British Cycling has today announced the 17-strong squad that will represent Great Britain in the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships on Saturday 18 February.
Seven of the Great Britain squad will be heading to Glasgow to take part in the championships at the first ever ‘In Real Life’ (IRL) Final, giving spectators an exclusive experience that brings together the real-world physical efforts of the riders and the virtual race.
Heading up the Great Britain Cycling Team will be Zoe Langham, who returns to the world championships after her landmark third place finish at last year’s championships to battle for the coveted rainbow jersey.
Eight British riders qualified automatically for the championships via the Zwift European Continental Qualifier in November, including Langham, Mary Wilkinson, Hayley Simmonds, Lou Bates, Alice Lethbridge and Charlotte Colclough who along with Natalie Stevenson and world championships debutants Lucy Harris and Lizi Brooke, will compete in the IRL Final in Glasgow. Completing the women’s team are Rachel Brown, Adele Battersby and Ruth Shier.
Representing Great Britain in the men’s race will be Andy Nichols, Ed Laverack and Joseph Rees, alongside debutants Ben Russell and Jimmy Kershaw, with Nichols, Rees and Kershaw all taking part in the IRL Final.
The event will see the 200 best e-racers in the world battle it out over three courses – The Punch, The Climb and The Podium – which will take place on an all-new Scotland map, the first time a virtual destination has been created specifically for a cycling esports competition.
The new Scotland world takes inspiration from the Scottish landscape and the city of Glasgow, which alongside other venues across Scotland will play host to the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships in August this year.
The 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships will take place on Saturday 18 February with tickets now on sale to be part of exclusive live studio audience at the IRL Final at The Engine Works in Glasgow. Doors open at 4.30pm with racing due to start at 6pm. You can also follow racing updates through the UCI Race Hub. You can get your tickets for the IRL Final here.
You can now register for priority access to the UCI Cycling World Championships ticket pre-sale here.
The full Great Britain Cycling Team squad for the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships:
Women
Mary Wilkinson
Hayley Simmonds
Lou Bates
Zoe Langham
Lucy Harris
Lizi Brooke
Charlotte Colclough
Alice Lethbridge
Rachel Brown
Natalie Stevenson
Adele Battersby
Ruth Shier
Men
Andy Nichols
Ben Russell
Jimmy Kershaw
Ed Laverack
Joseph Rees
