Forty racers were presented with the choice between a World Championship or a Zwift Games title, providing insight into the UCI's value to cycling esports.
As the UCI enters a transitional phase, it prompts reflection and judgment on the necessity of its role in cycling esports. Established as the international governing body, the Union Cyclist Internationale (UCI) has traditionally overseen various aspects of the sport, including regulations, competitions, and athlete welfare. However, with the rapid growth of cycling esports, questions arise about the relevance and value proposition of the UCI in this evolving landscape.
Following Michael Rogers’ departure from his 3.5-year post as Head of Innovation and Esports, the UCI stated that its Sports Department would maintain continuity in all matters.
“Leading these efforts, UCI Sports Director Peter Van den Abeele will oversee the seamless progression in both these domains. Jacob Fraser, our UCI E-cycling Consultant, will be responsible for esports activities, while our Innovation unit will address innovation efforts, under the supervision of Peter Van den Abeele,” the UCI told The Zommunique’.
While Michael Rogers’ absence leaves a void for cycling esports, the UCI’s April 10, 2024, announcement of Nicholas Raudenski’s appointment as Head of the Fight Against Technological Fraud potentially has positive implications for the sport’s future.
There's A Wide Gap Between the UCI and Some Cycling Esports Community Members
The Rogers news shined a dim light on the sport and spotlighted the perceptive disconnect between a subset of the cycling esports community, his role, and the organization’s contributions to the sport.
“I don’t know why Michael Rogers was in charge of esports or what the UCI did for esports during his time with the organization. Since you’re the head of innovation, we will tack this onto your role,” were the words of Nathan Guerra during a recent Zwift-affiliated The Wrap Podcast episode.
To which co-host Anna Russell replied shortly after that, “Who cares? Why do we need the UCI?“
Russell clarified that cycling esports is an innovative space, with amazing events organized from the ground up. The sport doesn’t require alignment with a traditional sporting body to create a unique and compelling product.
“My ideal is that Zwift, MyWhoosh, indieVelo, and any other new players align with an esports-specific governing body that has a passion for the space and empowers event organizers to make great race series so riders can make money, get recognized, and feel supported,” Russell explains, “instead of a governing body like the UCI treating esport a bit like a tick box.”
Russell highlighted James Barnes, a regular contributor to The Wrap and an esports superstar, as someone who might not share this sentiment.
In a poll conducted by The Zommunique, Barnes echoed the thoughts of 85 percent of his fellow racers when he stated, “Worlds is always something any athlete who competes at the top level would love to win because the UCI is recognized worldwide.”
Zwift and the UCI Chose The Traditional Cycling Path From The Beginning
Conflicting viewpoints deepen the divide as cycling esports fights to find its identity—is it a cycling discipline governed by the UCI or an esport not beholden to traditionalist pre-conceived notions of cycling?
The sport took a decisive step down the traditional path in September 2019 when Zwift and the UCI agreed to terms to host the first UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. The partnership promised to create a new discipline and a sustainable future for cycling esports and opened the door to tremendous potential.
“Earlier this year, we marked our ambition to develop an esports platform, but I think it’s much more than that. We are looking to establish a new cycling discipline,” said Zwift CEO and Co-Founder Eric Min in a press release announcing the agreement.
“This partnership is a significant leap in that journey as we move further towards our ambition of delivering competition at the highest level in sport. We are at the very beginning of a long and exciting road here at Zwift as we look to establish a new and innovative discipline for cycling.”
The mutually beneficial relationship marked multiple milestones in the sport’s origin and evolution. These momentous events included three UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, the Virtual Tour de France—which brought gender parity to the Tour for the first time—and an Olympic Esports Series. These events introduced cycling esports to worldwide audiences on Eurosport, SBS, JSports, NBC Sports Gold, and GCN+.
During an interview for this road.cc feature, Zwift’s Head of PR Chris Snook told The Zommunique’, “It brings anti-doping controls and the whereabouts program to the World Championships. The stringent anti-doping protocols and credibility are why Zwift partnered with the UCI.”
UCI Cycling Esports World Championship Transfer to MyWhoosh Was an Opportunity For Zwift To Shape Esports' Future Unrestrained
There was no indication that either party wanted the relationship to end until August 17, 2023, when the UCI announced that it would award the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships to the cycling esports platform MyWhoosh for the next three years.
According to Sean Parry, the head of Zwift Racing, the team seized the opportunity to reassess its approach to elite-level racing in the company’s post-UCI era.
“It allowed us to ponder a fundamental question: had we started from scratch three years ago, without any external constraints, how would we have shaped Zwift’s racing landscape?” he said to The Zommunique’.
By leveraging the platform’s community—over 80,000 users participated in the Games, with Zwifters competing in over 215,000 races—the Zwift Games was a successful response to the UCI’s snub.
