In Episode 52 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Emma welcome Great Britain’s cycling esports superstar, Lou Bates. From a bustling corner of her Zurich hotel lobby, Emma found a coveted Wi-Fi signal and a short window of time. She’s there putting words to the action, calling numerous 2024 Road and Para-Cycling World Champions for the BBC. [Please excuse the sound quality.]

Will Lou be one of them at this year’s Cycling Esports World Championships? After a technology mishap ended her quest for the rainbow bands in 2023, the powerful puncheur is on a mission in 2024. She blitzed the semi-finals to take the top spot and punch her ticket to the live event Cycling Esports World Championship Final in Abu Dhabi.

Lou shares the wild, emotional roller coaster ride and explains why, even if it rolls to a stop, it wouldn’t change who she is or her love for cycling.

Don’t miss out on the unique opportunity to delve even deeper into the intriguing topics discussed in this episode. We’ve curated a selection of articles that inspired our conversation, providing you with exclusive insights.

• 2024 UCI Cycling Esports Finalists Punch Their Tickets to the Live Event in Abu Dhabi [Zommunique, Sept. 10, 2024]
• Elite Eracer Lou Bates Has Found the Tricky Balance [Zommunique, Feb. 5, 2022]
• All of the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship Smart Trainers Will Be Tested, Standardized, and UCI-Approved [Zommunique, Aug. 6, 2024]
• This Season On Zwift: The Racer’s Edition 2024/25 [Zommunique, Sept. 16, 2024]

Join us for a conversational ride where we not only lend a voice to the digital athlete but also bridge the gap between athlete and avatar. We invite you to be part of this exciting exploration of the future of virtual sport and digital athlete engagement!

In Episode 51 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and guest host, cycling broadcaster Matt Payne, welcome 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship finalist, the USA's Hayden "Farmwatts" Pucker.

He epitomizes the new breed of cycling esports racers making a mark on the sport through their youthful exuberance, competitive charisma, and drive to be the best in the world. In a sport that often struggles to create personal connections, his passion really shines through.

Or perhaps it's his freakish farmwatts that endear him to fans and make him the pundit's pick. Listen to Hayden discuss the traits that have him poised to realize his dream.

Will his made-for-movies athletic journey have a storybook ending? Hayden is just getting started!

Don’t miss out on the unique opportunity to delve even deeper into the intriguing topics discussed in this episode. We’ve curated a selection of articles that inspired our conversation, providing you with exclusive insights.

• 2024 UCI Cycling Esports Finalists Punch Their Tickets to the Live Event in Abu Dhabi [Zommunique, Sept. 10, 2024]
• Get to Know Why They Call This Elite Cyclist, Hayden “Farmwatts” Pucker [Zommunique, Jan. 8, 2024]
• The Rise of Cyclors: The high-wattage cyclists who power America's Cup teams [CyclingNews, May 17, 2024]
• All of the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship Smart Trainers Will Be Tested, Standardized, and UCI-Approved [Zommunique, Aug. 6, 2024]
• This Season On Zwift: The Racer’s Edition 2024/25 [Zommunique, Sept. 16, 2024]

Join us for a conversational ride where we not only lend a voice to the digital athlete but also bridge the gap between athlete and avatar. We invite you to be part of this exciting exploration of the future of virtual sport and digital athlete engagement!

In Episode 50 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Emma welcome Matt Smithson, MyWhoosh's Senior Director of Esports and Events. Before getting Matt's prediction for who will pull the rainbow-striped jersey over their heads, he shares MyWhoosh's unlikely journey to the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships Semi-Final, which took place on September 6th.

They break down the thrilling semi-final action and give the 20 men's and women's qualifiers a sneak peek into what they, and the fans, can expect during the first-of-its-kind live event final in Abu Dhabi on October 26th.

This special 50th edition of the Virtual Velo Podcast covers performance verification, smart trainer standardization, public qualification, the UCI partnership, the National Federations, the lessons the MyWhoosh team learned by hosting the event for the first time, and how they plan to make 2025 even better.

Don’t miss out on the unique opportunity to delve even deeper into the intriguing topics discussed in this episode. We’ve curated a selection of articles that inspired our conversation, providing you with exclusive insights.

• 2024 UCI Cycling Esports Finalists Punch Their Tickets to the Live Event in Abu Dhabi [Zommunique, Sept. 10, 2024]
• 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships Semi-Finals Details Revealed [Zommunique, Aug. 28, 2024]
• All of the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship Smart Trainers Will Be Tested, Standardized, and UCI-Approved [Zommunique, Aug. 6, 2024]
• Emerging Cycling Culture in Abu Dhabi: Grassroots Racing and Community Infrastructure Investment [Zommunique, May 20, 2024]

Join us for a conversational ride where we not only lend a voice to the digital athlete but also bridge the gap between athlete and avatar. We invite you to be part of this exciting exploration of the future of virtual sport and digital athlete engagement!