By Liz Van Houweling
Elite esports star Liz Van Houweling opens up about her 2024 USA Cycling Esports Nationals disappointment and the lessons learned.
Not every story has a happy ending or the ending you were hoping for. This one certainly does not. Yet every story has value and a lesson to learn if you are lucky.
The announcement of My Whoosh winning the bid for hosting rights to the 2024-26 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships rocked my world. It was unexpected and not exactly welcome news to me.
However, the subsequent announcement that the USA Cycling Esports National Championship race would switch to Zwift (after what I felt were several largely underwhelming years on RGT) in partnership with the Echelon Racing League gave me renewed energy.
I decided that Nationals was going to be my primary goal. The three-race omnium format would be a new challenge, and I was unsure how much it would suit me. The US women placed four riders in the top 10 of last year’s World Championships, and there is new, emerging American talent. I knew this was not going to be an easy task. But that’s why we do this. We want to push boundaries and discover we’re capable of more than we previously thought.
The Lead Up
I was still not healthy a little more than a month before the big race. My body felt weak, and it shattered my confidence. I was putting in the work but not seeing the results I knew I could.
I’m usually pretty good at putting my head down and getting the work done, but I was struggling. My coach, Alex Coh, included more back-to-back workouts and races to prepare me for the demands of race day.
Not many of them went well. In fact, just a week before Nationals, I found myself basically the most broken I’ve ever been on a bike.
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2024 USA Cycling Esports Nationals—The Support and Prep
I may not have been in a good place, but I never felt alone. Esports is unique in the integral role that our support system plays. I certainly have found mine to be critical.
My Spouse
My husband, Ryan, is my constant and puts up with me daily. He always maintains my bike and even put on some new parts for me in the last couple of weeks before the race. He watched the kids more on the weekends in the lead-up so I could train. I was not the easiest person to live with the past month while stressing about the race, and he did everything he could to make me feel loved and supported.
About a month ago, Ryan even started Zwifting with me. While we don’t often do the same workout together, simply having him by my side brings me joy. We met on bikes, and bikes have defined a large part of our relationship. Riding together’s been a challenge since having kids, but Zwift has enabled this once more. He understands the game and how much it means to me.
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Twenty minutes before the race started, I asked if he could check my shifting because it needed minor adjustments. Then, 10 min before the race, he delivered me a shot of espresso and a “go get ‘em.” He stood by me throughout the three races, offering advice and encouragement. I honestly cannot put into words everything that Ryan does for me.
Coach Alex Coh
I have been working with Coach Alex Coh for a little over a year now. Many people know he is a very talented, knowledgeable coach. While I had heard that as well, I was still surprised with the amount of dedication he gives his athletes.
I knew with certainty that following Alex’s plan would prepare me. Sometimes, I want to do more, sometimes less, but I trust the process and follow the program (mostly!). The training prepared me physically; my body was ready for the fight. The mental side was a completely different battle, though.
Alex kept the faith in me, even when I had little in myself. He reminded me of my capabilities and encouraged me to remain positive. He assured me that I had every reason to be confident.
When it comes to racing, I need to trust my instincts and believe in myself. It’s a constant struggle for me, but having Alex’s support allows me to do this so much better than I could on my own.
Team NeXT pb Enshored
Joining NeXT pb Enshored at the beginning of 2023 was a very good move for me personally. They are without a doubt one of the best in the business. The established men’s team is incredibly successful and knowledgeable. They generously share this with me and the rest of the women’s team.
Our fearless leader, Greg Abbott, and the entire NeXT team are masterminds of racing tactics. They understand how to ride efficiently and what parts of the course you can use to your advantage. They supplied me with some equipment to enhance my setup.
They also helped me develop an individualized pacing strategy for the crucial Bologna time trial. We left nothing to chance. All I had to do was execute on race day, and I was fully confident that we dialed in my equipment and strategy.
Many team members were also racing Nationals, so we discussed strategy, nutrition, training, etc. While I was the only NeXT woman rider in my field, I knew the entire team was behind me. Hearing that the men were crushing it in their races lifted my spirits. Messages in-game and through Discord made me feel like I was a part of something special.
