On 26th February, Zwift is hosting the second UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. Both men’s and women’s races will take place on a specially-designed route which consists of 2.5 laps of Zwift’s New York Knickerbocker course. The race totals 54.9km and includes 944m of climbing, including gradients which reach 17%!
British Cycling Team
British Cycling has recently released their team roster and it includes many familiar names on the Zwift racing scene. There is a blend of elite pros and amateurs, with the team consisting of ten women and five men.
The full team line-up:
Women
- Zoe Langham (Age: 23, 2nd BUCS hill climb, 2021 and 7th national hill climb, 2021)
- Mary Wilkinson (Age: 41, British Cycling National Masters Road Race Champion 2021)
- Illi Gardner (Age: 21, 1st Ryedale GP 2021, 3rd Ilkley Crit, 2021)
- Alice Lethbridge (Age: 37, CTT Women’s BAR winner, 2017 and 2018)
- Lou Bates (Age: 40, National hill climb champion, 2016)
- Harriet Gilson (Age: 32, 1st Zwift London International Women’s Race, 2020)
- Charlotte Colclough (Age: 37, Winner of Cycling Weekly Lockdown Series, 2021)
- Natalie Stevenson (Age: 37, 1st CTT Scottish Hill Climb Championships, 2021)
- Helen McKay (Age: 44, Silver World Masters TT, 2015)
- Hayley Simmonds (Age: 33, 2x British Elite National TT Champion, 2018, Commonwealth Games TT Bronze medallist)
Men
- Gavin Dempster (Age: 33, 1st place at the 2018 Zwift KISS eCrit Series Live Final, 1st place overall Zwift Virtual Tour of Gila, 2020)
- Ed Laverack (Age: 27, 1st British National Hill Climb Championship 2019, U23 British RR Champion 2014)
- Joseph Rees (Age: 21, Experienced Zwift rider with Wahoo Le Col in the Zwift racing league)
- Mark Bruce (Age: 37, Member of the NeXT eSports pb Enshored Team – Premier League 2021/22 season 1 Winners)
- Andy Nichols (Age: 32, 2nd in the Masters Road Race National Championships 2021, 3rd in the National Hill Climb Championships 2021)
Qualification and the GB Team
I caught up with three of the selected riders (Ed Laverack, Illi Gardener, and Lou Bates) to talk about their achievement and thoughts on the upcoming race.
All explained that they qualified via the Continental qualifying events which were hosted on Zwift on 27-28 November 2021. The qualifiers hosted riders who met predetermined qualifying criteria, then a selection was made by British Cycling from there.
The qualification process was explained in greater detail by British Cycling who said, “We, as a nation were automatically given 5 men’s and 5 women’s spots, in addition to this, riders could qualify additional places through the continental qualifiers by / if placing themselves in the top 10. We had 5 women that finished in the top 10 of the European qualifier event but no men, therefore we gained an additional 5 women’s places.”
This qualification process differed from the previous year where to compete in the World Championships, “all riders selected for the World Championships were required to be part of the National or UCI testing programme, this meant we could only select from a very small pool of riders, primarily professional road riders and also GBCT riders. We had no way of adding riders to these programmes as UKAD controls who is on them and does not take requests to add new people”, British Cycling noted.
Every rider on the start list will be part of a UCI anti-doping pool and subject to no notice anti-doping testing. But there is flexibility this time around, as the UCI have agreed on a new and innovative approach with the ITA in order to make the event more accessible to top Esports riders.
This new process provided the opportunity for Zwifters at a certain level to compete to qualify. Ed, Illi, and Lou took that opportunity and now represent British Cycling.
Ed stated that he is “very proud to be representing British Cycling and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.” This sentiment was shared by Illi and Lou who said “I’m proud to race in the British Cycling kit and appreciate wearing the colours.” Illi went further to explain that “I am really excited to race for British Cycling.” And given Illi’s age and talent, I suspect this won’t be the last time she will be wearing the British Cycling colours.
The team is made up of a range of ages, and Lou noted that, “Age is not a barrier any longer to continue racing because Zwift is a platform that enables you to race at a competitive level without the need to travel, which is what impacts life.”
