By Sagar Mankar 
Who knew virtual cycling could be so exciting?
The 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, held on October 26 at ADNEC Marina Hall in Abu Dhabi, UAE, crowned New Zealand’s Kate McCarthy and Germany’s Jason Osborne as champions in the women’s and men’s categories, respectively.
This unique “phygital” (physical + digital) tournament drew finalists from around the world to compete for a prize pool of $60,000, evenly split between men’s and women’s races.
Both McCarthy and Osborne earned $15,000 for first place, while second and third places took home $10,000 and $5,000 each.
The presence of International Olympic Committee representatives highlighted the growing legitimacy of esports in the competitive cycling world.
In this year’s championship, 42 finalists (22 men and 20 women) raced live at the venue using the “MyWhoosh” virtual cycling platform. This marked a shift from past championships, previously held on the Zwift platform, as UCI partnered with MyWhoosh to host the next three editions of the event.
Unlike at-home racing, finalists competed in front of a live audience, adding an extra level of pressure and excitement. Organizers covered travel for all competitors to ensure a level playing field, with strict performance “verification processes” in place to uphold fair competition.
The road to the finals began in March, with a points-based qualification system established from previous championships in 2022 and 2023. About 80% of the race spots were allocated to National Federations, which conducted qualifying rounds, while the remaining 20% of finalists advanced via the MyWhoosh public qualification pathway. Semi-final races in September then whittled down the field to 20 women and 22 men for the Abu Dhabi finals.
This year’s race “format” featured three unique stages to test riders’ versatility. First was a timed 300-meter “Sprint” lap, then a “Strategist” road race on hilly terrain, and finally, the four-lap “All Out” criterium on a 4km circuit. Each stage awarded points, with cumulative scores determining the final winners.
Women’s Tournament:
In the women’s category, McCarthy took an early lead by winning the Sprint race, securing 20 points. Great Britain’s Lou Bates launched an early attack in the Strategist race, but McCarthy and Brazil’s Gabriela Guerra countered on the climb. Guerra claimed the top points at the finish, narrowly taking the lead over McCarthy.
However, in the final All-Out race, McCarthy regained her edge, earning critical points to win with a total of 180 points, narrowly ahead of Guerra’s 176 points. Switzerland’s Kathrin Fuhrer placed third with 165 points.
Men’s Tournament:
In the men’s category, Jason Osborne’s aggressive strategy paid off as he consistently scored high in each stage. Despite a strong early showing by Belgium’s Lionel Vujasin, Osborne overtook him during the All-Out race, ultimately winning with 177 points.
Vujasin finished close behind with 174 points, while Finland’s Kasper Borremans secured third with 164 points.
This is Jason’s second championship, having previously won the inaugural Cycling Esports World Championship in 2020.
Sources: UCI, Cycling News‘s Christopher Schwenker, and Stephen Farrand.
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