Cycling e-sports world champion in an interview: Jason Osborne wants to ride the Gravel World Championships

For the first time, the Cycling E-Sports World Championships were held at a central location in Abu Dhabi. At the first three events, the athletes took part from home - or from the rowing club's clubhouse. Another innovation this year was the hosting platform, which MyWhoosh has secured until 2024.

Jason Osborne was the first world champion in the discipline of cycling e-sports and won his second gold medal in 2024. He no longer sees his future in road cycling, where he most recently worked for Team Alpecin-Deceuninck, but in gravel racing and e-cycling. We interviewed him.

Cycling E-Sports World Championships in Abu Dhabi

How was this year's World Cup for you, with the organisation on site?

I think it was the UCI's aim from the very beginning to organise the World Championships live on site instead of from home. Unfortunately, it only happened in the fourth year. The atmosphere is much better on site and I think it's more exciting for spectators.

I think Abu Dhabi and the ADNAC Arena was a top venue for the World Championship. It was very professionally set up and organised. The visuals were really good. I'm curious to see what the next few years will bring, especially how it can be topped, because it was already at a very good level.

On YouTube you could also see some empty seats, which certainly varied depending on what was happening on stage and the time of day. How was the atmosphere on site, the audience?

It was almost like being at a trade fair with lots of bike companies and their products. The first two rows of seats were reserved for VIPs, there were one or two sheikhs there. The rows behind were for the normal spectators. It has to be said, it wasn't bombastically full. I think the problem was that there was a UFC fight on the same night - and combat sports are very popular in the Emirates. I think the fight drew some spectators there rather than to the Cycling E-Sports World Championships. Nevertheless, the atmosphere was good.

Familiar and relaxed

What was it like to meet the other World Cup participants?

That was good. I ride against a lot of people on the platform. This was the first time I've seen them live. It was very informal and felt relaxed. It was a bit different to road racing, where everyone is often tense. The e-racers are a bit more relaxed.

In addition to the on-site event, the event platform has also changed this year. What is different about MyWhoosh compared to Zwift?

Objectively speaking, the graphics are different. Graphically, I think MyWhoosh is already very advanced. The graphics are modern and inspired by computer games. There are also new worlds and levels on a regular basis. A lot has happened in the last few months in particular

I still remember how I started on MyWhoosh. I did my first race there three years ago. Back then, it was nowhere near the level it is now.

The game behaviour is a little different to Zwift. The algorithm for slipstreaming, for example, works a little differently to Zwift. You have to get used to it first. Once you've got the hang of it, it works.

How was the format of this year's World Cup for you?

It wasn't necessarily the right course for me. Strategically, I had to think about something. Unfortunately, you couldn't see how dominant someone was in the race based on the score. The format simply doesn't allow for that. It was the same for me and for the women. Mary Kate McCartney and Gabriela Schumann were alone in front in the race, both were really dominant. You couldn't see that so clearly from the points. Nevertheless, it was very close based on the points. I thought that was a bit of a shame.

>> We also spoke to the best German participant. Merle Brunnée is a full-time doctor and competes in professional sports, duathlon, triathlon and cycling e-sports on the side. Read the interview to find out how she manages the balancing act between a full-time job and professional sport and how many hours she trains each week.

Osborne's WM strategy

What can you tell us about your strategy?

The first stage was a 30-second sprint. Sprinting is not my strength. I can sprint okay, but I don't make a difference in the sprint. There was no sprint in the semi-final. So I didn't really know what to expect.

I discussed the tactics with my coach and with Martin Maertens, who was also in the World Cup final.

First stage

The sprint went okay. Everyone started the sprint super slowly. We were on the start line at 3 km/h. It takes time to build up the speed. As a result, the times weren't that fast. After the first sprint I was 18th, so very far back. That only gave me three points. During the stage, I spent ages thinking about whether I should sprint again to improve my time or not. I left it at that.

After the first stage, I was a bit depressed and had self-doubt. I didn't know if I could do it well again. But I knew that "now all the cards have to be on the table, now I have to go all-in and ride the thing as solo as possible."

Second stage

In the second stage, there were points at the bottom of the mountain, at the top and at the finish. That's quite nasty, because you go into the mountain in a sprint and then have to shoot up the mountain. I didn't do too badly in the first sprint in the stage, I was third or something - I was surprised myself. I scored 17 points there. Then the focus was on the actual climb, which took about four minutes. I wanted to ride with the others at first and then build up speed and apply pressure from halfway up the climb. That's exactly what I did and I quickly realised that I was opening up a gap here, which is exactly what I wanted. But then I didn't sprint off at full speed, but left something in reserve. I knew that the others at the top would be sprinting for the points again. I had to have one more sprint up my sleeve to avoid getting into trouble.

I even rode over the mountain with the gap and secured maximum points. At the top, I kept going while the others seemed to have put their feet up. I crossed the finish line with a lead of 15, almost 20 seconds. The section after the mountain was quite unpleasant. The waves that were still coming hurt. I had ridden from 18th position onto the podium - but not yet at the front. Everything was still open, I had to keep going and do exactly the same thing again on the third stage - i.e. break away and ride to the front.

