Zwift has made an announcement that will pique the interest of Esports riders. The indoor cycling platform will host the 2022 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships on February 26, 2022.

For the 2022 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, Zwift has chosen the platform's New York map as the virtual venue. Riders will compete over two and a half laps of the Knickerbocker route. All riders will ride the same distance and profile, with a total distance of 54.9 km and a height difference of 944 meters. One lap of the Knickerbocker is 22.5 km.

The KOM section is 1.4 km with an average gradient of 6.1% and a maximum gradient of 17%, testing the ability to climb hills.

Zwift is keen to democratize the qualifying criteria for the 2022 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships event. As such, riders who are not a member of their country's Esport cycling team will be able to attempt to enter through qualifying.

UCI President David LaPartient says, "It is exciting to provide new opportunities for up-and-coming cycling esports stars, allowing them to compete against the best known riders in the UCI World Tour peloton."

All Zwift Racing League Premier Division riders will receive an automatic invitation to the qualifying events, provided that community riders are at least level 5 and automatically classified as Category A (or higher) by the WTRL must race in a series of Continental Qualifying Events. Oceania, Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas will each have their own Zwift qualifiers, with the top five riders being added to their national federation's team.

Zwift has also taken a stance to continue gender parity in event distances and prize money for the 2022 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. Prize money has not yet been finalized, but the winner will receive both a digital and physical rainbow jersey and be confirmed as the Esports cycling world champion.