- January 20, 2022
- 4 Comments
The introduction by RGT and Echelon of a handcycle and true-to-life avatar is a tremendous step forward on the path of accessibility and inclusion of disabled and adaptive athletes in virtual cycling.
At the end of the 2020 season, Project Echelon Racing, in a joint venture with RGT cycling, removed a groundbreaking barrier to virtual cycling inclusion. Project Echelon hosted the first virtual event dedicated to handcyclists in collaboration with the Tour of America’s Dairyland (ToAD). The response inspired the creation of the first virtual handcycling bike, lifelike avatar integration, and marked a momentous step on the journey toward the inclusion of disabled athletes.
“ToAD has developed an amazing partnership with the Paralyzed Veterans of America,” states Eric Hill, co-founder of Project Echelon, “and it was important to them that we create this opportunity in the virtual space.”
“We push the barriers and are redefining the space, bringing concepts and dreams held by real-world races to life virtually,” Eric passionately shares, “because we not only defined the boundaries, we removed the barriers.” Removing barriers is what they did when hosting the first of its kind online handcycling event.
“The event was a success, and the energy levels were high,” assures Eric, “but there was still a major problem: representation.”
The editorial board of the respected and trusted worldwide cycling publication Cyclingnews has proven a dedication to the inclusion and representation of adaptive athletes in all cycling venues by highlighting this feature.
Follow this link to the full text on Cyclingnews.com and learn why more of us should be aware of this momentous event in the history of virtual cycling, and cycling in general.
Your Thoughts?
Does the cost justify the benefit to adaptive and disabled athletes? Comment below! Your fellow virtual cyclists want to know.
Athletes who want to unlock the handcycle avatar must complete this online form after creating their free RGT cycling account: https://user.rgtcycling.com/hand-cycle
There are several upcoming events for handcycling athletes, including Tulsa Tough and Intelligentsia Cup Criteriums, and Joe Martin Stage Race. Eric and Frank are also planning to host a North American Championship event for handcyclists and paracyclists.
Competitors may register for these events at: https://www.bikereg.com/52999?fbclid=IwAR3hM3MRZwDU_QuYTa1rDpP71zsQ-mAM_yvAovJDQtiDi8cXTOfCpcDS-Wk
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Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
It’s hard to put into words just how important this is for adaptive cyclists of all types. To be represented in the virtual world as we are in real life, to allow us to identify, identify with and interact with adaptive riders of similar abilities is beyond priceless. For those virtual riders who cannot easily ride in the real world, for a raft of reasons that might not be quite as obvious as a missing limb, virtual cycling can have profound psychological as well as physical benefits. What RTG has done is indeed a momentous first step. What we now need is a leap of faith by all platform providers.
Well said, Andy! Your passion for this significant topic emphasizes the profound impact it has on adaptive athletes. Now is the opportunity to move the needle.
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