Third stage

The third stage consisted of four laps, each with a 40-second climb. The finish line was at the top of the climb on the last lap.

You can't break away before the first sprint, you have to ride with the group. My aim on the first lap was to collect as many points as possible and not to lose too much. I attacked directly on the first lap, exactly where I had planned - on a small climb after the descent. I always looked at what the riders behind me were doing and rode 1 to 1.5 watts more per kilo.

I didn't set a pace that was at the limit, I knew that the three climbs were still to come and that I had to have something in reserve. On the last lap, I could almost have easily ridden up the mountain and still been the first to arrive at the top.

Nutrition during the World Cup

Did you eat carbohydrates during the races or only between races?

I also drank from my bottle during the races, which of course also contained carbohydrates. I also had gels, which I took one of after each stage. The races weren't that long, so you didn't have to consume that much.

How long were the breaks between the stages?

Varies. Maximum 5 to 10 minutes.

Hip problems since February

How is your hip? It's been causing problems for a long time.

I started having hip problems in February, and I've had them all season. It was really bad after the semi-final for the Cycling E-Sports World Championships. I rode the semi-final with one leg, so to speak, and was 14th out of the 20 who had qualified.

I knew that if I wanted to have a chance at the World Championships, I had to take all measures now. At the training camp in France, I found a doctor who was able to help me. But it's not completely gone yet and I still felt it even in the World Championship final. I'm glad that I was able to finish the highlight of the season with the best possible result, despite the hip. I'll keep working on it. The pressure of competitions is gone for now.

Do you know what's causing the problems?

It was an inflammation in the hip joint. The cause was probably the insole, which was different on the right side than on the left. This meant that my hip was always turned in. After I had the insoles corrected, movement was normal again. The inflammation has now gone, but something is still not quite right.

The end of road cycling

So far we've read that you're quitting road cycling: A because of the hip problem, B because you see more opportunities for yourself in indoor cycling and C because you end up having more fun. Can you add anything else?

Yes, I also enjoy it more because I can prepare better for the competitions. Since I left the Alpecin-Deceuninck team, I've been back with my old coach.

In road cycling, I found it extremely difficult that you can't really time anything in terms of form. Compare that to rowing: There are four or five competitions a year: three World Cups, one European Championship and one World Championship. That's all calculable, you can build up your form well. There are so many races in the World Tour. I found it incredibly difficult to be in top form for a race. It was more like a lottery. You travelled to a race and never knew where you stood. I also had some extremely good races, like the Tour of Austria. My form was good enough for the very front. But it was unpredictable. That bothered me.

The E-Sports World Championships are a good example of this. If a competition is defined as a target competition and I prepare specifically for it, the coach organises the training for this event, then I am also in top form and can deliver. I missed that a bit in road cycling.

New plans

After finishing your road cycling career with Team Alpecin-Deceuninck, you want to concentrate on e-sports and gravel racing. What races are coming up next?

Yes, I'm doing various races over the winter, and there's a series coming up in the USA that I'll be taking part in. But I'm also already planning for next season. Next year I would like to ride the Gravel World Championships and also Unbound - the big races. I'm always in consultation with my coach and we'll build it up accordingly. With the sponsors I have now - bike sponsors - I'm well ahead in terms of equipment. So it just has to work out with the form. I'm confident because I can prepare much better for it.

Does that mean you're going all-in in Cycling E-Sports and Gravel next year?

Exactly, those are my plans. I've finished with the World Tour in my head. I'm no longer comparing myself, I'm only comparing myself to my new world, which is gravel and e-sports. I'm happy with that, let's see what the future brings.

Osborne's gravel plans

Have you ever ridden a gravel race?

I ride gravel quite a lot in training, but I have yet to race, I have to be honest. I'm very excited to see what's in store for me. Of course, gravel is different to road, you can't really compare the two. But I have the experience of the road and the peloton. I'm not too scared to go into my first gravel race.

Do you already know which will be your first gravel race?

I've set my sights on Santa Vall. That's a stage race at the beginning of February in Spain, three stages. I'm also riding Wörthersee Gravel on 6 April. About a month later is Unbound. Depending on how it fits into the plan, a gravel race might be squeezed in. That might also depend on whether I qualify directly for the World Championships.

How do gravel and cycling e-sports complement each other?

I think they complement each other well. Gravel races like Unbound have a completely different requirement profile to e-sports races, Unbound is almost an ultra. E-sports keeps you lively.

How do you see the future of e-cycling?

I hope, well, fortunately there is a lot of financial support in the Emirates. They are pushing it and want to drive it forward. I think it would be cool if it became more professional. MyWhoosh has now taken the first step with the first live event. I think they've done a fantastic job with it. In terms of professionalism, it couldn't be better. You have to see how attractive cycling e-sports is and can become for people. Unfortunately, e-sports is still a fringe sport.