An interview with Zwift Team Saris-NoPinz elite esport racer, USA’s Tom Corrigan.
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?
I was born and raised in Cleveland, OH. I grew up playing hockey, working on golf courses, and getting mediocre grades in high school. I went to college because that’s what you did. I partied a lot, met the woman that I would later marry, and changed majors a few times before discovering a passion for organic chemistry, of all things. I started working in a research lab and found I had a knack for it. I decided to go to grad school because I’ve always welcomed a challenge (on my own terms), and I graduated with a Ph.D. in chemistry from The Ohio State University in 2017.
I unintentionally found myself back in Cleveland after landing a job at a big specialty chemical company headquartered there (more to come on this). In March of 2020, our son was born, and so began the rest of my life.
Between agreeing to do this interview and responding to this questionnaire, I jumped at an opportunity to join a new company as the Director of Electric Vehicle Technology and relocated to Connecticut, which has been a major life change. Things got really busy there for a few weeks, but we are now settling into the East Coast and are excited about this new adventure.
Outside of work and cycling, I run my Instagram account (@tcore44, follow me!), which is a bit of a passion project. It started as a curiosity for social media algorithms and a challenge to stimulate my creative side. The account is primarily focused on the niche of cycling with a sub-niche of parents of little ones who maintain an active lifestyle. I’d be lying if I said the content wasn’t curated to attract views and generate likes, but at the same time, it is as close as you will get to understanding my personality without knowing me personally.
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?
The first time I got on a bike competitively was in grad school. I needed a healthy outlet for stress and had started running to stay in shape. I got turned on to the idea of doing a 70.3 triathlon and bought a bike. I was undertrained, and that first race was brutal, but it sparked a fire in me to come back and do it right. I obsessed over training and equipment for the next few years and started putting up some competitive times. My triathlon career peaked when I qualified for the 2011 70.3 WC. Side note: that qualifying race is when I met Ben Meer (he placed just ahead of me (🙄), who I later dragged into this whole esports obsession thing.
I tried my hand at the full-distance Ironman a few times. Three, to be exact. I never got the nutrition right and decided 70.3 was my distance.
Honestly, I’m a better triathlete than a pure cyclist, but when my son was born in 2020, I didn’t have time to train three sports competitively anymore. Swimming was boring, and cycling had cooler gear and equipment than running (I joke). I went all in on cycling and joined the Elite Training Performance Cycling team based out of Medina, Ohio. I learned a lot from racing with a team, and they pushed me to get stronger. I raced my way to a USAC Cat 2 in a couple of seasons. A couple of crashes and multiple broken bones slowed down my journey to cat 1, but that dream is still alive! In the last couple of seasons, I’ve started doing more gravel racing, which I’ve been having a ton of fun with. Lining up next to Keegan Swenson, Peter Stetina, and the other Elite racers in the sport at races like Big Sugar 100 has been inspiring and motivating.
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?
Since my early triathlon days, I did the majority of my bike training inside on a trainer. In those days, trainers were much simpler. I was a dedicated TrainerRoad user for a long time (I still use it, actually) and was obsessed with training zones and numbers. I resisted Zwift for a perceived “lack of structure” for a long time. I remember reading about Zwift on the forums when it was still being developed. I tried the beta once, then shelved it for a few years before coming back.
I really started seeing indoor racing as a serious discipline in 2020. My wife and I had our first kid in March of 2020, right as the pandemic was hitting. With the baby, I needed to get more efficient with workouts. Getting outside whenever I wanted just wasn’t an option anymore. With the pandemic putting the damper on IRL racing and Zwift really seeing a boom as a result, I jumped into Watopia headfirst.
Finding the DIRT group, which was full of dads (and moms) in the exact same situation, was what really hooked me. If I asked any of my IRL teammates to ride with me at 4 AM, they would look at me like my hair was on fire. The friends I’ve made on Zwift now go far beyond virtual cycling. It’s honestly kind of crazy how a few years ago, these guys were all internet strangers, and now we’re meeting up IRL multiple times a year, sometimes to ride bikes, sometimes just to hang out. It’s an experience I could have never imagined prior to Zwift.
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?
Yeah, so Zwift Grand Prix was always a goal of mine. The format and talent it attracted were exactly the kind of experience I was looking for. When Saris-NoPinz asked me if I was interested in racing with them in 2023, I jumped at the opportunity. Unfortunately, the Zwift Grand Prix series start coincided with some major life changes, and my fitness took a dip for a few weeks. It was frustrating to underperform there, but it’s been an awesome experience, and I hope to be back stronger next season.
I will say riding with a team has really pushed me to the next level. When you’re not just riding for yourself but for the common goals of a team, there’s an extra layer of accountability that allows you to push beyond what you can on your own. It’s all a little bit easier mentally with like-minded friends.
