Much has changed in the cycling esports mindset of USA Cycling since our interview with Chief of Sports Performance Jim Miller back on June 6, 2023, when he said, “Kinda committed to esports is actually the right thing to say. We’ve discussed it and think it’s a good idea, but we have yet to say, “Okay, we’re going to do this right now and go for it.”
On October 23, 2023, the organization announced its 2024 USA Cycling Esports Nationals plans. The third annual event includes a six-race qualifier series organized in partnership with Echelon Racing Promotions and hosted by the Zwift virtual platform.
The qualification series marks a significant milestone as the first national-level event to employ independent third-party cycling esports platform indieVelo to verify all athletes’ performance, regardless of their competition level.
Miller shared in the interview, “We are considering putting together criteria to name athletes to a national team in the esports discipline. We are also looking at creating selection events for Continental Championships, World Championships, and National Championships.”
USA Cycling Esports Selection Committee
USA Cycling created a Cycling Esports Selection Committee to guide eligibility criteria creation, provide cycling esports knowledge, and oversee the proper implementation of policies and procedures.
The committee, consisting of cycling esports community members Jenn Real, Women’s World Championship team DS, and 2019 Zwift National Champion Holden Comeau, does not influence athlete selection. Men’s World Championship team DS Matt Gardiner collaborates with USAC’s Esports Discipline Director and Miller to advance the organization’s approach to cycling esports.
The team formulated the following eligibility criteria for selection to the USA team for the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
USA Cycling's 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship Athlete Selection Criteria
USA Cycling has set clear criteria for selecting athletes to represent the country in the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship. Their primary goal is to form a cohesive and medal-winning team with a shared commitment to podium success.
The Live World Championship event will reportedly take place in Abu Dhabi, UAE in late 2024.
Here’s a concise breakdown of the selection process:
Qualification Criteria:
Any athlete placing in the top three (3) at the prior year’s World Championships in the same event and category will be nominated to the Team.
Jacqueline Godbe was the first American Cycling Esports athlete to achieve a podium finish (2023), and USAC is awarding the momentous accomplishment with an automatic nomination.
Jacqueline is the only American earning an automatic bid, however the top three American 2023 finishers and all of the athletes competing on behalf of the United States and the sport deserve acknowledgment.
Women’s Top-Three US Finishers (2023):
- Jacqueline Godbe (3rd place)
- Arielle Martin-Verhaaren (5th place)
- Liz Van Houweling (8th place)
The other racers who represented the US on the Women’s 2023 UCI Cycling Esports Team are here.
Men’s Top-Three US Finishers (2023):
- Zach Nehr (10th place)
- Brian Duffy (15th place)
- Joseph Chudyk (22nd place)
The other racers who represented the US on the Men’s 2023 UCI Cycling Esports Team are here.
Remaining Quota Positions
The top three finishers at the 2024 USA Cycling Esports National Championships also secure nominations, promoting emerging talents from national competitions.
If there are remaining quota positions, athletes can request nomination through USA Cycling’s discretionary selection process, providing flexibility for exceptional talents or unique circumstances.
Athletes who receive invitations directly from the UCI are automatically eligible for the team, acknowledging their international recognition.
The final team size is yet to be determined, contingent on event goals, strategy, available resources, and athlete availability, allowing flexibility to optimize competitiveness.
Funding Levels
USAC determines athlete financial responsibility and funding levels based on their selection method.
USA Cycling outlines three funding levels for athletes. Level 1, fully funded (top three 2023 World Championship finishers and top 2024 US Nationals finisher), includes airfare, luggage, clothing, lodging, food, transportation, race support, and travel insurance.
Level 2, partially funded (2024 US Nationals second and third place finishers), requires athletes to pay a $2,000 service fee and covers clothing, lodging, food, transportation, race support, and travel insurance, but not airfare. Level 3, self-funded, applies to athletes who receive discretionary and UCI invitations and requires them to cover all event expenses themselves.
All nominated athletes must be included in the USADA registered testing pool, emphasizing the commitment to fair play and integrity in esports cycling.
USA Cycling’s 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship selection criteria aim to assemble a strong team by recognizing past achievements, nurturing emerging talents, ensuring a level playing field, and remaining adaptable to maximize their chances of success.
A USA Cycling Esports National Team
USA Cycling released its 2024 national team selection criteria in January 2023, initially overlooking esports. However, when questioned in the June 2023 interview, Miller expressed that this omission wouldn’t necessarily eliminate cycling esports for this year.
He stated, “We didn’t post the criteria with the other disciplines, but we can post it retroactively and announce that the team was designated off criteria created by the Esports Selection Committee.”
According to insider information, this is the anticipated scenario for 2024, marking a historic moment as the first-ever USA National Cycling Esports team, signifying a significant milestone for the sport.
Will we see the US National Esports athletes racing as a team on multiple platforms or in the real world in 2023? Or will there be a US Esports Developmental team in the future? I kinda hope so!
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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.