The Course
Ed spoke enthusiastically about the course because “there are so many hypothetical situations that can arise during the race due to the nature of the course.” Having recently rode the course during the Tour de Zwift, I can say the three ascents up the NYC KOM, which reaches 17% in its steepest part, will be decisive. Ed explained that this was a “real road man’s course because the route has it all, and there are multiple places where anything can happen, including the descent from the climb, which isn’t safe.”
Anyone who races on Zwift can certainly identify with that. If you are not in a group on the descent, the disadvantage is large and it can be race-ending. Ed noted that there are “vast possibilities within the race” including a winning attack on the final climb, which is roughly 3 minutes in duration. Illi called the route “attritional” and noted that it is “a reasonably long race compared to Zwift Racing League.” Lou thinks that the “course will be a good one and it will take strong riders to be at the end. It’s rolling all the time and with 100% trainer difficulty, it’s leg-sapping.”
Fair Racing
To ensure racing is fair across all competitors, Official Trainer Partner Wahoo will supply Wahoo KICKR V5 Smart Trainers to all competitors. The trainers must be returned to Wahoo where they will be inspected to ensure no tampering or interference has taken place, ensuring fair play. In addition riders must use the trainers with “100% difficulty” which is a setting in game which means the trainer mirrors the gradients in game, like in real life. This adds to the challenge for some, but as Lou commented “It won’t make a difference to our team as we ride outside.”
The use of standardized equipment for all competitors is both good and bad. On one hand it ensures racing is fair, but on the other, it can be bad for racers who don’t use a KICKR as there are differences in feel between trainers. Swapping trainers is rather equivalent to driving a different car.
As we can all imagine, shipping 200 trainers all over the world isn’t a straightforward task. While it took a while for some riders to get their trainers, I spoke to Zwift about this and they explained “every rider received their trainer in time to meet any preparation deadlines. Wahoo and Zwift’s logistics team have been hard at work over the past four weeks making sure that the fulfillment process has been as smooth as possible. Where there have been any issues, these have been quickly addressed.”
All racers must adhere to the code of conduct which is operated by the Zwift Accuracy and Data Analysis Group (ZADA) who provide expert technical analysis of the performances of riders. But as Ed mentioned “this is nothing new because we all race in the Premier League so we are familiar with this.”
PowerUps and the Team
There is an added complexity within the race which is the use of PowerUps. This is a contentious issue amongst some Zwift racers.
For those who are new to Zwift, PowerUps are in-game features that are awarded when you pass certain segments and can be deployed any time. Such PowerUps include the feather, which reduces your avatar weight by 10% for 15 seconds and is primarily used on climbs, when weight is a determining factor.
All agreed that PowerUps are not well-liked, however, Lou conceded that it is “exciting for spectators and gives us riders something to think about.”
The use of PowerUps is a skill in itself and requires understanding of the course and a degree of tactical intelligence, so it significantly impacts racing. As a consequence, Ed explained that “everyone has been invited to a series of test events where we will get to familiarise ourselves with the PowerUps that will be available.”
In addition, these events provide an opportunity for the team to connect and race together and get used to each other’s racing style. Ed said “Racing with the Team brings a different dynamic and gives you that psychological lift, particularly if you are going to commit to an action, it’s an art and all need to be on the same hymn sheet.”
The challenge for the Women’s Team is that due to their numbers, it is difficult for everyone to coordinate their schedules to attend a practice event.
The British Team, like many others, will be having a Race Director or ‘Directeur sportif’ whose job is to guide the team around the course. Ed explained that they are invaluable, especially “when things get fuzzy.” Those who have raced can certainly relate to that phrase! It can be difficult to make the correct decision when racing at maximum effort, and the margins between winning and losing on Zwift can be very fine.
Summing Up
The event is going to be fascinating, and what I like about it is that it is accessible to all. Even I was invited to participate in the qualification rounds! The course, the PowerUps, and team dynamics will ensure that this event will be as unpredictable as they come and literally anyone has a chance of winning. I will certainly be tuning in to watch.
The UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will be broadcast live across Eurosport, Discovery+, GCN+ and Zwift’s YouTube channel from 6pm on Saturday 26th February 2022.
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