Esports UCI World Championship 2022: All information about the Indoor World Championship on Zwift
On Saturday 26 February the second UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will take place. A total of 180 esports cyclists (men and women) will be on the virtual starting line to compete in Zwift on the Knickerbocker Circuit in New York for the world championship titles. The defending champions Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio and the German Jason Osborne are on the Start list.
Cycling-Esports - What is that actually?
Esports cycling is one of nine UCI cycling disciplines. The world championships in e-cycling were for the first time on 9 December 2020 was held. Now the second edition of the UCI Cycling Esports World Championship is about to take place. In e-racing, the riders pedal on smart roller trainers and use them to drive their avatars on the Zwift training platform. In order to create technically equal conditions for the world championship participants, everyone will be equipped with a standardised Wahoo Kickr V5 Smarttrainer. These indoor trainers adjust the resistance to the virtual gradient and slipstream and simulate the gradients of the climbs.
Customised racing strategy and excitement thanks to PowerUps
But that's not all: the game factor, the so-called gamification of sport, should of course not be neglected. What the mushroom or the banana peel is for Mario Kart, Zwift has so-called PowerUps. Used strategically, they can PowerUps in races to help you climb a hill, win a sprint or save energy in the slipstream of others. Whoever is currently using a PowerUp is marked with the corresponding symbol so that it is visible to everyone.
A total of seven times the World Cup participants can PowerUps and use them. One of three PowerUps is available at defined points along the route.
Van PowerUp
The Slipstream effect is increased by 50% for 30 seconds. For World Championship participants, this PowerUp is available after 7.3 km, 29.7 km and after 52 km at the sprint arch.
Aero PowerUp
The Air resistance is reduced by 25% for 15 seconds - ideal at high speeds. On the K/QOM bend, this PowerUp appears once at km 9.7 and once at km 32.1.
Feather PowerUp
The Weight is reduced by 10% for 15 seconds - ideal on the mountain. This PowerUp is also available to the World Championship participants twice, at the lap bend at km 22.5 and 44.6.
The 2022 World Cup route
Anyone who has ridden the Tour de Zwift has probably already tried out the World Championship route and perhaps cursed one or two of the hills or particularly steep climbs. It is precisely these aspects of the Knickerbocker route with mountain finish will make for a selective race. Two 22.5 km laps are followed by a 1.4 km climb to the summit of the New York KOM. After 54.9 km with 944 metres of elevation gain, the finish arch awaits the World Championship participants.
Start list
All Zwift users were able to take part in qualifying races for the World Championships, meaning that the Esports Cycling World Championships are not reserved exclusively for professionals. We reported here on how to qualify for the World Championship race: New qualifying competitions for the 2022 UCI Esports World Championship on Zwift. Up to 100 athletes each in the men's and women's categories were able to secure a place on the Start list crank up.
Equal rights
Unlike in many road races, women ride the same route and the same route length like the men. The Number of starting places is the same100 men and 100 women were able to qualify. The first three places will receive a Prize moneyHere, too, no differences are made. Another aspect that is often different for women and men in cycling is the Broadcast times in the livestream. The broadcast times are the same for the Esports Cycling World Championships.
Live transmission
The live broadcast will begin on 26 February at 6 p.m. UTC - 7 pm German winter time. The Esports Cycling World Championship will be broadcast on Eurosport and on the YouTube channel from Zwift.
- 19:15 Start women elite
- 20:45 Start Men Elite
