The Union Cyclist International Confirms the Semi-Final Format and other details for the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
The virtual cycling platform MyWhoosh will host twenty men and women esports riders a live in-person final in Abu Dhabi on October 26th. In March, the UCI notified the National Federations of rider quotas for the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship Semi-Final. On May 6th, 2024, the UCI released the first version of the 2024 Race Book, revealing key event details, such as the Semi-Final format and other information.
Round 1. Qualification
MyWhoosh will host the 4th edition of the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships in a three-round structure. National Federation and MyWhoosh Public Qualifiers will occur virtually from May through August.
The National Federations will assign the semi-final starting spots using their selection criteria. The 126 men and 131 women allocated by the UCI’s qualification system will comprise approximately 80 percent of the +/-150 racer semi-final starting field.
The UCI will fill the remaining 20 percent of the semi-final slots through the Public Qualification Pathway. National Federations that have not participated in previous editions of the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will be allowed to propose three riders for automatic entry (riders must be MyWhoosh level 10 or higher).
The UCI obligates the federations to include all racers from their country who have qualified via this pathway as additional roster entries, increasing the quota.
After the federations have completed their qualifications, the public qualification will consist of six races spread over six weeks later this summer. The top 25 riders will secure a spot on the start line of the semi-finals.
The twenty best-placing finishers in the semi-finals, plus up to four wildcard selections, will face off in a live event final in Abu Dhabi on October 26th to determine the 2024 UCI Cycling Esport World Champion.
Round 2. Semi-Finals
The semi-final consists of two stages contested remotely on September 6th, 2024. The event will include two stages identical in name and format to those in the live final. It will be points-based, with the top 20 riders qualifying for the live final in Abu Dhabi after completing the two stages.
Semi-Final Stage 1: The Strategist
In the first semi-final stage, riders face a 9km circuit featuring a challenging climb exceeding 1.5km in length. Points await those leading the race at the base and summit of the climb and across the finish line.
Points will be distributed to the top 20 riders at each key point along the course and double points at the finish.
Course: 9-kilometer Circuit
The 6.5-kilometer route features rolling hills that lead to an approximately 4-minute climb, then a fast descent to a 1-kilometer flat run to the finish line.
Intermediate Sprint Locations:
#1-Base of the Climb
#2-Top of the Climb
#3-Finish Line (Double Points)
Points Breakdown:
Base of the climb: 20 to 1 in increments of 1.
Top of the Climb: 20 to 1 in increments of 1.
Finish Line: Double points-40 to 2 in increments of 2.
Semi-Final Stage 2: All Out
In Stage 2, riders will complete 4 laps of a 4km criterium circuit. Points will be distributed at the finish line after each lap, with double points offered on the final lap.
Notably, the finish line of each lap sits atop a 50-second climb featuring a 12% gradient. Points go to the top 20 riders crossing the finish line on each lap.
Course: 4 laps of a 4-kilometer Circuit with an approximately 50-second steep climb to each lap’s start/finish line.
Intermediate Sprint Locations: Start/finish each lap at the top of the climb.
Points Breakdown: Lap 1 thru 3, 20 to 1 in increments of 1.
Finish line: Double points at the finish. Lap 4, 40 to 2 in increments of 2.
Round 3. Live Final
After the Semi-Final, MyWhoosh and the UCI will confirm the 20 riders for the Live Final, notifying them and their Federations beforehand. Riders will have 48 hours to accept their spots, and if they decline, replacements will step in based on Semi-Final standings via a roll-down system. All Live Final spots are for individual riders, not slots for federations.
MyWhoosh and the UCI may grant up to 4 Wild Cards per gender directly to the Live Final, with Wild Card riders affiliated with their National Federations. Finalists receive air tickets and accommodation in Abu Dhabi, covered by MyWhoosh, and must be present for at least four days.
In-Person Live Final in Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Date: October 26, 2024
- Place: Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Equipment: Rider’s bikes on Elite Justo smart trainers
- Performance Verification: MyWhoosh and the UCI
- Number of Riders: 20 men, 20 women, and four wild cards per gender
- The event organizer will coordinate arrangements and cover travel expenses for the athletes invited to the live final.
- Format: Three-race points-based event
- Approximately 15-20 minutes per race, with approximately ten minutes between races.
- Points accumulated in each race will determine the final placings.
- Riders who amass the highest point total scores across the three races will be the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Champion.
Stage 1 features a sprint stage with riders vying to set the fastest time on a defined 300-meter segment within a 1.6km circuit. They have 15 minutes to post their best effort; a live leaderboard will track the positions.
Points are awarded to the top 20 riders based on their fastest time during the session, with the fastest rider earning the maximum points. The tactical nature of the stage allows riders to strategize whether to sprint early or wait until the last moment to secure their position on the leaderboard.
Final Stage 2: The Strategist and Stage 3: All Out will follow the same format described in the Semi-finals.
Key Points: MyWhoosh and UCI Cycling Esports Rules and Regulations
- Equipment: For the semi-finals, riders will use their own smart trainers, which must meet the requirements of the MyWhoosh Ruleset.
- Hardware for Live Final: All athletes who qualify for the Live Final will be sent an Elite Justo at least four weeks before the event, which will remain the athlete’s property at the event’s end.
- Verification: Before participating in the Semi-Final Stage of the World Championships on MyWhoosh, all athletes must undergo MyWhoosh’s independent verification process and successfully complete a MyWhoosh Power Passport test.
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.
