RGT Cycling, the free to use virtual cycling platform, has unveiled newly minted non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as prizes for victors of the Echelon Racing League.
The league, which begins on 20th November 2021, will see 40 teams and 240 riders compete in the pro event. This consists of eight rounds with teammates working together to compete across a variety of digital parcours.
Races will be contested on courses that aim to emulate those raced during the real-life Echelon events, including races from the US calendar.
‘Cycling fans around the world will be able to watch top E-Sports racing teams duke it out for the top step of the podium and the chance to win sport’s first ever blockchain prizes.’
Last year’s event attracted top teams such as Rally Cycling, Canyon eSports, Tibco Silicon Valley Bank Pro Cycling, Butcherbox and the USA National Team.
The Echelon Racing League will also include community events and a first of its kind para-cycling series, which is being developed in collaboration with the Paralyzed Veterans of America and USA Paracycling. The para-cycling series, which has a unique set of rules and regulations, will see the launch of adaptive bikes and avatars representative of the para community.
Community combine
The organizers of the series will also be hosting a community combine. This is a concept inspired by the NFL draft where amateur riders can participate in talent events with a view to being scouted and recruited into pro teams to participate in the pro league.
NFT prizes
RGT claims to be the world’s most realistic indoor cycling simulation app. It claims unique peloton dynamics and ‘Magic Roads’, which allow users to map and digitally ride any road around the world and a real physics model that replicates riding and cornering outdoors.
Pioneering the minting of NFTs as competition prizes was seen as a logical progression. NFT’s, or non-fungible tokens, are unique digital assets. They can be used to represent reproducible items such as photos, videos, audio and other types of digital files as unique items. Blockchain technology validates proof of ownership.
RGT and Project Echelon Racing will issue NFTs as prizes, each of which will be represented by one-of-a-kind digital work of art. These will have both monetary and intrinsic value.
James Vickers, Head of Brand and Marketing at RGT, said “The concept of NFTs and blockchain technology is exciting; and although there may be many other ways for us to utilise this technology, these prizes help us combine our belief in virtual racing and our commitment to pushing the boundaries of virtual cycling.”
Eric Hill at Project Echelon said “We chose RGT Cycling as the platform for the series because of their big ideas and their progressive attitude towards eSports and technology with this concept being no exception.
“Issuing NFTs adds to the prizes and as they are awarded equally for winners of each series, we hope they will serve to introduce a new path for supporting and rewarding athletes.”
www.rgtcycling.com/nft_echelon
