Thomas Thrall will be lone rider representing Canada at the 2025 UCI cycling esports world championships on Saturday. (In an earlier story in Canadian Cycling Magazine, it was incorrectly reported that no Canadians were competing—sorry about that, Thomas!)
Thrall is a three-time Canadian national esports champion. His best result came in 2023, when he finished eighth overall, and he’s aiming for another top-ten finish this year.
“Esport has given me a second life in sport,” Thrall said. “It’s a space where I can compete at the highest level while still being present for my family. Training before sunrise or after bedtime has become the norm, and it’s made me more focused and resilient.”
Thrall earned his spot at Worlds with a top finish in the semi-final on October 3.
44 riders competing for rainbows
44 elite riders — 22 men and 22 women from 16 countries — will compete, including defending champs Jason Osborne of Germany and Mary Kate McCarthy of New Zealand will be back to defend their crowns.
Belgium leads the men’s field with seven finalists. Sweden has five riders in the women’s race. Competitors from Brazil, China, South Africa, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand also made the cut.
The stages
Racing takes place over three stages.
Stage 1: The Mountain’s Verdict
The opening stage is an 8 km virtual climb with gradients up to 20 per cent. Points are awarded for staying ahead of the chase line, which starts two minutes into the race. Riders are eliminated if the chase line catches them
Stage 2: The Puncheur’s Playground
The second race is a 12 km undulating circuit with short climbs and fast descents. Points are available at two sprint and two climb checkpoints, as well as at the finish.
Stage 3: The Sprinter’s Paradise
The final stage is eight laps of a flat 1.5 km circuit. Points are given at the end of each lap, with double points at the finish.
The rider with the highest total points across all three stages will be crowned UCI cycling esports world champion. They even get a rainbow jersey they can wear in their basement!
The event will be streamed live on the UCI and MyWhoosh YouTube channels
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…