Cycling Esports: Indoor World Championships 2024 with new format and new date

In the first three years, the virtual cycling world championship was held on Zwift. Participants took part in the championship races from their own living room, clubhouse or any other location they chose. Each year, the format was changed and made more exciting.

>> MyWhoosh is the new organiser of the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships

With MyWhoosh as the new host platform and organiser, changes are coming again. As already known, the final races of the Cycling Esports World Championships will take place on site in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The date of the finals is 26 October 2024, which means that all athletes who have qualified for the finals will fly to Abu Dhabi, where MyWhoosh is also headquartered.

New race format

The race format has been redefined by MyWhoosh. It should offer maximum opportunities for all types of drivers. This will be realised with the introduction of a points system. This should make the competition even more attractive and exciting.

In the new format, 150 women and 150 men will take part in the semi-finals. This increase in the number of participants reflects MyWhoosh's strategy to promote the growth of the sport of cycling and provide a platform for participants from all over the world.

Qualification process

A series of qualifying events will take place in the months leading up to September. Around 80% of the places for the semi-finals are awarded to the national associations, which then select their representatives. The other semi-finalists, or the remaining 20%, qualify via the public qualification process on the MyWhoosh platform.

This double qualification route allows wider access to the semi-finals. Criteria have been established to ensure a transparent and fair selection process for all athletes, including those from countries that do not yet have a strong cycling culture.

Two stages in the semi-finals

The semi-finals, which will be held in two stages, will take place in September, with 150 qualified athletes of each gender competing from virtually all parts of the world.

The first race is held over a challenging 9-kilometre circuit, with a points system determining the top 80 finishers (of each gender) who qualify for the next race.

The second race consists of four laps on a 4-kilometre circuit. The top 20 men and 20 women who qualify for the final on 26 October will be determined here. They will then travel to Abu Dhabi for the final.

No longer remote - on-site final in Abu Dhabi

Those who qualify for the Cycling Esports World Championship Finals will be invited to Abu Dhabi to take part in the World Championship Finals. In addition, at least two wildcards per gender will be awarded.

In the final, the riders will take part in three short, intense races in which they will collect points: The Sprint, The Strategy and All Out. The points in turn determine the final ranking at the end. In the end, the riders with the most points will be crowned UCI Cycling Esports World Champions.

The names of the new formats are reminiscent of the last Cycling Esports World Championships. At the last World Championships, when Zwift was still the venue and organiser, there were also three races: The Punch, The Climb and The Podium.

Race 1: The Sprint

The first race of the final, The Sprint, will be held on a 1.7 kilometre circuit. The finalists have 15 minutes to achieve their best performance in a 300 metre sprint. During the 15 minutes, as many attempts can be made as fit into the time slot. Strategy and strength will be key in the race. Some riders will try to run their best time while they still have enough energy, others will try to get into the slipstream of their competitors, and still others will wait until the last moment to give their all to beat the reference time. There are numerous options available to the athletes.

The introduction of a sprint race is a new feature introduced specifically for the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships to maximise opportunities for all types of riders to earn points.

Race 2: The Strategy

The second race is a 9-kilometre circuit with a long climb. The aim is to collect points in three intermediate sprints per lap. It is not necessarily enough to be the best climber: All riders can win if they collect the most points.

Race 3: All Out

A four-kilometre circuit is the route of the final race of the fourth Cycling Esports World Championships. The lap is ridden four times. Points can be collected at the end of a short, steep climb on each lap. Double points are awarded at the finish line on the last lap. Will the riders give their all to collect points quickly or will they save their energy for the last lap, in which the number of points at the finish line is doubled?

Cycling Esports World Championships 2024

UCI President David Lappartient said: "Since the first edition in 2020, the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships have captivated athletes and fans of cycling and esports in general. This year, for the first time, all finalists will compete in person, adding an extra dimension to an already successful and popular event. Thanks to our partnership with MyWhoosh, the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will have a new, innovative format that will further establish itself in the world of cycling and esports."