Online riding platform Zwift and the UCI have agreed to terms to host the first ever Esports World Championships in 2020.
The details aren’t yet worked out, but a rough plan is in place. The event will occur sometime near the 2020 Road World Championships, which begin in Aigle, Switzerland, on September 20th. Riders will gain entry through regional and national qualifiers, which will be scheduled in gaps between WorldTour races, allowing road racing’s top riders to enter.
“We are looking to establish a new cycling discipline,†said Eric Min, Zwift CEO and Co-Founder. “This partnership is a significant leap in that journey as we move further towards our ambition of delivering competition at the highest level in sport. We are at the very beginning of a long and exciting road here at Zwift as we look to establish a new and innovative discipline for cycling.â€
I think this is awesome. I know the womens side have put up some top level pros to these races and I assume will continue to do so but very curious to see whether teams on the men’s side let their top riders join.
One thing I’m curious about is without having to worry about handling, would this favor stronger time trialists even with the drafting algorithms in place?
From what I read about the ease of cheating in the e-world, this would appear to be a publicity stunt. It would be easier just to ask people to email their numbers in and the one who says he did best is the winner.
The actual championship races may be racing in a virtual world, but they are all done in a single venue, everyone riding the same trainers, with weigh ins. It’s not people racing in their home pain caves, with a bodyweight from when they were in high school… If you look at the OTE Draft house races this week in Yorkshire, or some of the money events that some of the Zwift race series have organized in the past… You might be able to qualify remotely (with some points of corroboration), but in the race for the title/money, it’s in person and supervised…
Also, zwift is already doing prize money events. The Zwift classics events are going on currently. ST’s own TrIowaCPA has finished in the money multiple times. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ve actually enjoyed watching the races.
Shall we continue with nonsensical bullshit that has nothing to do with the fact that your Zwiftmobile is stationary and a great workout… but not cycling.
While true and technically correct if the sports governing body ok’s this, what’s the point of then continuing to point out this technicality?
Your on a bike on a trainer, if the UCI says that’s good enough to qualify as a world championship sponsored event, the whole semantics of your point is then sorta irrelevant though?
Well technically it is indoor cycling. I know this because it is in the menu of options on this sites training log, one which I have never checked by the way…(-;
But its coming, I can feel the pressure pushing me towards that cycling video game…
As to championships and such, of course it can and will be dicey in all the qualifying races, just the nature of the indoor sport at this time and juncture. But having all the finalists come together in one room, one measuring device that has been calibrated, and a scale to step on right before beginning, that is about as fair as it gets. I remember when one of our own did that other prize money race using that format, seemed to go pretty well in the end.
And guess what folks, some of our own may even get to race. Probably the most experienced indoor riders are triathletes at this point, it could be fun to watch!!
Well technically it is indoor cycling. I know this because it is in the menu of options on this sites training log, one which I have never checked by the way…(-;
But its coming, I can feel the pressure pushing me towards that cycling video game…
As to championships and such, of course it can and will be dicey in all the qualifying races, just the nature of the indoor sport at this time and juncture. But having all the finalists come together in one room, one measuring device that has been calibrated, and a scale to step on right before beginning, that is about as fair as it gets. I remember when one of our own did that other prize money race using that format, seemed to go pretty well in the end.
And guess what folks, some of our own may even get to race. Probably the most experienced indoor riders are triathletes at this point, it could be fun to watch!!
One of our own already is. I’m telling you, TrIowaCPA is among the very best racers on the zwift platform. He’s already finished in the money in several of these zwift races. It’s going to depend how many pros decide to enter this, but our guy has a chance.
Just hammering. If you’re going to spout off that outdoor riding is dead and give your personal top 10 reasons why indoor riding is better than outdoor, you need to get some blowback.
Merriam-Webster, Oxford, and Dictionary.com all suggest that cycling involves transport. And Zwift sure as shit ain’t riding.
If the UCI recognizes this it’s for one thing and one thing only … $.
Just hammering. If you’re going to spout off that outdoor riding is dead and give your personal top 10 reasons why indoor riding is better than outdoor, you need to get some blowback.
Merriam-Webster, Oxford, and Dictionary.com all suggest that cycling involves transport. And Zwift sure as shit ain’t riding.
If the UCI recognizes this it’s for one thing and one thing only … $.
The act or sport of riding a bicycle.
I ride a bicycle on zwift, that it goes nowhere is meaningless.
I don’t understand why some view zwift as an attack on the sport, this is probably one of the best things in decades since it will bring in more newbies than any other invention, I’d wager right up until self driving cars are mandated by law (with all bikes having communication to cars for awareness)
It is cycling, indoor cycling and it is a sport. Get over it.
If you’d ever read anything I’ve said about Zwift, I’ve lauded it (and trainer riding in general) as a great training tool. I draw the line at calling it cycling and/or riding. They are two separate but compatible activities. You get over it.
