a giant step onto the podium. Switzerland's Kathrin Fuhrer, too, is feeling good. The 2024 Zwift Games Champion has been pacing the MyWhoosh Sunday Race Club competition of late. The weekly events attract the world's top talent and feature a $96,000 monthly prize purse distributed across three categories, two genders equally, and team and individual classifications. Fuhrer wants to fill the pockets of a newly minted rainbow jersey.

And finally, China Liv Pro Cycling's Hao Zhang, the only rider from the public qualification pathway to make the finals, would sure be a feel-good story if she landed herself on the podium.

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)

Top Men Contenders

Also enjoying success in the Sunday Race Club is Jason Osborne, the inaugural 2020 Cycling Esports World Champion, who has finished on the podium in every edition of the event. The former Olympic rower recently announced his decision to step away from the Alpecin-Deceuninck WorldTour team to focus entirely on cycling esports, setting his sights on adding another rainbow jersey to his collection.

Defending champion Bjørn Andreassen and his teammate Michael Knudson pose a significant threat as representatives of the historically successful Danish national team. Poland's Michal Kaminski has prioritized this moment, and Belgium's Stefan van Aelst possesses the strength and skill to contend for the title.

Meanwhile, the USA's Hayden Pucker brings the power and passion to reach the top step of the podium.

The hearts of many cycling esports fans will be with the GOAT, Belgium's Lionel Vujasin, while their minds will be focused on New Zealand's Ollie Jones. The former road pro has fully committed to cycling esports, and his investment in the discipline might just pay off.

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)

How to watch

Admission is free for the live event. The doors will open at 4 pm GST, and the event will start at 5 p.m. GST / 3 p.m. CET / 8 a.m. EST

If you can't make the trip to Abu Dhabi, you can catch all of the action on MyWhoosh on YouTube and MyWhooshLive on Twitch!