Great insights! For context, could you share some of your physical stats, like your indoor personal bests for various power intervals?
Yeah, so I’m a hair over 6’ (I say 6’1” on my license), and my weight fluctuates between 153 and 158 lbs (70 – 72 kg).
Indoor stats by the numbers:
- My current FTP is around 360w (~5.1 wkg)
- 20 min power 379w (5.36 wkg)
- 5 min power 436w (6.08 wkg)
- 1 min power 585w (8.38 wkg)
- 15-sec power 889 (12.5 wkg)
As you can see, I’m much more of an aerobic guy than a sprinter type. I like to work hard early and try to get a small break working. Field sprints are not my cup of tea.
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?
Oh man, as far as Worlds, I have no delusions about my current fitness compared to the true greats in the sport! Just qualifying for the World Championship and having the opportunity to rep the USA would be a MAJOR accomplishment for me that I definitely have my sights set on.
I had a great time racing at the USAC Cycling Esports Nationals last weekend. I wish I had placed a bit higher, but I felt like my fitness was in a good place for both the masters race on Saturday and the Elite race on Sunday. Looking forward to carrying this fitness into 2024.
That's ambitious! How do you feel about the current multi-platform landscape of esports championships, both nationally and internationally?
I think the introduction of any esports cycling platform is good for the sport and stimulates creativity and evolution in functionality across the entire landscape. I’ve raced on a few of them. They each have their own uniqueness and quirks. The physics vary slightly across each platform. Some focus on the social aspects, some on structured workouts, and others on racing with extra features for rider verifications. Ultimately, what I would like to see is ALL of these features become merged into a single platform. Zwift has the biggest user base today, and for that reason, it is where I spend most of my time.
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?
I think the biggest obstacle to overcome here is the fact that 99% of us are racing from the privacy of our own homes with no real way to level the playing field across equipment. Efforts from organizations like ZADA and IndieVelo have made a lot of progress toward equalizing the playing field through rider and equipment verifications, dual recording, weigh-in videos, etc. All of these things are necessary if we want to make this a sport of integrity.
The issue is the majority of people on platforms like Zwift aren’t there for competitive, top-level racing. They want to get a good workout and maybe jump into a race without having to spend hours validating themselves before they can even line up. These are the people actually using the platform as it was designed, but it makes it tricky to organize race series around.
Do we make it inclusive and increase participation by lowering the barrier to validation? Or ensure fair play but only for those who can manage the extensive time and financial commitments (multiple power meters) for validation? At the highest level, we no doubt need a system that helps to ensure fair and accurate racing.
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?
I’ve ridden on many of them, but I ride and race primarily on Zwift for a few reasons:
- It’s where all my riding buddies ride.
- It’s where a majority of elite-level racing occurs.
- It has the biggest user base and, therefore, the most social interaction to pass the training Kms more quickly.
- The gamification. I know I’m not the only one who finishes every ride on an even Km to make sure I get those XP for leveling up.
- When not riding, it’s the platform with the most media content on the internet to read about.
Good to know! What do you think could make virtual cycling more engaging for spectators?
I think moving the championship races to a multi-race format consisting of several short, non-traditional races is an excellent move. If we’ve learned anything from social media, it’s that humans have extremely short attention spans. We want non-stop action, and these new points formats and varying race styles are delivering it. Apart from that, arena games where all riders are in the same room would be super entertaining to watch (or participate in) for me.
That's a thought-provoker! Looking into the crystal ball, where do you see esports in five years or even further down the line?
Good question. The user base will continue to grow, but I think it will eventually reach a leveling-off point. There are only so many cyclists in the total addressable market.
I do hope that the regulation around racing verifications evolves into a reliable and enforceable system over the next five years, but this is going to continue to be a challenge.
What I’m really excited to see is where the technology goes. With AI and VR really starting to blow up in the last couple of years, you could imagine some pretty wild technology coming to the sport. Full immersion VR cycling would be life-changing! I can smell the virtual espresso at the coffee stop now.
Intriguing! Now, for a fun twist—give us an exclusive. What's something about you that even your mates don't know?
One time, I was finishing up a ride with some of my IRL teammates, finishing out the last 6-7 miles solo back home. I was looking down at my Garmin and rear-ended a Mercedes that was trying to parallel park. I flew up on the rear window, and my bike busted out its taillight. I was so embarrassed I Venmo’d the guy for the taillight and went on home pretending like it never happened.
Wow, that's a juicy tidbit! Before we wrap up, is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
Just thank you for the opportunity to participate! It’s outlets like this that promote the growth and maturation of our sport!
Fantastic! Thanks for this enlightening conversation. Wishing you all the best this Zwift Grand Prix!
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.
I thought I was following him on IG but it turns out, I was not. His posts are pretty inspiring.
He does a great job! Cute kid too!