Cycling South Africa is excited to announce the team selected to represent our nation at the fourth edition of the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. The event, organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and MyWhoosh, will be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in October 2024.
For the first time, all participants who qualify for the finals will compete on-site in Abu Dhabi. The event organizer will arrange for the top 20 female and male athletes from the qualifying rounds to travel to Abu Dhabi.
Earlier this year, the UCI announced that MyWhoosh would be the exclusive platform and organizer of the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships for the next three years (2024-2026). MyWhoosh aims to provide athletes, fans, and enthusiasts with an immersive experience that combines the excitement of esports with the spirit of cycling, fostering the growth of this rapidly expanding discipline.
The 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will include qualifying rounds to determine the finalists who will compete in Abu Dhabi. Detailed information about the event, including the location and exact dates, qualification pathways, and format details, will be communicated early next year.
In addition to the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, Abu Dhabi will host several prestigious cycling events, including the 2024 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships, the 2028 UCI Road World Championships, the 2028 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, and the 2029 UCI Track World Championships, reinforcing its status as a hub for top-class cycling events.
The 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will be held in three rounds:
- Round 1: Qualifiers (May – August 2024): Different racing formats hosted virtually through National Federations and MyWhoosh Public Qualifiers.
- Round 2: Semi-Finals (September 6, 2024): A 2-stage point-scoring race format with 150 riders (per gender) hosted virtually.
- Round 3: Live Final (October 26, 2024): A 3-stage point-scoring race format with 20 riders (per gender) hosted live in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The events will be raced in a custom virtual world and will use points-based scoring to ensure that athletes of all specialties have an opportunity to win. Points are awarded for various achievements, such as being the quickest on a segment, the first on a lap, or the first up a climb.
The final will consist of three separate races designed to test different skills:
- The Sprint: A 1.6km circuit where riders have 15 minutes to set their best time over a defined 300m segment.
- The Strategy: A 9km circuit with a single climb of just over 1.5km, awarding points for reaching the base and summit of the climb first, as well as finishing positions.
- All Out: Four laps of a 4km criterium circuit, with points awarded at the end of each lap and double points on the last lap. The finish line is at the top of a climb with a maximum gradient of 12%.
All riders will start the Abu Dhabi final with zero points, and the UCI World Champion in both categories (Men and Women) will be the rider who accumulates the most points across the three races.
Esports Men
- Aaron Borrill
- James Barnes
- Bradley Gouveris
- Gareth Jooste
- Pieter Avenant
- Henry Uys
- Reinhardt Geyser
Reserves
- Hendre Knoetze
- Bradley Thompson
Esports Women
- Jill Pruett
- Taneal Otto
- Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius
- Grace Sargeant
- Lucy Young
- Kelsey Van Schoor
The 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, presented by MyWhoosh, represent a major milestone for the world of cycling esports. This year’s event will begin in the riders’ homes and culminate in a grand final in Abu Dhabi, where the athletes will compete in person.
Cycling South Africa extends its best wishes to all our athletes as they prepare for this exciting event. For more updates, please visit the Cycling South Africa website.
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