In breaking – but not surprising – news, the UCI have teamed up with Zwift to announce plans for an official UCI-sanctioned Virtual Cycling World Championships!
Wait, what…?
Yes. You read that right my friends. An officially recognised professional Virtual Cycling E-Sports World Championships. That’s the hallowed Rainbow Striped awarded for cycling indoors. Yeah, no.
I’d totally win though…
This is a HUGE scoop for Zwift of course. As a platform they are going from strength to strength. They already have a successful relationship with the UCI, recreating London and the finishing circuits of the last three Road World Championship courses (Richmond, Innsbruck and Yorkshire). Putting professionals on-course and racing professionally is arguably the next step.
I love Zwift and Zwift racing, so an unofficial “World Champs” organised by Zwift I can understand, that’s fine. Many video games already host their own online tournaments and championships.
The UCI, always sorting out the important issues in the peloton…
But an actual UCI-sanctioned Virtual World Champs? David Lappartient, UCI President has said that this is a “decisive step towards the total integration of cycling e-sports by the UCI.” I’m not convinced that’s a good thing! Why do the governing body of professional cycling need to be involved in regulating what is essentially gaming?
Professional cycle racing should remain outside!
The UCI could and should be focusing it’s limited resources – both time and money – on sorting out other more important issues currently facing actual real life out-on-the-road (or trail) professional cycling – instead they throw money at sock-height-measuring machines and computer games? Hmmmm.
Congratulations. Here’s your official UCI Rainbow Stripes for being the best in the world at exercising indoors on a stationary bike…
Tempo Cyclist - Tasmania 
Boggles the mind, brother. The UCI actually signed up to herd kittens. This isn’t going to go well.
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I’m with you on this!
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I could win that easily but would then be disqualified because my bar ends have fallen out.
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You just wait till they introduce the virtual enduro world series…
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Still not sure how they can combat a bit of (subtly introduced) dopage mécanique. On the upside, on a stationary trainer they won’t have to worry their pretty heads about the sock length.
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The actual World Champs race would need to be all riders in one place, this would remove most of the subtle cheat methods. Still not sold on this being a “sport” that people will even want to watch!
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