The 2025 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will return to Abu Dhabi in November, marking the second consecutive year the event is hosted in the UAE. The competition will once again be powered by MyWhoosh, the online training and racing platform with which the UCI holds an exclusive partnership until 2026.
Previously, the World Championships were held on the Zwift platform for the first three years before MyWhoosh took over in 2024.
Top male and female riders from the semi-finals will travel to Abu Dhabi for the final race, where they will vie for the coveted world champion title and rainbow jersey. Qualifying events will determine who advances to the semi-finals, which in turn, will decide the competitors for the World Championships.
The finals will take place at the Space42 Arena, a dedicated esports venue, with a live audience and global streaming access.
Mary Kate McCarthy of New Zealand and Jason Osborne of Germany claimed the inaugural World Championship titles in 2024, marking the first-ever cycling esports event of its kind.
Unlike most traditional cycling events, the UCI Esports World Championships allow anyone to compete, with two main qualification routes: selection by national cycling federations or participation in public qualifiers. Additionally, wild card entries were introduced last year, with two additional spots per gender for the finalists.
Jacob Fraser, the UCI’s esports coordinator, emphasized the fairness of the event’s technical setup, noting that athletes could compete without any external disadvantages. “The racers have a fair and legitimate chance to win the rainbow stripes based solely on their ability that day,” he said, adding, “From the fan perspective, we want exciting racing. A rainbow jersey is such a unique award, and we hope the next generation of cyclists is inspired by esports athletes at the World Championship level.”
The 2024 competition saw 42 contestants battle for a $60,000 prize pool, equally divided between genders, with $15,000 awarded to first place, $10,000 for second, and $5,000 for third.
Looking ahead, Abu Dhabi will also host several prestigious UCI events in the coming years, including the 2028 UCI Road World Championships, the 2028 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, and the 2029 UCI Track World Championships.
Related topics
- Brompton Unveils 12-Speed C-Line to Mark 50th Anniversary
- Debate Over Free-to-Air Cycling Coverage Hits UK Parliament
- San Remo Women Returns with 156km Route