The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Zwift have announced their participation in the Olympic Virtual Series (OVS), a series of virtual events created by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
With the Olympic Virtual Series, the UCI and Zwift are enabling cyclists of all levels to take part in an official IOC event for the first time.
By collaborating on the OVS Series, the UCI and Zwift are joining forces with the IOC to organise an Olympic sporting event based on mass participation and inclusion. "The OVS aim to bring together the wider cycling and sporting community for four exciting weeks of mass participation centred on inclusion and sharing the Olympic values and spirit," said UCI President and Head of the IOC's Esports and Gaming Liaison Group, David Lappartient.
The virtual cycling series organised as part of the OVS is open to cyclists from all over the world and takes place between 1 and 27 June.
Free Zwift access for June 2021
New Zwifters will be offered free access to the Zwift platform throughout the Olympic Virtual Series (1 - 27 June) by the IOC and the UCI. The codes can be obtained by registering on the UCI website.
The programme of the Olympic Virtual Series
In addition to the group rides, the Olympic Virtual Series Cycling series offers the opportunity to benefit from the experience of former Olympians in the form of podcast rides and group workouts.
The podcast rides take place with eight Olympians, while the workouts are also inspired by the personalities of these racing specialists:
● Georgia Simmerling - the first Canadian to compete in three different sports at three different Olympic Games (cycling, alpine skiing and ski cross).
● Nino Schurter - 3x Olympic medallist and 8x UCI World Champion. The Swiss rider is arguably one of the greatest male cross-country mountain bikers of all time.
● Sir Chris Hoy - the second most decorated Olympic cyclist of all time with six gold medals and 11 UCI world championship titles.
● Anna van der Breggen - Dutch professional cyclist Anna van der Breggen is a dominant force on the tarmac. She has won a huge number of victories during her career, including a gold medal in Rio 2016 and three UCI World Championship titles.
● Dame Sarah Storey - As a 14-time gold medallist, Dame Sarah Storey, DBE, is the most decorated and successful British Para-Olympian of all time. That's not enough? She also holds 23 UCI World Championship titles and 75 world records in cycling and swimming, making her a true multi-sport legend.
● Nelson Vails - Nelson "the Cheetah" Vails is a top athlete, known for his ability to go from zero to over 65 km/h in the blink of an eye. He won silver in the track sprint at the 1984 Olympic Games, making him the first African-American to win an Olympic medal in cycling.
● Anna Meares - With six Olympic medals, Australian Anna Meares, OAM, is the most decorated female track cyclist of all time. She is also the most successful woman at UCI World Championships with 11 gold medals (together with Kristina Vogel from Germany).
● Mariana Pajón - Mariana Pajón won her first national title at the age of five and her first world title at the age of nine. To date, she has won 14 UCI World Championships, 9 Latin American Championships and 10 Pan-American Championships. Oh yes, she is also a two-time Olympic gold medallist in BMX, making her the first Colombian woman ever to achieve this.
For those looking for a bit of friendly competition, Chase Races offer men and women of all ages and fitness levels the opportunity to compete against each other. In Chase Races, the fittest start last. The aim of the game is to be the first to cross the line. Olympic athletes also compete in selected events.
On 23 June, Olympic Day, cyclists can take to the new roads of Zwift World Yumezi in 24 mass participation group rides every hour. Each group will be hosted by an Olympian and other special guests.
