EXCLUSIVE Daily Star Sport visited the UCI Esports World Championship last month – where gold medalists juggle sport with their day jobs
“I think I would manage to make it to the finish,” Tadej Pogacar told Daily Star Sport with something of a small smirk on his face.
Given his palmaras, it would be a fair assumption. Pogacar, 27, is still at the peak of his powers, yet many view the four-time Tour de France champion, double World Champion, and ten-time monument winner as the greatest racer the sport has ever seen.
Pogacar had been discussing the opening stage of the UCI Esports World Championship – a straight uphill shoot-out with a paceline over an 8km course as gradients increased up to 20 per cent; riders earning points every five seconds survived.
“But I don’t know what the gap would be between me and the first rider,” Pogacar added, acknowledging that this was unfamiliar territory – even for someone used to dominating the steepest roads in the world.
Cycling Esports feels like an alien discipline to many within the sport, with racing taking place on an indoor bike on a virtual platform, rather than out on the roads.
The relatively low barrier to entry is one of its defining features. Anyone with a compatible trainer can connect to MyWhoosh – the virtual platform that hosts the World Championships – and, at least in theory, ride their way to the very top.
And that openness is by design, according to MyWhoosh spokesman Matt Smithson: “I’ve always believed against bringing outdoor cycling indoors.
“If you do a point-to-point race where it’s simply first across the line, you’re really just replicating what everyone can already do at their local criterium or club race.
“The core concept here [the World Championship] was to mix things up, originally blending elements of track racing with some road racing, and then seeing where that takes us.
“We do need to be careful with cycling eSports. There has to be a path forward in gamification and engagement for riders at home, while also ensuring that the best rider still wins – so it’s not a purely chance-based scenario. Sport still needs to differentiate itself from pure entertainment.”
Through a global qualification process, the best 22 men and women earned the right to compete in Abu Dhabi for a shot at the rainbow jersey. Unlike Pogacar, however, none of them are full-time professional cyclists.
Mary Kate McCartney, after claiming her second rainbow jersey on the bounce, admitted she is still working two jobs: “I think you can do both, but it’s a lot of pressure because everything is based on prize money.
“There’s no consistent income…I hope the sport grows to a point where we can be paid full-time, but I’m not sure how that will look yet, especially with teams becoming more involved. There are numerous moving parts.”
While Gabriel Guerra, who finished in silver, added: “For me, I’m currently a full-time step mum, so everything I earn from prize money is a bonus.
“I treat this as a full-time job in terms of dedication and routine, and I’m fortunate to have the flexibility to do that!”
It’s not just the World Championship that offers prize money; the pair are regulars on MyWhoosh’s Sunday Race Club, which offers cash prizes for racers each week.
Francesca Tommasi, who won bronze, is also a regular each Sunday – that’s when she’s not working as a doctor. Tommasi wasn’t the only doctor racing too: Merle Brunnee joked to Daily Star Sport that even she is unsure how she has time.
She said: “I think the secret is that I want to do it, because I enjoy it. Everyone has hobbies, and hobbies take time. Sport – eSports, triathlon, cycling – is my biggest hobby, and I enjoy it…most of the time!”
Brunnee, who also competes in Ironman triathlons, trains once before work and then again once she’s clocked off for the evening.
“Mentally and physically, it helps to already have one session done before work. Some intensity sessions are easier in the morning, others are not…
“Running hard intervals before work is especially tough, and I prefer to do those with a group.
“I can’t exactly ask my colleagues to join me for track intervals…”
In many ways, it sits at a crossroads – unprecedented accessibility, real competition, and life-changing opportunities, while not offering income outside of prize money.
However, that is changing; racers noted more and more sponsors are coming onboard, and, maybe, this is the future of bike racing.