An interview with Zwift Team Restart p/b Alex Coh racer, the UK’s elite cyclist Dean Cunningham.
Hey there! Thanks for the chance to get to know you a bit better. Let's kick things off with a little intro. Can you share a bit about your background—where you're from, what you do, and what lights your fire outside of cycling?
Yo! I’m a 35-year-old IT Manager in the aquaculture industry. I live 15 miles north of Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland with my girlfriend and two young boys.
Outside of dad mode, work, and training, I really don’t have much time for anything else. However, I am a keen photographer and a loyal follower of the local football team, Ross County, along with my sons.
That's awesome! Now, let's dive into your cycling journey. When did you first hop on a bike competitively, and what's been your proudest moment on the road?
2015 is when I got my first road bike after four years of running competitively. I moved to cycling as I had an injury from running that I just couldn’t resolve, and I needed another focus. By 2016, I was racing local(ish) road races, and I also got myself a time trial bike.
I honestly don’t have many moments to be proud of or use as highlights. A couple of wins in hill climbs/time trials, plus a whole bunch of other 2nd/3rd’s and 4th’s. Plus, even more mid-bunch or back-of-bunch finishes to really solidify that mediocrity!
Right before the first COVID lockdown, I joined my IRL racing team, Torvelo Racing. I had such great ambition for that, but with children/lockdowns over the past few years, I just haven’t hit the ground running yet with my outside racing. I know it will come back when I’m more able with time/money. But for the past few years, it has let me focus more on esports for both myself and my virtual team.
Fascinating! Switching gears a bit—tell us about your transition into the world of virtual cycling esports. What got you hooked, and what's the crowning achievement of your indoor career?
I’ve always been a gamer: Half Life, World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, FIFA, Diablo. So, it comes as no surprise that in 2016, Zwift really appealed to me. I mostly used it during bad weather instead of training outside. We do get a lot of bad weather this far north in Scotland!
I never actually did any racing on Zwift in the super early days; it was just workouts by myself, and I found it to be extremely useful. Getting into racing was just inevitable.
I came across Mike Swart on Reddit in the most random of circumstances. He started a team, Power Dropouts, with a bunch of us: Rene, Hal, Oliver, Evan, plus Mike and myself. It honestly was just a random bunch of people who came together for no real reason. To see what we’ve made of it now and the team that we have—that itself has to be the crowning achievement of my esports involvement.
I now run/manage most of the racing-sided elements of the team, including the premier division/grand prix team, as well as recruitment and social media.
Performance/racing-wise for myself, it’s much like my outdoor racing. I have a small number of OK results mashed in among a huge list of mediocrity. I’ve raced at the top tier of esports many times and frequently race the best guys out there. But I’m always there to develop myself. I take that opportunity to race with the best to measure myself and make myself better. Will I ever be competitive at this level? I don’t know, but I’m training very hard and putting a lot of energy into esports to see where I can take myself.
Sounds like a wild ride! Speaking of rides, you're part of a Zwift Grand Prix esports team, right? How has being on a team shaped you, and is there something unique about your team that's led to its success?
I am, indeed! And it makes me so happy to say that for this coming season, as we missed out on the previous Grand Prix season after performing so well in the Premier Division.
Being on the team, or more accurately, running it, has definitely shaped me and how I view many things. Managing the squad has given me a broader perspective, showing me what I need to do to provide opportunities for people who genuinely deserve them. Racing for the squad has also offered me great opportunities for personal development, improvement, and adaptation. So, I consider myself very lucky to both manage and race for a team at this level. At the same time, I feel I have earned and deserve the chance to do both, as it requires a lot of work and energy.
Restart has never had a sponsor, deliberately. We built ourselves in the community and reached our current level through very selective recruitment and team development. We have always strived to be a bit different and do our own thing. I believe that sticking to our own path has led us to some success and that we will achieve even more by continuing to operate in our own way. It’s just a much longer tactical play on the game.
