A new racing-focused indoor cycling platform has joined the growing virtual cycling landscape with the announcement of its beta launch this week. IndieVelo, a platform that will focus primarily on competitive e-racing, was born from a single thought: Imagine if online cycling was an Olympic sport.
It uses simplistic graphics, instead prioritising bunch racing dynamics with the additional complexity of crosswinds and tyre grip consideration, as well as integrated anti-cheating mechanisms and ASeven live-streaming capability. Its aim is to be the best indoor cycling app for e-sports enthusiasts and competitive racers, rather than necessarily aiming for mass participation appeal.
“We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to define the future of a sport, starting from a blank sheet of paper,” declares indieVelo founder Dr. George Gilbert. “Developers designed all the existing platforms for casual riding, not competitive events, so don’t fully cater to what elite athletes want and need.”
It is available for beta download at indievelo.com and is currently free to use with the option to support development with a $12.99 monthly or $129.99 annual membership.
Background
The Cambridge-educated Gilbert wrote the code for the global telephone network infrastructure handling emergency calls worldwide. He is a UCI-trained commissaire and former Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors at British Cycling.
With his role as the Chief Commissaire at various UCI Cycling Esports World Championships and his past position as the Chairman of the Zwift Cycling Esports Commission, Gilbert believes he possesses a beneficial viewpoint on athletes’ desires and the means to accomplish them. To complement this, he conducted interviews with numerous elite-level athletes, including Matt Gardiner, to ascertain the specific requirements and genuine aspirations of racers.
Gardiner, a member of the Saris-NoPinz esports team, said about indieVelo, “As an early adopter in the discipline of esports and a power-user of Zwift, I never thought I’d be open to change. IndieVelo’s commitment to performance verification and authentic achievement, draft dynamics, and community-driven spirit won me over instantly. The game offers many tools not available in other games for race organizers already in Beta, and has so much potential for the future of esports.”
Key pillars and foundations
The feedback formed the foundation of indieVelo and guided its two key pillars: tactics and credibility. Skill,…
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