Zwift partnered with indieVelo, led by founder Dr. George Gilbert, former Zwift Cycling Esports Commission chairman, and former ZADA lead Bjoern Ossenbrink, to oversee independent performance verification and governance.
The elite Zwift Games competition featured Sprint, Epic, and Climb stages. The men’s and women’s races averaged 45,000 viewers, and Freddy Ovett and Kathrin Fuhrer were crowned worthy overall champions.
Elite Cycling Esports Racers Overwhelmingly Want a World Championship Title Over Zwift Games Win
But was it enough to replace what the UCI brings to the table for the sport’s most valuable asset, the racers?
“I would definitely say the World Championship title! I am really happy about the Zwift Games Overall win, but I would be the happiest person in the world if I got the rainbow jersey and proved my abilities on different platforms and formats,” said Fuhrer.
The Swiss superstar was among forty racers asked, “If you could only win one more title and had to choose between the UCI Cycling Esports World Championship and the Zwift Games Overall Championship, what would it be and why?”
The response distribution and reasoning give valuable insight into how the UCI-governed cycling discipline model contrasts with an esports environment not bound by traditionalist cycling norms.
Of the forty racers polled, thirty-four chose the rainbow jersey and the UCI Cycling Esports World Championship title, four picked the gold tron and the Zwift Overall Championship, and two were undecided.
Prestige and Iconic Symbol of Greatness Is Invaluable
Status and prestige were the reasons most often given by the racers, including Great Britain’s Lou Bates, who said, “Everyone in cycling knows what the rainbow stripes mean, so it crosses over into the other cycling disciplines in terms of recognizable achievement.”
USA’s J Bruhn echoed the sentiments, “The rainbow bands transcend platforms and disciplines,” as did Australia’s first women’s national champion, Kate Trdin, when she said, “Winning the championship could open up some pretty amazing opportunities.”
The Zwift Games Sprint Champion Poland’s Michal Kaminski added, “Events like Zwift games can be organized on every platform like Zwift, MyWhoosh, or IndieVelo. World Championships are only once a year. For me, it’s the most prestigious title in the cycling esport.”
Other racers, such as USA’s Zach Nehr, cited tradition when he said, “The rainbow jersey is just absolutely legendary, and cycling, no matter the discipline if you have that rainbow jersey, it’s the biggest achievement of your entire life.”
Over decades, the UCI has built invaluable brand equity in the form of the World Championship and its iconic symbol of immortal cycling greatness. The UCI’s involvement brings credibility and recognition to cycling esports on a global scale.
Its endorsement can attract sponsors, broadcast partners, and other stakeholders, elevating the profile of virtual racing events and generating more subscription revenue from users who value riding the UCI-endorsed virtual platform.
UCI-Sanctioned World Championship Doesn't Provide Opportunity For Growth According To a Racer
Holden Comeau, a member of the USAC Esports Election Committee, 2019 US National Esports Champion, and inaugural member of the world championship squad, has a more fiscal-forward pragmatic viewpoint.
“The commercial interests of teams, events, sponsorship, platforms, etc., drive healthy, professional sport. I believe it is much more important—and there is much more opportunity—at this stage to support commercial growth in the sport versus handcuffing oneself to a celebratory exhibition like a world championship.”
Comeau believes that cycling esports must grow vertically as a market, requiring more commercial investment, which world championships do not provide.
I would simply ask: if not the UCI, then who?
Cycling Esports is at a crossroads. Every sport in the world, online or in real life, is run in one of exactly two ways: either it has independent oversight, or it does not. As participants and fans, we should all be wondering which way we want cycling esports to be run.
All serious sports – cycling, athletics, gymnastics, swimming, soccer, cricket, hockey, tennis, etc—have independent oversight of a neutral international body that provides consistent checks and balances on the rules, athletes, event organizers, and officials. The only reason these bodies exist is to provide oversight of their sport. While they may have some commercial activities, their primarily independent nature assures participants and fans that the way the sport is run is credible and fair.
There are then a handful of sports that are not independent—MMA, WWF, etc. These self-governing sports provide their own rules and put on their own events. They are run by commercial organizations that aim to generate a return for their owners and shareholders.
So, how do we want cycling esports to be run? Do we want it to have independent assurance of being credible and fair, or not? Assuming we do, then if it’s not the UCI providing the independent oversight, then who?
Dr. George Gilbert—Chief Commissaire to multiple UCI Cycling Esports World Championships
An International Calendar and Ranking System Is a Value For Elite Athletes Seeking Advancement in the Sport
The Belgian road pro and esports star Lennert Teugels thinks the sport’s future relies on the UCI.
“I think eracing needs the UCI to grow. Otherwise, people will still consider it Zwift-racing only. It’s possible to have UCI events on multiple platforms as long as they follow the same rules and standards.”
