Held since 2020, the UCI Biking Esports Championships are an annual racing occasion during which cyclists compete in a sequence of motorcycle races on a digital biking platform. Whereas the primary three occasions had been held on Zwift, the pioneers in digital biking, the UCI has granted MyWhoosh the rights to arrange the Esports World Championships for the approaching three years, beginning this fall. It’ll be the primary digital championship with a reside closing in addition to a public qualification course of. That’s proper: you should not have to be a professional bike owner or indoor specialist for an opportunity to vie for the coveted rainbow jersey avatar and be topped world champion.
Two Methods to Qualify
(Picture credit score: MyWhoosh)
There are two methods to qualify: one, to be chosen by your nation’s biking federation, or two, through the general public qualifiers.
The UCI used a proprietary algorithm primarily based on the worldwide rating system and the ultimate athlete standings of the 2022 and 2023 UCI Biking Esports World Championships to find out what number of riders every federation will get on the semi-finals for the Championships, with a most of 10 riders per staff. The nationwide federations get to assign 80% of the semi-final beginning spots utilizing their discretion and/or a range technique of their very own. These have to be finalised by August 1.
The remaining 20% will likely be chosen by the general public qualification course of. The small print of which had been revealed by the UCI and MyWhoosh right this moment.
The general public qualifiers begin on August 3, and whereas they’re certainly open to the general public, one should join a MyWhoosh account and endure its verification course of beforehand. This course of consists of a wide range of intervals and gear checks, so riders eager to compete ought to be certain that they full this course of earlier than August 3.
The qualifier schedule for the 2024 UCI Biking Esports Championship
(Picture credit score: MyWhoosh)
The qualifiers will likely be two-stage occasions held on three totally different dates to accommodate riders from numerous time zones. Riders can attempt their possibilities in any respect three events, however as soon as certified they can not enter any extra qualifiers. The highest riders from these qualifiers will safe a spot within the semi-finals for his or her respective nationwide federation.
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The semi-finals will happen on September 6 and will likely be a two-stage occasion. Stage One will function a 9-kilometre circuit, utilising a factors system to pick out the highest 80 riders who will advance. Stage Two will likely be 4 laps of a 4-kilometre circuit, figuring out the highest 20 female and male rivals who will progress to the ultimate.
Two extra wild card entries per gender will likely be added to the record of finalists. These entries are given out at MyWhoosh’s discretion, and opens the door to high-profile entries like MyWhoosh ambassadors Peter Sagan and Tadej Pogacar.
The 2024 UCI Biking Esports World Championship
(Picture credit score: MyWhoosh)
The 2024 UCI Biking Esports World Championships would be the first time all of the finalists will compete in individual in a reside occasion, to be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
As we’ve seen in earlier editions, the ultimate will once more be a multi-race occasion, however this time, it’s points-based. The ultimate will likely be an action-packed flurry of 15 to 20-minute races separated by simply 10 minutes of restoration. Riders will compete on their very own bikes hooked as much as Elite’s Justo trainers, the official technical associate of UAE Workforce Emirates.
For race one, titled The Dash, riders will likely be on a 1.7-kilometre flat circuit. Racers may have quarter-hour to set their quickest time by a 300-meter, timed section. A reside leaderboard will observe the quickest occasions as the group appears to be like on, and riders will earn factors primarily based on their greatest section time.
The second race is titled The Technique and takes place on a 9-kilometre circuit consisting of 6.5 kilometres of rolling hills adopted by a four-minute climb, a quick descent, and a one-kilometre flat run-in to the end line. Factors are on provide on the base and high of the climb, and the end line will award double factors.
All Out is the aptly-named third and closing race. Right here, the 4-kilometre circuit concludes with a 50-second full-gas climb to the beginning/end line. Riders will discover an intermediate dash level on the crest of every climb in the course of the 4-lap affair.
The rider with essentially the most factors on the finish of the sequence wins the rainbow bands.
