Table of Contents
- 1 E-Cycling: An e-sports discipline on the way to Olympic status
- 2 Mountain bikers as e-athletes
- 3 Virtual races as training motivation
- 4 The article discusses e-cycling’s potential to democratize access to cycling. In what ways might e-cycling contribute to a more inclusive and diverse cycling community, and what barriers need to be overcome to achieve this?
Never heard of e-cycling? This does not mean a discipline that is carried out on e-bikes – on the contrary! When rolling at the highest level, it is not the machine that drives the person, but the other way around. Since the Corona pandemic at the latest, the progressive professionalization of this e-sports discipline has been unstoppable. While the athletes sweat on a roller trainer, they push their avatar forward within an app. Hundreds of races take place in virtual worlds every day. The hottest of them: The official world championship in e-cycling. As befits professional sport, Germany runs its own national team in the emerging sport. As Sporting Director of Digital Cycling at the Association of German Cyclists, Sebastian Wolf is responsible for competitive sports development. He knows why roller riding is so popular and why mountain bikers can become successful e-athletes.
Photo: Archive Sebastian WolfSebastian Wolf is the sports director for digital cycling at the Association of German Cyclists.
E-Cycling: An e-sports discipline on the way to Olympic status
BIKE: What does an official sports director for digital cycling do?
SEBASTIAN WOLF: The tasks are very similar to those in road cycling. There is only one competition a year in e-cycling, the World Cup, which is held with the national team. I also look after a German elite team, Beastmode p/b ROSE, that takes part in other competitions. In coordination with a small team at BDR, I then nominate drivers for the World Championships. In the previous competitions on Zwift, I sat in the virtual team car, so to speak, watched the race and gave tactical tips. In the virtual world there are also slipstreams and mountains and therefore, to a certain extent, room for team tactics. I see the route in real time and can, for example, announce the best moment for an attack. In comparison to analogue cycling, the driving technique component is of course missing. In the app, for example, it is not so important in which position you drive into a bottleneck, but rather at what speed, as it is easier to drive through the field. This year the World Cup was held on the My Whoosh platform in Abu Dhabi. That’s why the final took place without my accompaniment.
How did the E-Cycling World Championships 2024 in Abu Dhabi go from your point of view?
Of course, the previous, purely digital format also had advantages. Everyone was able to take part from home with their own equipment without having to travel. But it was certainly good for the sport as a whole that there was a live event this year. Roller trainers were originally developed by the manufacturers as training devices and not with the intention of competitive sports. For example, certain deviations can result from temperature fluctuations. In elite sport, little things like this make a big difference. Similar to doping, a five percent advantage can decide between gold or fifth place. At the live event, these questions did not arise thanks to standardized and officially approved roller trainers – or to put it another way: at least conscious manipulation is ruled out. We had a total of 5 athletes at the start and were able to build on the successes of the last few years. We are of course very happy with Jason Osborne’s German world championship title and Merle Brunée’s sixth place.
In which direction will e-cycling develop as a sport in the future?
E-cycling is a very young, dynamic sport with challenges and opportunities. Similar to mountain biking 25 years ago, the structures have not yet been fully defined. There is definitely a perspective on Olympic e-sports games. That would mean that there would also be Olympic medals to be won – which would certainly be good for public perception. Most recently, the Olympic Esports Games for the coming years were awarded to Saudi Arabia. Like all e-sports, e-cycling is also carried out on commercial platforms. Companies like Zwift or My Whoosh will therefore determine to a certain extent where the journey takes us. Either way, the importance of the sport is growing very quickly. Jason Osborne, for example, has announced his departure from the World Tour and is becoming a full e-sports professional. Around ten to 20 athletes worldwide can already finance themselves solely through W-Cycling. However, there is still a large discrepancy between athlete performance and support. The teams work without their own trainers, physiotherapists, nutritionists and usually only have one employee.
Mountain bikers as e-athletes
BIKE: When it comes to e-sports, many bikers probably think of computer games. How does this fit in with cycling?
SEBASTIAN WOLF: People also talk about the four pillars of e-sports. One pillar that the International Olympic Committee does not want to tackle is everything that counts in the area of so-called “shooting games”. The best-known area of e-sports is games such as League of Legends. Then there are the sports simulations. E-cycling then belongs to the last pillar, which is closest to the classic Olympic sport – i.e. the area in which real physical sport has to be practiced, which then arrives on the screen.
It’s obvious that many of the best e-cycling athletes come from road cycling. Are there also athletes with a mountain bike background?