We have recently partnered with my coach’s company, Alex Coh Coaching. Many of our elite riders receive coaching from Alex, and this partnership will enable us to conduct some cool community-led workouts. This will allow us to make new friends and have fun. I think this partnership will kick the team up a gear and push us forward. It will help us demonstrate even more that we focus on community, individual development, and providing opportunities.
I didn’t race in round 1 of the ZGP but I was on the roster for round 2 on the Alpe du Zwift mountain points race. I say, “was on the roster”, rather than saying I raced it, because I dropped my chain within the first minute of the climb. I had to get off the bike as I could not catch it on the chain ring and it was nearly 30 seconds lost by the time I got going again. So yeah, I can’t really say I raced it, can I? My “race” was done before I even got started. Hopefully that is my bad luck out of the way and it can only be better in the series from here on out!
Great insights! For context, could you share some of your physical stats, like your indoor personal bests for various power intervals?
I’ve always weighed between 60-65KG, so my WKG looks okay, but the raw watts, not so much! I’ll give you both inside and outside numbers because I’ve always been more powerful outside. Of course, that’s the only reason people beat me indoors so much…
Peak Power: 1000w on a smart trainer, but I can hit 1100w outside this year.
1-minute Power: 520w indoors / 540w outdoors
5-minute Power: 395w indoors / 415w outdoors
20-minute Power: 340w indoors / 345w outdoors
Longer efforts are where being indoors, in a controlled environment, really helps. There are no concerns about terrain, weather, or traffic.
I’ve always been a diesel type. I think I might have a single fast-twitch fiber in my entire body. However, I’ve been working hard recently with my coach Alex to improve in the areas where I’m weak.
Impressive numbers! Looking ahead, what are your esports goals, both short-term and long-term? Is becoming the UCI Cycling Esports World Champion on your radar, and what does it mean to you?
My goals with esports closely align with those of the team. I’m already providing the team the opportunity to compete at the top level of the sport, and we’ve seen numerous members compete in the UCI Worlds races. Going forward, my goals are to expand this to include a women’s team. Whether that’s through collaboration with one of the existing women’s teams or through a Restart team remains to be seen. However, I firmly believe that the structure, opportunity, and development we offer the men should be available to women as well. That’s something I’m committed to achieving.
As for myself as a racer, I’m content competing at this level. However, my main ambition is to become far more competitive—to be in the mix at the elite level and potentially challenge racers who are currently much stronger than me. I’m eager to see the progress and improvement in myself that comes from the hard work I put in daily. My coach, Alex Coh, goes above and beyond to assist me in numerous ways. He will be the key factor in what I achieve in the coming years compared to previous ones.
That's ambitious! How do you feel about the current multi-platform landscape of esports championships, both nationally and internationally?
I personally believe that the emergence of multiple platforms could be one of the best developments in recent times for esports bike racing. Don’t get me wrong—Zwift is fantastic. It has given me an incredible team, friends, and the opportunity to compete against some amazing people who I can now also call friends. What Zwift has enabled is truly remarkable, and we all owe a lot to it.
However, the rise of other platforms as viable alternatives can only drive better accuracy, fairness, and development across the board. For instance, indieVelo is working hard to become a serious esports racing platform, with a focus on fair, honest racing. MyWhoosh looks outstanding and is leading the charge in terms of graphics. Landing the UCI World Championship will undoubtedly drive improvements in their race dynamics and performance legitimacy. Their new esports rulesets are a welcome change and, in my opinion, a step in the right direction.
I don’t see these platforms as taking away from Zwift’s market share; rather, I see them as enabling Zwift to improve. Competition is good; it’s the fuel for innovation and improvement. I can’t see Zwift losing its massive social and racing community, but I can see these other platforms helping to shape and improve it as they continue to evolve.
This isn’t about pledging allegiance to one platform; it’s about recognizing the positive impact that competition and diversity can have on the sport as a whole. The progress being made across multiple platforms is a win for everyone involved.