A good team is something that is hard to find, but I’ve been fortunate. I’m extremely grateful to my first team, Saris NoPinz, for giving me the opportunity to gain experience in elite racing. NeXT has enabled me to continue to grow, and I know I’ve found a home with them.
2024 USA Cycling Esports Nationals—The Race
Race day came on a cold Sunday in January. I was surprisingly calm, although admittedly quite nervous. I did everything I usually do leading up to races and came in with moderate confidence.
Race 1: UCI Richmond Worlds Course
We started conservatively anticipating the tough back half of the race. I pushed up and over both Libby and 23rd to stay in contention and push the pace. Then Kristen Kulchisnky made a big attack before taking the right turn up the Governor’s St. climb to the finish.
I perhaps should have fought harder to chase, but I was thinking about the long game and did just enough to secure second place while conserving precious energy.
Race 2: Bologna ITT
I executed my pacing strategy on the flats perfectly. While I couldn’t hold quite what I wanted to on the climb, I finished in 3rd. More importantly, Elyse Gallegos beat Kulchinsky (who got 2nd), meaning I was only 20 points behind in the omnium. I was proud of my effort in Bologna on a course that didn’t exactly suit me, but of course, I wanted more out of myself!
Race 3: Neokyo Crit Course
I needed a good result in this race if I was going to make up the deficit. I also needed some people between me and Kulchinsky to have a shot at the title. But I went in thinking I had an excellent chance at doing just that. This course suited me best. I liked my chances if it came down to a bunch sprint, and it would be tough to break up the field on a course with little elevation change.
After numerous attacks starting right from the gun, a break of 3 eventually got away. While none posed a risk for me overall, those bigger points for the top 3 were crucial. My group did not work well together and, ultimately, failed to make the catch. I won the “bunch” sprint for 4th with Kristen behind me in 6th.
2024 USA Cycling Esports Nationals—The Aftermath
I cramped so badly trying to warm down that Ryan physically had to unclip me from my pedals because they were completely locked up. I gave my all.
I did my homework before the race and showed up prepared. I raced with integrity and heart. I made the decisions that I made, and I had good legs on the day. But I was hurting. It reminded me of my last National Championship race in cyclocross, where I missed out on the title by a tire width. You can read about it here.
Ryan, the kids, and I went out for a burger, fries, and beer. It tasted magnificent, by the way. When we got home, we watched the race broadcast, and I let all the emotions from the day fill me up.
Ryan gave me a big ol’ hug and told me how proud of me he was. Alex assured me that I was brilliant and did what I could. My teammates celebrated Brian Duffy Jr’s victory in the men’s elite race, and they let me know that I had also put in a performance that I could take pride in.
I didn’t sleep much that night as I replayed all the races in my head, thinking about different scenarios. It is not a nice game to play. When I woke up rather early the next morning, I decided I was done feeling sorry for myself. I was going to use this result as fuel for the fire.
I am sad, frustrated, and angry, but I can use those emotions for good. I don’t let them destroy me; I let them build me up. Next time, when life gets hard, I will remember what this moment feels like.
2024 USA Cycling Esports Nationals—Conclusion
It is not the fairy tale ending that I wanted. However, perhaps this is how it was meant to be. The saying that we “learn more in defeat than in victory” is undoubtedly true.
I want a Stars and Stripes jersey. I want one so badly. Maybe one day I’ll get one. But either way, I’ve realized that I’ve already won.
I have an incredible team of support around me. That fills me up. That energizes me. That makes me smile inside. I am eternally grateful to be surrounded by such amazing people.
Many exciting things are coming up in the world of esports, and I can’t wait to see my role. I’ll be there with renewed fire in my soul and an entire support team by my side. That sure looks like winning to me.
How about you?
Who supports you? How do they help? What sacrifices have they made to help you succeed? Have you said “thank you” recently?
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.
Thx for sharing that, Liz & Chris! Liz is doing amazing!!
So are you, Gabriela! Thank you for the kind words.
Thanks for sharing! Not everyone know how much effort and sacrifices it takes. Keep it up 👍🏻