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UCI confirms the first ever Esports World Championships will take place this year

The organization has announced the dates for the Zwift-based event

cyclists riding in Zwift Photo by: Zwift

The first ever UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will be held 8-9 Dec. 2020 on Zwift. Plans for this virtual championship were unveiled in September 2019 and, unlike most events in 2020, the event isn’t really at any risk of cancellation.

“It’s with great pleasure that we are able to confirm the dates and plans for the first UCI Cycling Esports World Championships,” says UCI President, David Lappartient. “The year has certainly been a challenging one for all, but we are now back to enjoying racing and have a new UCI World Championships to look forward to at the end of 2020. Virtual races were hugely popular during the period that competitions ceased, and I truly believe in the potential of esports to help grow participation in our sport. This is a historic moment.”

Many pro riders have actually gained experience in Zwift racing this year, something they can use to their advantage on the roads of Watopia, the virtual destination of the race.

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Watopia bound

Both men’s and women’s races will take place on identical courses, over equal distances. Unlike races such at the Virtual Tour de France, there will be no point system. The focus will be completely on the first cyclist over the line. The UCI says the exact route details of the race will be unveiled in the coming months.

On the day of the race, cyclists will be competing remotely from home or a training base. Canada has one of the national cycling federations who will receive automatic invitations to both the men’s and women’s the race, so Canadian fans can expect to see the country represented at the event.

Winners will receive a newly designed virtual rainbow jersey (which will be awarded virtually). They will also be awarded a physical jersey, an IRL symbol of their digital victory, which they’ll be able to wear during esports competitions for the following year.

“We’re delighted to finally be able to unveil the plans for the first UCI Cycling Esports World Championships,” says Eric Min, Zwift CEO and Co-Founder. “2020 has been a big year for esports as it has helped fill the gap left by traditional sport. We look forward to establishing this as a new discipline of the sport – not one to plug gaps, but one that’s truly complementary to other disciplines, whether that be road, cyclo-cross or mountain bike. There’s a huge opportunity to grow the sport with esports and I’m proud that together with the UCI, we are able to lead the way.”