The UCI today announced the launch of its first esports World Championships in 2020, partnering with Zwift to bring top-level competition to the realm of virtual racing.

The integration of esports cycling events into the UCI Statutes was approved at the 2018 UCI Congress; with the new Memorandum of Understanding with Zwift, the UCI will now establish rules and regulations for the governance of esports cycling, in addition to launching the first World Championship

The UCI will also be responsible for the creation of the first world championship.

The UCI and Zwift will "work together to ensure the sporting credibility of cycling esports events" and that the racing systems are "reliable enough to be used in UCI sanctioned events. At the top of the list of requirements is a system to verify rider performance and deter technical fraud, including a method to identify riders and their height and weight.

The first ever UCI Cycling esports World Championships will be held at Zwift, the official supplier with the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire. Dates have not yet been set, but in the run-up to the championships, Zwift has agreed to be the exclusive host of up to 15 national championship events and the continental championships, which are qualifiers for the world championships.

After 2020, the UCI will begin the bidding process for a platform to host the esports World Championships.

"Cycling esports is a fantastic opportunity for the development of cycling. It is a new way of practicing cycling that is rapidly expanding, allowing more athletes, whether novice or experienced, to train and race regardless of weather or where they live," said UCI President David Lapartiento.

"The Memorandum of Understanding between our federation and Zwift is a decisive step toward the full integration of cycling esports by the UCI.

"We, along with Zwift, have been following the emergence of esports for some time. As the governing body of the sport, we need to remain open to innovation and change, and remain relevant to all audiences; Zwift is a platform that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy, and we are committed to making it a platform for people of all ages and abilities.

"However, there are particularly exciting opportunities through esports when it comes to attracting younger audiences to cycling. Together we have the opportunity to support healthier youth through the creation of a new sustainable sport."

"We have the opportunity to help young people become more fit and healthy.

Zwift will have equal competition for men and women, the same number of races, coverage, and equal prize money.

"The beauty of creating a new cycling discipline is that it's a blank slate and there are no restrictions," said Craig Edmondson, CEO of Zwift esports.

"Parity is very important to Zwift and we will work with the UCI to create equal competition for both men and women. This means the same number of races, the same race coverage, and of course equal prize money. We will set the standard for fair play and equality."