Interesting perspective. There are skeptics who question the legitimacy of esports. What's your take on the challenges esports faces in gaining recognition and trust?
At the verified level, much is being done to ensure the competition is legitimate and fair. This is crucial both to me personally and to the team we’ve built. Like many things, the positive aspects often get overshadowed by a few negative incidents. At the verified level, 99% of participants are playing fair and are honest. However, skeptics exist who try to tarnish the reputation of the entire sport based on a handful of cases over the years.
Away from the verified level, at the community level, there’s essentially no validation or moderation taking place. This does nothing to combat the perception of illegitimacy in the sport as a whole.
I believe there needs to be a community level with more robust validation mechanisms, so that fair competition isn’t limited only to those racing at the verified or elite levels.
The responsibility for this lies not just with the platforms but also with the teams. Teams need to manage better who represents them and take some responsibility for ensuring a fair environment.
Well said! With multiple platforms available for esports, where do you see yourself fitting in? Do you race on more than one platform? Are there features on one platform that you prefer over others?
At the moment, I mostly do my workouts on indieVelo, but most of my racing happens on Zwift.
Zwift is the go-to platform for racing, no question about it. The ZRL brings my team together every week, and we have a great time. I’ve also enjoyed racing with friends in the Tiny Races, even though the format isn’t my favorite. The social aspect of racing with friends and long-time competitors keeps me coming back to Zwift.
Prior to my shift in focus with structured coaching via Alex, I led the A category KISS at Base group ride on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I now don’t make it there as much due to focused workouts, but I still love it when I can ride there with them, usually only once a week these days. It’s a great group of very strange humans, which is why I fit in so well, I guess. I could not do an interview without mentioning them and admitting how much I love them for the fun they’ve given me over the years.
I’ve been involved in testing and development for indieVelo since December 2022 and have invested a lot of energy into helping improve the platform. For me, the ERG mode on indieVelo is much smoother. More importantly, features like seeing my average watts for intervals and the TSS for the workout are indispensable. The virtual gearing feature, which increases base resistance to the trainer during certain intervals, is another thing I now can’t live without.
For workouts, indieVelo is the best platform for me, hands down.
Good to know! What do you think could make virtual cycling more engaging for spectators?
Rider profiling and stories about riders are what truly captivates me as a spectator, and the same goes for friends I’ve talked to who watch the races. We’ve reached a good balance in terms of race formats and structures, but what really draws people in are the human stories behind the avatars. Whether racing or watching, we’re all human, and people love to know the stories, routines, training regimens, and personalities of the riders. These elements create a connection and make people fans of specific riders or teams. Different personalities, senses of humor, and other traits appeal to different people. It’s for these same reasons that we’ve all made so many friends from around the world through esports.
That's a thought-provoker! Looking into the crystal ball, where do you see esports in five years or even further down the line?
I envision it not only as a World Championship sport but also as an Olympic Sport. I foresee a broader range of verified performance-level events integrated into these platforms. What we have now is merely the early stages of development; the sport has so much more to unfold. We’re just getting started, and the future holds immense potential.
Intriguing! Now, for a fun twist—give us an exclusive. What's something about you that even your mates don't know?
I find the Beatles to be awful and one of the most overrated bands in history.
Additionally, I’ve developed allergies to most fruits and nuts in adulthood. If you want to end me, just feed me a cherry or a peach. It’s game over.
Wow, that's a juicy tidbit! Before we wrap up, is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
Alex Coh is a sweetheart. He may seem like a grizzly bear, but he’s actually more like Winnie the Pooh.
Mike Swart is the true source of the RGT demise. Not really. But it was absolutely all his fault.
Matt Yankow is the literal center of the universe, and none of us know how lucky we are to have him.
Fantastic! Thanks for this enlightening conversation. Wishing you all the best this Zwift Grand Prix!
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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.
That Matt Yankow guy sounds fantastic.
Also you are still the A group leader for KAB.
He is!