The UCI alluded to this visionary plan in an October 2023 statement to The Zommunique’, when the organization revealed, “For your information, the UCI is currently working on establishing an international calendar and a ranking system for cycling esports and hope to welcome new events in the future.”
Fulfilling the technical requirements and bringing the sport to the next level will require a commitment from the hardware and software companies, which will be scrutinized by universal governance. The UCI must take the initiative to facilitate, mediate, and coordinate the process so that the sport can realize its value.
The UCI’s smart trainer homologation and wireless protocol program are crucial in ensuring fair competition and providing governing bodies with tools to assess the integrity of cycling esports. By creating a device and protocol to characterize smart trainer behavior, the program aims to maintain fairness in competitions.
Performance verification is equally vital. All platforms must adopt a dual-recorded data collection standard and rigorous performance verification protocols standardized and approved by the UCI. It will store athlete performance data collected from multiple platforms in a centralized database, where a neutral third party, akin to WADA, will review and compare it against a baseline “Digital Passport” of historical data.
Platform security is also a key focus. Platforms must guarantee security and be impervious to unauthorized access from third-party applications to ensure data integrity and prevent tampering.
Platforms seeking the UCI’s endorsement to host sanctioned cycling esports events must ensure universal accessibility and adhere to strict standards of accuracy and precision with minimal errors. Proposed changes to a platform’s architecture and data protocols may be necessary to meet UCI standards. The UCI will continue to support the platforms in all appropriate essential functions.
Once all components are in place, athletes can confidently compete, knowing their performances across platforms align with UCI standards. The UCI will use specialized points and ranking algorithms to determine various classifications, including individual, national, UCI “Esports” WorldTour, and Continental rankings, based on data collected from multiple platforms.
In addition, the UCI’s anti-doping Whereabout Requirements, Fair Cycling Campaign, and Cycling Integrity program bring more value in the form of athlete safety and legitimacy to cycling esports.
For South Africa’s National Esports Team Captain Aaron Borrill, independent third-party governance comes down to “The credibility the UCI affords the discipline. The UCI, the doping controls at World Champs, the depths they went to get us on neutral equipment, etc., made everything legit.”
UCI President David Lappartient is the IOC’s Esports Commission Chairman. The investment will yield exponential returns if the UCI’s influence leads to Olympic medal recognition. However, the federation must demonstrate to athletes and the cycling esports community its firm commitment and back it up with tangible returns.
The UCI Must Prove Its Value Now By Clearly Defining Its Vision
With Michael Rogers out, it’s time for the UCI to prove its value and define the future of cycling esports. Create a dedicated UCI Esport Director role and support it with personnel, resources, and decision-making authority. Fill it with a passionate individual with extensive fundamental and practical knowledge of virtual cycling and esports and the contacts and relationships to unite the players.
Provide a detailed timeline for implementing smart trainer homologation, performance verification, platform standardization, and international calendar and ranking system initiatives. Then, utilizing the UCI’s expertise in managing international competitions, coordinate with national federations to facilitate the organization of live in-person events, major esports tournaments, and championships.
The UCI’s influence has the potential to foster collaboration and cooperation among various stakeholders in the cycling esports ecosystem. By bringing together teams, organizers, and technology providers, the organization can promote innovation, best practices, and growth within the industry. This collaborative approach will lead to the development of standardized equipment, fair competition formats, and enhanced spectator experiences, benefiting all involved parties.
The time is now for the UCI to demonstrate its value to cycling esports and accountability to the deliverables. Any hesitation will suggest a lack of support for the sport.
Esports-specific organizations lack the endemic knowledge of virtual cycling and esports to effectively apply hardware, software, performance verification, anti-doping, event promotion, and athlete welfare initiatives.
Cycling esports requires an engaged, dedicated UCI and effective leadership to thrive. The sport needs the UCI. It’s worth it!
Semi-retired as owner and director of his private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice after over 20 years, Chris is blessed with the freedom to pursue his passion for virtual cycling and writing. On a continual quest to give back to his bike for all the rewarding experiences and relationships it has provided him, he created a non-profit. Chris is committed to helping others with his bike through its work and the pages of his site.
In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to New York to support the charity he founded, TheDIRTDadFund. His “Gain Cave” resides on the North Fork of Long Island, where he lives with his beautiful wife and is proud of his two independent children.
You will read him promoting his passion on the pages of Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. Chris is co-host of The Virtual Velo Podcast, too!
It should be noted that the UCI is not a truly “neutral international body”. Its leadership benefits financially from their involvement. Money influences their decisions, rather than purely what is best for the sport. In the past the UCI has covered up the drug cheating of their biggest stars (Lance, etc.). Money is likely the major reason the oppressive government (UAE) backed MyWhoosh was chosen for the world championships over other platforms. Just something to consider.