Haute Route & Cycligent is thrilled to announce the world’s first certified live virtual racing cycling event, showcasing world-champion and national champion cycling superstars competing against one another in Zwift’s online course environment. Attendees and online viewers will be able to watch and cheer on incredible cycling talent, like current Master World Road and TT Champion Scottie Weiss, Olympian and Repeat National Champion Jeremiah Bishop and National Champion Gordon Wadsworth and others as they compete for the win. The event will be emceed by Nathan Guerra, #1 ranked USA Cycling MTB Pro and Zwift broadcaster.
On Thursday, March 9th, 2017 beginning at 4:30 p.m. at Soaring Ridge Craft Brewers (523 Shenandoah Ave NW, Roanoke, VA 24016), locals are invited to cheer on our riders, see how virtual racing works, enjoy FREE food from renowned 2Dye4Que and be entered to win raffle prizes. Both in-person and online attendees will have the opportunity to win a Grand prize, and the winner of the virtual race main event will win a substantial prize sponsored by Haute Route.
Races are officially sanctioned by Cycligent Virtual Rankings (CVR), who ensure the CVR Racing Regulations are adhered to. All measurement and transmission equipment is calibrated and certified by CVR officials. Competitors are weighed and measured, assuring a fair and accurate competition.
The event will be broadcast live in HD through Zwift Community Live to an expected 30,000 viewers across the world. Zwift Racers are invited to join in a pre-race hosted by Team Experimental before the live races, which will be broadcast on-site at Soaring Ridge. A Ladies race will begin live at 5:30 p.m., with a Men’s race of 10 racers beginning at 6:15 p.m. Following the race, both virtual and real life spectators are invited to join the racers during cool down for some cycling chat.
Virtual cycling using Zwift.com has been gaining fandom across the world, with tens of thousands of participants of all levels racing and riding daily on a real-life bike set up on an indoor trainer with power metrics designed to simulate riding through elaborate 3D courses. This initial kick-off event, with several to follow, is being heralded by local cyclist Rick Woods, who races with Cycligent sponsored Team Experimental (Team X). Team X’s founder, Frank Garcia, says “Given the sharp increase of recent viewership and participation of events on Zwift, the opportunity to bring these events into a live setting felt really exciting and fun. The energy of a race is always exhilarating, and sharing the Zwift setting with the public will only enhance the race experience for both the cyclists and spectators alike.”
The event will also serve to benefit World Bicycle Relief Fund, a non-profit organization that serves to address the great need for reliable, affordable transportation in rural areas of developing countries, and is sponsored by Haute Route and Cycligent.
A second Haute Route Experimental Race Series powered by Cycligent event has been planned for April 2017 at the same location, with a sister competition occurring in London, UK.
