British Cycling has announced a partnership with online training platform, Zwift. The two year deal will see the establishment of the British Cycling eRacing Championships in early 2019.
The Championship will be made up of a series of qualifying rounds, culminating in a live final event which will include the top-ranked riders of all ages and genders. Comprised of multiple races, including a time trial and elimination race, the final will see riders compete for a national jersey, designed by Kalas Sportswear.
Anybody is free to compete in the races, though the final event is only open to the 146,000 British Cycling membership.
'The eSports market is particularly exciting for cycling as it enables so many more people to participate and be active,' said British Cycling Commercial Director Jonathan Rigby.
'[Zwift’s] technology and our cycling expertise will together allow communities of cyclists to get more out of riding bikes for competition and for fun.
'We’re also excited about what this could mean for identifying talent,' he added. 'We are proud to have a wealth of gifted riders competing on the world stage and we are confident that Zwift technology will enable us to unearth more future stars.'
As part of the partnership, structured training plans will be available to British Cycling members, while virtual rides with the Great Britain Cycling Team, progression tracking, and exclusive in-game items will also be on offer.
The first group ride will come at 19:00GMT on the 12th December, and will be led by double Paralympic champion Steve Bate.
'Wearing your country’s national stripes is a huge honour, but relatively few ever get the chance to compete,” said Eric Min, Zwift CEO and co-founder.
'But that’s not the case with the British Cycling eRacing Championships, powered by Zwift, as everyone in the country is eligible to throw their hat into the ring.
'We are looking at dates in February and March 2019, so now is a good time as ever to start training and keep in shape this winter.'