Absolutely. For example, in the top German teams there are riders from the mountain bike marathon sector. Most athletes who train a lot of volume eventually come across roller training as a way to stay fit in the winter and with little risk of injury. Speed skaters and rowers also find their way to e-cycling. Bike mastery is not necessarily necessary. However, we are looking for a type of driver who can deliver strong performance in short efforts and especially in races of up to 60 minutes. Here we are talking about a five-minute value in the order of seven watts per kilo of body weight. It takes a high VO2max value and good lactate metabolism in this range. In contrast to road cycling, there is less need for the foundation and efficiency to go on an attack after five hours of exertion.
How close is the connection between e-cycling and mountain biking?
In terms of structure, mountain biking is probably even closer to e-cycling than racing cycling. MTB races in particular are often about short efforts. In the field, the athletes don’t just drive around for hours until it really starts. It’s about short attacks, recovery and repeatability. Fast starts to sprints are also common with both E-cycling can promote exactly that.
Virtual races as training motivation
BIKE: Is e-cycling also something for hobby riders?
SEBASTIAN WOLF: Role training itself has already become established. The new technical possibilities can make winter training easier. In the wide range of free or paid software, everyone is sure to find something that appeals to them – be it training and intervals, the simulation of outdoor driving or the virtual worlds. As a cycling fan myself, racing is a lot of fun. The competitions really feel like a bike race. It’s certainly not for every day, but it’s a great addition to loose volume. A distinction must be made between motivating training and professional racing. In the latter case, great effort is made to rule out manipulation. Athletes have to document their weight in videos and prove that they can achieve similar performance outside as in the app. In some cases, dual controlling takes place via smart trainers and power meters. There are also laboratory tests and so on. Unfortunately, hobby drivers have to live with the fact that there are athletes driving around in the virtual world who weigh 80 kilos but only say they weigh 60 kilos because the commercial platforms cannot or do not want to control everyone. Doping without any health risks, so to speak. But this can also happen unintentionally, for example if someone buys a bad trainer or unknowingly calibrates it incorrectly.
Can you derive recommendations for non-professionals from this??
At the amateur level, roller training can primarily serve as training. Fun should be the priority. It can be much more motivating to include an e-cycling race than simply riding VO2 max intervals. A big advantage is the low entry barrier. As a rule, you don’t have to pay an entry fee for the races and you don’t have to drive somewhere first. Nobody can see if a driver is left behind after three kilometers. There is less room for shame. E-cycling can therefore also be interesting for cyclists who have no racing ambitions in the analogue world. The best thing to do is look for like-minded people in the communities. So you are not alone during training and racing. In winter, the next sporting goal is usually far away. The virtual events can provide additional training motivation.
The article discusses e-cycling’s potential to democratize access to cycling. In what ways might e-cycling contribute to a more inclusive and diverse cycling community, and what barriers need to be overcome to achieve this?
Here are some open-ended questions focusing on the key topics covered in the article, designed to spark discussion and diverse viewpoints:
**Section 1: E-Cycling and its Connection to Cycling**
* The article mentions e-cycling’s inclusion within the broader category of eSports. What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of e-cycling being associated with eSports?
* Should e-cycling be considered a legitimate “sport” alongside traditional cycling disciplines like road racing and mountain biking? Why or why not?
* How can the physical demands of e-cycling, while different from outdoor cycling, contribute to overall athlete fitness and performance?
**Section 2: E-Cycling and Mountain Bikers**
* The article highlights similarities between e-cycling and mountain biking, particularly the role of short, intense efforts. How can mountain bikers utilize e-cycling to improve their performance in real-world riding?
* What unique skills or training methodologies from mountain biking could be beneficial to e-cyclists?
* Could e-cycling become a viable training tool for mountain bikers during the off-season or in situations where outdoor riding is limited?
**Section 3: E-Cycling for Amateur Riders**
* The article suggests e-cycling can offer hobbyists a more engaging alternative to traditional indoor training. What are the ethical implications of a virtual racing environment with potential for manipulation or dishonesty?
* How can hobbyists ensure they are getting an authentic and fair racing experience in e-cycling?
* What are the best ways to foster a sense of community and support among amateur e-cyclists?
**Section 4: The Future of E-Cycling**
* Given its increasing popularity, where do you see e-cycling heading in the next 5-10 years?
* What innovations or technological advancements could further shape the future of e-cycling?
* How can e-cycling be made more accessible and inclusive to a wider range of cyclists?
**Encouraging Diverse Viewpoints**
When facilitating a discussion based on these questions:
* **Embrace Different Perspectives:** Encourage participants to express their opinions freely, even if they differ from the norm.
* **Active Listening:** Create an environment where people feel heard and respected.
* **Challenge Assumptions:** Gently probe participants to examine their own biases and consider alternative viewpoints.
