Cycling’s worldwide governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Zwift, the online fitness platform for cyclists, have revealed the line-up for the exhibition cycling ‘Chase Race’. This will be broadcast at 17:30 BST / 18:30 CEST on Friday, June 18th.
Part of the new Olympic Virtual Series, the Chase Race, to be held on Zwift, is a bike race with a twist. Competitors will be gridded depending on their cycling ability. Riders are to be set off at different intervals with the strongest riders starting last. Their aim – to chase everyone down before the finish line.
The invitation field features a star-studded line-up with Olympic medal winners from multiple sports, community Zwift racers and the sportiest of Spice Girls, Mel C.
Mel C is no stranger to a Zwift Race having taken part in a charity race in aid of ‘Wheels for Heroes’, where she finished third behind Four Time Tour de France Winner, Chris Froome and Kevin Piertersen. The list of sporting stars includes:
- Sir Chris Hoy – the second-most decorated Olympic cyclist of all time, with six gold medals and 11 UCI World Championship titles.
- Fabian Cancellara – two-time gold medallist in the individual time trial and four time UCI Road Time Trial World Champion. In retirement, Cancellara has made Chase Races somewhat a speciality with his ‘Chasing Cancellara’ series.
- Nelson Vails – in the 1984 Olympics, Nelson took home the silver in the track sprint event, becoming the first African American to win an Olympic medal in cycling.
- James Cracknell – two-time Olympic gold medallist in the coxless fours.
- Alistair Brownlee – two-time Olympic gold medal winner in triathlon.
- Alberto Contador – seven-time Grand Tour winner, including 2 x Tour de France, 2 x Giro d’Italia and 3 x Vuelta a España.
- Jonathan Edwards – gold medal winner in the triple jump in Sydney 2000, and current world record holder with 18.29m, a record he has held since 1995.
- Kristin Armstrong – three time Olympic gold medal winner in the time trial, she is also a two-time UCI Road Time Trial World Champion.
- Dame Sarah Storey – a 14x gold medallist, Dame Sarah Storey, DBE, is the most decorated and successful British Paralympian of all time. She also holds 25 UCI World Championship titles and 75 world records across both cycling and swimming, making her a veritable multisport legend.
- Lucy Charles Barclay – beginning her career in the pool, Lucy is now a professional long-course triathlete with four IRONMAN World Championship silver medals. She is a very experienced Zwifter, having ridden over 24,000 kms on the platform.
- Maddie Hinch – a field hockey goalkeeper and Olympic gold medal winner with Great Britain in Rio 2016.
- Paula Radcliffe – a former world champion in the marathon, a discipline in which she also held the World Record with a time of 2:15:25.
Joining the line-up will be a few lucky members from the Zwift cycling community.
The IOC and the UCI are offering new Zwifters complimentary access to the Zwift platform throughout the Olympic Virtual Series (1st – 27th June). Codes can be obtained by registering on the UCI website.
www.zwift.com/olympic-virtual-series
