Here is your chance to join the Movistar Zwift racing team 

A series of qualifying races will be held on the virtual training platform, giving you a chance to join the squad

(Image credit: Zwift)

Have you ever fancied your chances at becoming a top tier Zwift racer? 

For any riders who have become experts in the field of virtual racing during the coronavirus pandemic, Spanish WorldTour squad Movistar is offering a unique opportunity to join their e-racing team. 

Movistar will be hosting a series of tough online events on Zwift to find new competitors to join their virtual competition squad. 

While invites have been sent out to the 300 best-ranked Zwift racers on the training platform, casual riders can also test their form in a series of qualifying events, giving you the chance to try out for the Movistar E-Team. 

Movistar’s chief marketing officer, Juan Pablo Molinero, said: “Virtual cycling is a great opportunity and the ultimate content creator in cycling. Movistar Team is excited to use this platform to offer new possibilities to their fans, supporters and partners. 

“The Movistar E-Team will enlarge our audience and 'contact points' with our fans. We cannot wait to begin this adventure. Being the first World Tour Team to have its own E-Team is an amazing opportunity. Thanks to Zwift and GCN, who are partnering with us, it is going to change the cycling industry.”

Held over five weeks, the Movistar Team Challenge will start on Wednesday, February 3 with two qualifying races, catered to different time zones. 

The 300-best ranked riders, many of whom are competing in the Zwift Racing League, will be able to compete for a place on the team.

Also on February 3, qualifying races will also be held for both men and women with the top-three in each race being eligible to take part in the first round of the Movistar Team Challenge on Wednesday, February 10. 

Then from February 10, all invited and qualified riders will take part in a series of competitions to whittle down the contenders.

The first two events, held in the same week, will be elimination races with the top 100 riders (50 men and 50 women) progressing to round two.

Only 20 men and 20 women will make it through round two to then compete in the finals. 

The final races will be a series of challenge events, attended by GCN and Movistar team, with 10 riders then being selected to join the new Movistar E-Team based on their abilities. 

Winners will receive a Canyon road bike (both in Zwift and in real life), Movistar team kit and equipment, access to team coaches, nutritionists and training camps, and a one-year contract. 

>>> Here are all the 2021 races cancelled because of coronavirus so far 

 For more information click here. 

Contestants must be aged 18 or over on March 1, 2021.  

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Alex Ballinger

Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.  Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.