Deep Dive: The 2023 Cycling Esports World Championship Features New Gamified Format

But first, let me delve deeper into the world of cycling. Founded back in 1900 in Paris, France, the UCI is the worldwide governing body for cycling, just like FIA (Federation Internationale l’Automobile) reigns over Formula 1.

The UCI oversees cycling in all forms, such as a competitive sport, a means of transport, or a healthy recreational activity. The organization also manages eight cycling disciplines, five of which are featured in the Olympic Games program (BMW Supercross and BMW Freestyle Park, road, track, and mountain bike), two in the Paralympic Games, and four in the Youth Olympic Games.

Each year, UCI organizes Cycling Esports World Championships, where enthusiasts can compete from the comfort of their homes. However, do not underestimate its difficulty - we’re talking about a very realistic and challenging race in which only genuinely dedicated cyclists will excel.

This year, UCI and Zwift have teamed up to create a new racing format for the 2023 Cycling Esports World Championships. Zwift is a virtual cycling and training platform that allows users to ride, train and compete online, even on maps based on the real world. For instance, this year’s events will take place in Glasgow and across Scotland, locations that Zwift recreated.

But how do you actually play? The game takes input from your bike in multiple ways, such as a power meter, a speed/cadence sensor, or a smart trainer. After taking into account info like rider weight, power, or calculated power, the map’s road gradient, and even the draft from other players, the game calculates your exact location and movement in-game.

The competition is now higher than ever in the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. Three races have been devised for the events: The Punch, The Climb, and the Podium. The concept behind it is similar to the “battle royale” genre in video games: riders are progressively eliminated until the last standing is crowned as the winner.

The Punch

The first challenge is a scratch race over 14.2 km (8.8 miles) with 105 m (344 feet) elevation. Riders will literally face numerous ups and downs across the Rolling Highlands course in Zwift’s Scotland world, with a peak gradient of 14%.

Only the top 30 riders will qualify for the next round, and, according to UCI, they will also receive a PowerUp in the form of a virtual Burrito, which disables drafting for all riders in a small radius around the competitor for ten seconds. If only burritos could also do that in real life...

The Climb

Next up, after a 10-minute break, riders will line up for The Climb. As its name suggests, the participants will face three steep climbs with a maximum gradient of 13% on the City and the Sgurr route. The route uphill involves 161 m (528 feet) elevation on a total of 8.6 km (5.3 miles).

Only ten riders will pass this challenge, and they will collect the Anvil PowerUp, which makes the rider 50 kg (110 lbs.) heavier for 30 seconds on downhill sections.

The Podium

The Podium is a final 3 km (1.8 miles) loop with 33 m (108 feet) of climbing on the Glasgow Crit circuit. It features two arches up the Clyde Kicker climb and at the end of each lap. The elimination process is different in this stage – the last rider is eliminated each time they pass through an arch until three remain. They will fight for the title of UCI World Champion and the subsequent second and third-place medals. Oh, and riders will receive a Burrito every time they pass under the Champion’s Sprint arch.

A total of 172 contenders will take part in Saturday’s battles, which are devised into two championships, one for women and one for men. You might wonder, “What will the winners get?” - they will receive a UCI Cycling Esports World Champions jersey with rainbow stripes, both in real life and in the game.

By incorporating layers of gamification and strategy, UCI and Zwift are creating an extra mental challenge for the competitors, as they will have to determine the best moments for deploying PowerUps. This will also turn out to be more entertaining for viewers, as the race action can significantly change in a matter of seconds.

The 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will be broadcast live on February 18 starting from 6 pm UTC on Zwift’s YouTube channel – that is where you can also find numerous other races the company has organized.

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