The Virtual Cycling World Championships are changing completely: there’s more tactics and the first across the finish line won’t necessarily win

The UCI is preparing a significant change for the 2026 virtual cycling World Championship. Power will still be fundamental, but this time it won't be enough to produce more watts or be the first to cross the finish line. Now, riders will have to manage points, react to surprise checkpoints, and choose routes during the competition.

The 2026 Esports World Championship changes the rules

The UCI and MyWhoosh have presented the new format of the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships 2026, whose final will take place on Saturday, December 5 in Copenhagen (Denmark).

The champion will be determined by the sum of points obtained in two heats, so crossing the final finish line first will not guarantee the rainbow jersey. The goal is to leverage the possibilities of virtual cycling and introduce more tactical decisions.

First heat: surprise checkpoints

The first test will be 7.6 kilometers long and will include five Surge Checkpoints. Their locations will not be known in advance, and riders will receive a notification when only 500 meters remain.

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In each checkpoint, the top ten will score points. Participants will have to quickly decide whether to expend energy to gain positions or conserve strength for the next opportunities.

Second heat: choosing between two routes

The second test will consist of four laps of 5 kilometers, totaling 20 km. In each lap, and 400 meters from a fork, each rider will have to choose between two alternatives of identical distance:

• Flat route: fewer points and lower energy cost.
• Route with more elevation: more points in exchange for greater effort.

Each route will have its own scoring line, and when both routes reunite, there will be another common scoring sprint. There will be eight opportunities to score points during the heat.

In the final lap, the finish line will also serve as a final sprint with double points.

This mechanism will allow for very different strategies. A rider may take risks seeking points from the tougher variant, while another could save energy on the flat route to attack later.

Being first at the finish does not guarantee the rainbow

The points obtained in both heats will be accumulated, and the participant with the highest total score will be declared world champion, after the corresponding verifications by the UCI.

MyWhoosh explains that the goal is to demand more from riders than just producing high power numbers. They will have to interpret the race, make decisions under pressure, and choose when it is worth expending energy.

Additionally, all finalists will compete using ELITE Justo 2 smart trainers, individually prepared and verified to ensure the same measurement and hardware conditions.

The final will also abandon the initially planned format in two locations. All participants will compete from the same esports studio in Copenhagen, facilitating both organization and broadcasting.

With surprise checkpoints, route choices, and a points classification, the UCI and MyWhoosh want to ensure that in 2026 w watts remain decisive, but knowing when to use them matters as much as the available power.