USA Cycling has announced the roster for the 2023 Cycling Esports World Championships. The digital races occur on Feb. 18, 2023, on Zwift, with riders from 35 nations competing — 100 from each gender. Here’s the USA Cycling team:
MEN
- Evin Bouchard-Hall (Wadhams, N.Y.; Velocio)
- J. Bruhn (Baton Rouge, La.; NeXT p/b Enshored)
- Joseph Chudyk (Byron, N.Y.; TURBO)
- Matt Curbeau (Millis, Mass.; Saris/ NoPinz)
- Brian Duffy Jr. (King of Prussia, Penn.; NeXT p/b Enshored)
- Daniel Jamrozik (Saint Louis, Minn.; Restart Racing)
- Ryan Larson (Galloway, N.J.; Saris/ NoPinz)
- Zach Nehr (Milwaukee, Wis.; NeXT p/b Enshored)
- Timothy Rugg (Harrisonburg, Va.; Team Skyline)
- David Talbott (New Canaan, Conn.)
- Alex Tenelshof (TURBO)
WOMEN
- Jacqueline Godbe (Chicago, Ill.; Saris/ NoPinz)
- Kristen Kulchinsky (Dix Hills, N.Y.; Twenty 24)
- Liz Van Houweling (Des Moines, Iowa; Saris/ NoPinz)
- Courtney Nelson (San Jose, Calif.; Saris/ NoPinz)
- Ellexi Snover (Issaquah, Wash.; Electric Spirit Co.)
- Morgan Uceny (Saris/ NoPinz)
- Arielle Martin-Verhaaren (Williamsburg, Va.; AEO)
According to a press release, USA Cycling has its hopes pinned on Kristen Kulchinsky and J. Bruhn to carry the team to victory.
A new format, who’s this?
2023 marks the third year of the Cycling Esports World Championship. And this year, the 1-hour, 15-minute contest has a new format. Racers will compete in three separate short events: The Punch, The Climb, and The Podium.
The Punch begins with a hundred riders in each gender racing over 13.8km of rolling terrain. The top 30 in each group move on to The Climb — a short but spicy 8.5km jaunt with 162m of vert. The top ten riders in the men’s and women’s groups advance to the final event: The Podium.
The Podium is all about positioning as a series of archways eliminate the rear-most rider until only three remain. Then it’s a sprint to the virtual finish line as the final three riders duke it out for the top spot on the podium.
“The new format for the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships is in line with our desire to continue innovating and increasing the appeal of our sport,” Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) President David Lappartient said in a press release. “Our first two UCI World Championships for cycling esports were a great success, and now we have increased the excitement with three separate events that will gradually eliminate members of the peloton.”
Spectators can watch the contest on GCN Racing or Eurosport depending on your location, on Feb. 18, 2023. Update: we also just learned that the race will be broadcast live on Zwift’s YouTube channel for free.
