The new-look UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will see all finalists race together on stage in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) on Saturday 26 October.
For this fourth edition of the event, the format has been redefined with MyWhoosh, the exclusive platform and organiser of the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships for the period 2024-2026. The innovative and intense three-race final will be witnessed live by fans on-site in the presence of MyWhoosh Ambassadors Peter Sagan (SVK), three-time UCI World Champion in the road race, and Tadej Pogačar (SLO), current road race UCI World Champion.
Forty finalists (20 men and 20 women) qualified through a comprehensive and global qualification system comprising a series of National Federation qualifiers and public qualifiers followed by the semi-finals on 6 September. They will be joined in Abu Dhabi by two riders with wildcards. In total 20 women and 22 men from 17 nations will vie for the rainbow jersey of UCI Cycling Esports World Champion.
Top contenders in the men’s event include New Zealander Ollie Jones, who won the semi-final last month from a field of 113 riders, followed by the USA’s Hayden Pucker and Belgian Stefan Van Aelst. Reigning UCI World Champion Bjørn Andreassen (DEN) finished 4th in the semi-final and will be looking to move up the ranks in Abu Dhabi. Not to be overlooked is Germany’s Jason Osborne. The former rower became the first UCI World Champion for cycling esports in 2020, won the bronze medal in 2022, and last year took silver behind Andreassen. The qualified riders from the semi-finals will also face competition from two athletes with wildcards, both of whom compete on the road and have made names for themselves in the world of cycling esports: Finland’s cycling esports National Champion Teppo Laurio and Czech athlete Daniel Turek.
In the absence of reigning UCI World Champion Loes Adegeest (NED), also winner in 2022, the rainbow jersey in the women’s competition will definitely change hands. Tenth in last year’s UCI World Championships, Great Britain’s Lou Bates was the best-placed woman in last month’s semi-final, but will be chased down by a high-class field including 2023 bronze medalist Jacqueline Godbe (USA).
The fastest men’s and women’s semi-finalists shared their sentiments about lining up in the final of the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships: “It means I am at the forefront of the progression of this exciting new discipline,” said Ollie Jones, who will then travel back to New Zealand for the Tour of Southland stage race.
For Lou Bates, “it’s a culmination of a lot of hard work and very special to ride for your country in any championship. It’s also a great opportunity to meet in person a lot of the e-racers that I have raced over the years!”
Three-race live final based on points
The competition in Abu Dhabi will see points up for grabs in three separate races - The Sprint, The Strategist and All Out - to suit all types of riders. All riders, competing on Elite Justo 2 trainers comprehensively tested and verified by the UCI, will start with zero points. In both the women’s and men’s final, the rider who has accumulated the most points across the three races will be crowned 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Champion.
The Sprint is a race of tactics, strategy and power. Held over a 1.7km circuit, riders will have 15 minutes to set their best time in an individual sprint over 300 metres. Within this time limit, they will have different options: to set the best time early while they still have plenty of energy, or wait until the last moment to give their all to beat the fastest time. The rider with the best time will score the maximum points.
The Strategist will give riders three chances to collect points over a 9km circuit with a 1.5km long climb. Points can be won at the base of the climb, at the top of the climb, and at the finish line.
All Out will be held over four laps of a 4km criterium circuit. Points will be awarded at the end of each lap, with double points available on the final lap. The finish of each lap is at the top of a short, steep climb with a maximum gradient of 12%.
UCI President David Lappartient said: “After a worldwide qualification process, we will have a fantastic line-up of riders in Abu Dhabi this weekend to compete for the ultimate goal, the title of UCI World Champion. This is the first time all finalists compete at the same venue, representing another development for cycling esports. These 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will further shine the spotlight on this fascinating and innovative discipline the year before the first Olympic Esports Games.”
Akhtar Saeed Hashmi, CEO and Managing Director of MyWhoosh said: “MyWhoosh has always followed a vision of bringing cycling esports to a new level playing field by introducing innovative solutions not only to the platform but to the format of events we hold. This weekend, we are excited to host the groundbreaking 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships live in Abu Dhabi. For the first time, the world's top esports cyclists will compete in-person across a thrilling three-race final, all vying for the prestigious rainbow jersey. This event marks a significant milestone in the history of cycling esports, and we are honoured to welcome elite riders, partners and ambassadors to join us for this landmark competition.”
The women’s race will take place at 6pm (UAE time) and the men’s race at 8.40pm (UAE time).