Tom Pidcock, Anna van der Breggen and Esteban Chaves headline first ever UCI Zwift World Championships 

The first ever Zwift World Championships have attracted some of the biggest names in cycling, with Tom Pidcock, Anna van der Breggen and Esteban Chaves all expected on the virtual start line. 

Next month, online training platform Zwift will host the first ever UCI Cycling Esports World Championships with rainbow jerseys up for grabs for both the men’s and women’s races. 

Zwift has now published the start list for the 2020 Zwift Worlds, scheduled for December 9, with 22 nations competing across both events. 

Alongside the likes of Britain’s Pidcock and reigning road world champion Van der Breggen, we’ll also see Lawson Craddock, Edvald Boasson Hagen and Dame Sarah Storey compete in Watopia. 

Zwift CEO Eric Min said: “Together with the UCI on December 9th, we will be making history.” 

“This will be the first event of its kind and I believe it will mark the future direction of sport, fitness and competition. 

“There is no doubt that technology will play a bigger role and this competition perfectly blends technology with what we traditionally associate with physical ‘sport’. Already the lines are blurred, and this is evident when looking at the teams selected by each of the national cycling federations. 

“Many will be familiar with the WorldTour riders but I believe they will be pushed all the way by the specialist indoor racers. Don’t be surprised to see a member of the Zwift Cycling Esports emerge on top. This is only the beginning, and I can’t wait.” 

The races will take place on a 50km course, taking in the Watopia Figure Eight Reverse route, finishing atop the Hilly KOM.  Both the men and women will compete over the same course with the same distance.  

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Zwift will also be hosting a series of community races called the Nations Challenge, organised by WTRL and starting on December 5 and 6.  

UCI Cycling Esports World Championships 2020 start list