Home riders can soon virtually experience championship race courses, as U.S. national champion hopefuls gain access to pre-ride opportunities.
The world of competitive cycling is set to experience a new dimension, as TrainingPeaks Virtual has been announced as the official esports platform for USA Cycling. This partnership marks a significant step in bridging the gap between esports and real-life cycling.
Beginning from November 1, 2025, the 'eSports National Race Calendar' will run through to February 1, 2026, culminating in the USA Cycling Esports National Championships. The league's sixth season will conclude with this grand event.
The virtual race will take place on September 20, 2025, in La Crescent, Minnesota. Athletes can familiarise themselves with the climbs, corners, and terrain before the in-person event. The course for the USA Cycling Gravel Nationals, a 31-mile long challenge, will also be available for pre-ride virtual experiences.
To participate in the USA Cycling Esports National Championships, athletes will need an active USA Cycling license and have completed at least one Echelon Racing League event. To race in the Echelon Racing League itself, athletes will require a TrainingPeaks Premium account.
TrainingPeaks Virtual has partnered with USA Cycling for four years, starting in 2025, and has built replicas of select World Championship circuits, including Richmond (2015) and Innsbruck (2018), on its platform. The racing engine of TrainingPeaks Virtual replicates outdoor dynamics such as drafting, cornering, and braking, providing a realistic virtual cycling experience.
The partnership will debut on September 18, 2025, with the GPXplore feature allowing cyclists to pre-ride the USA Cycling Gravel Nationals course virtually. TrainingPeaks Virtual has also introduced new features like My Routes, which lets any rider import their own GPX files into the virtual environment.
This partnership replaces MyWhoosh as USA Cycling's official esports platform. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has also partnered with TrainingPeaks Virtual, making it the official esports platform of the UCI for the period from 2025 to 2028.
IndieVelo, originally founded by Dr. George Gilbert and Bjoern Ossenbrink, was acquired by TrainingPeaks in 2024 and rebranded as TrainingPeaks Virtual. This move has expanded TrainingPeaks' services into esports racing.
Other virtual platforms like Rouvy, Bkool, and Zwift also offer real-world course simulations, but this is the first time a governing body has tied its official national championship events directly to a virtual pre-ride experience. This innovative partnership is set to revolutionise the world of competitive cycling.
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