Ottawa, ON (October 28, 2020) – As national federations around the globe continue to gear up for the inaugural UCI Cycling Esports World Championships on December 8-9, Cycling Canada is excited to announce an expanded multi-platform virtual cycling calendar for the 2020/2021 winter season.
“Virtual cycling represents an exciting discipline of the sport which allows our community to stay connected in a virtual world year-round” said Josh Peacock, Events & Partnerships Manager at Cycling Canada. “We are thrilled to play a part in helping to grow this discipline in Canada, while at the same time keeping our growing cycling community connected.”
Cycling Canada’s virtual cycling events will kick off on November 2 on the Zwift platform with the introduction of the Cycling Canada “Weekly Tune-up” group ride series and “Wednesday Night Race Series”. Both initiatives will be listed on the public Zwift event calendar, open to all Zwift subscribers.
Weekly Tune-up Ride
Every Monday and Tuesday at 8:05 p.m. EST, Cycling Canada will host 45 minute group rides open to all skill levels and abilities on rotating courses. Monday rides will be co-ed, while Tuesday rides will be exclusive to women. Course offerings will vary from week to week in an effort to provide a well-rounded mix of training opportunities for Zwifters of all backgrounds. The weekly tune-up will be a medium-paced social ride (2.0 – 2.5 w/kg), led by some of Canada’s top coaches and athletes. Zwifters can expect a fun, interactive community atmosphere with regular efforts to build fitness. The weekly tune-up series will also serve as a social pre-ride for Cycling Canada’s Wednesday Night Race Series, offered on the same course as each week’s ride.
Wednesday Night Race Series
Every Wednesday at 8:05 p.m. EST, Cycling Canada will host a public race open to all skill levels on rotating courses in line with our weekly tune-up rides. This series will offer something for everyone while exploring every corner of Zwift’s virtual world. Zwifters will have the opportunity to register in one of five power-based categories, including a women’s specific category. This series will not include a ranking or series points, but is rather intended as a means of offering a fun weekly challenge for Zwifters of all abilities.
For a complete list of Cycling Canada Zwift events, including course maps, click here. Sign up to participate via the Zwift Companion App, or click here for the complete Zwift event listing.
Canadian Junior Virtual Cycling Series
The Canadian Junior Virtual Cycling Series, which saw great success in spring/summer 2020, will return as an exciting virtual racing opportunity geared towards development athletes in the U17 & Junior age groups. With its introduction on the national calendar in 2020, the series experienced excellent participation amongst some of the country’s top development athletes, and will plan to build on that momentum with a return to the calendar in early 2021. Final details regarding the series and exact dates will be confirmed in the coming months.
National Calendar Courses offered virtually
New for 2021, Cycling Canada will work with various national calendar organizers in conjunction with the Fulgaz virtual cycling platform to produce course previews for 2021 real-life events. On this platform, athletes and recreational riders alike will have the opportunity to preview select race courses utilizing real-life video recordings and elevation data from actual proposed 2021 race routes.
National Virtual Race Series
Catering to the highest level of virtual racing competition, Cycling Canada, in partnership with Broadcast Services International, will produce its first-ever National Virtual Race Series in 2021. The inaugural series will contain a live broadcast component, showcasing the highest level of virtual racing and is set to take place in March 2021.
UCI Cycling Esports World Championships – Cycling Canada Zwift practice events
Zwifters will have the opportunity to join Cycling Canada’s National Esports Team as they prepare for the inaugural UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. Cycling Canada will host three public Zwift races on November 14, 21 and 28 respectively featuring members of the Canadian squad. Similar to the Wednesday Night Series, categories will be offered for all skill levels, including a women’s specific category.
As all event information is finalized, be sure to monitor the Cycling Canada Events Webpage and Cycling Canada’s social media for all relevant details.
Source: Cycling Canada
About Cycling Canada
Cycling Canada is one of the oldest national sport organizations in Canada and has one simple purpose: to inspire Canadians to cycle. Cycling Canada administers programs to promote and grow cycling across the country, hosts national and international events and manages the National Team in all levels of international competition.
Information: Karine Bedard l Cycling Canada l karine.bedard@cyclingcanada.ca