Welcome to the MyWhoosh Cycling Esports League

Winter – ughh. ‘Tis the season to be wet, cold and miserable'. It's the time of year when you look out the window, then look at the bike and breathe a sigh of resignation. This isn’t going to happen today, or probably tomorrow.

Motivation ebbs, while the crisps and fizzy pop flow. Way to mess up my life, winter. Thanks for that. You think about the moth-eaten indoor trainer in your shed. Another four months of staring at plywood and mildew is not a pleasant prospect.

But then, suddenly, as if the cycling gods had sensed your plight, an email lands in your inbox, the title of which makes you bristle with excitement – the colder months could well be an entirely different proposition. “MyWhoosh eSport League”, it says. ”Open to all riders.” It concludes.

This, you think, is a bit of me. Competition, motivation and ridiculous fitness gains all rolled into one neat shed-based package. No rain, or wind, or apocalyptic weather events to contend with.

The initial excitement subsides and you gather your thoughts enough to read the entirety of the email. Just what does the Cycling eSports League (CEL) involve?
Jumping off the page is the information that you don’t actually need to be part of an eRacing team to take part in the CEL, and individual entrants are very much welcome.

Perfect for those who have no friends or don’t really like other people. For the more gregarious among us though, teams can be joined or formed and each race can be approached with camaraderie and pre-established tactics. Whichever way you decide to take on the CEL you can be assured of fast, frantic and soul-searching sessions in the saddle.

Multiple race formats

The CEL, you go on to read, comprises an impressive array of ways to keep your heart rate high and the motivation rev-counter touching the red. Race formats aren’t just restricted to the usual mass-start affairs (Scratch races) where the first to cross the line receives all the plaudits.

Time trials and Points races bolster the spread here giving everyone a chance to
walk away from their respective pain caves feeling incredibly pleased with themselves.
Scratch races are, of course, the purest form of racing – you, or your team, against the
world.

Whoever crosses the line first takes away individual points or adds to their team’s
tally. Points races consist of events where sprints are contended throughout proceedings – perfect for those who want to improve their anaerobic and neuromuscular performance on the bike.

Time trials need no introduction but if you have ambitions to become the next Remco Evenepoel these are the events you’ll want to focus on. Consistency is rewarded in MyWhoosh’s CEL. The more you race, the more points you’ll accrue. But when will the events take place?

The email continues to highlight races taking part in every time zone on the planet, although you might struggle with Bluetooth dropouts in Antarctica. The CEL starts on 2 December and runs through an eight-week programme. This gives you enough time to become truly immersed in the League.

Winter will pass by in a blur of sweat, watts and water bottles. You won’t only have found a reason to keep the pedals turning through the cooler months but you’ll have done so with a smile of sorts on your face.

Keeping it honest

The email concludes with the boring but important stuff. How are races made fair? There’s long been debate that indoor racing leagues often fall foul to folk who aren’t necessarily fond of following the rules. It’s invariably a tiny minority of users that go rogue, but MyWhoosh has gone belt and braces with entry requirements.

Smart trainers, power meters, heart-rate monitors are all required and scrutinised, while an up-to-date FTP Test also needs to be completed in order to place riders in the correct category. The CEL, then, is a gift from the cycling gods. A fun and fast way to negotiate winter while acquiring a whole bunch of fitness gains in the process.

See you on the line.