Zwift, the leading online fitness entertainment company, has announced a partnership with Richmond 2015, the organizers of this year’s UCI Road World Championships in Richmond, Virginia. The agreement will see the first-ever digital rendering of a world championship race course.
Zwift engineers have been busy creating a digital approximation of the 10 mile (16.2K) course that will be used for the 2015 UCI Road World Championships from 19-27 September. It is expected to be ready for riders to tackle online later this summer.
Top professionals (and riders anywhere who sign up for Zwift) will be able to get a sense of the world championship course by connecting their existing devices (trainers, power meters, heart rate monitors, etc.) to Zwift’s version of the Richmond 2015 route.
“For the first time ever anyone, anywhere with some pretty basic equipment and an internet connection will be able to test themselves on a version of the course that will be used for the UCI Road World Championships! In less than a year, we have attracted a truly global network of riders,” said Zwift Co-Founder and CEO Eric Min.
“So having the world championships as the first event that we create a virtual version of is truly fitting.”
With more than two-dozen corners, a handful of punchy climbs and cobbled sections worthy of Belgium, the Richmond course should be as exciting for riders on Zwift as well as the lucky few who earn the right to race the UCI Road World Championships.
Plans for the new Zwift course include group rides with the company’s ambassadors, Jens Voigt, Laurens Ten Dam and Evelyn Stevens. The organizers of the UCI Road World Championships in Richmond are also promoting sponsorship opportunities within the online game.
Available to users of PC and Mac platforms, Zwift uses multiplayer video game technology to deliver a fun, social and entertaining indoor cycling experience. Currently free for riders to download and use, Zwift is enhanced by iOS and Android apps and rides can be uploaded to fitness tracking services such as Strava, Garmin Connect and Training Peaks.
www.zwift.com
www.richmond2015.com
