Competitive e-cycling lets you be a champion from your apartment

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If the Olympic cycling body, the UCI, were to lend its support, this new form of competitive cycling could one day appear at the Olympics. Things are moving in this direction. The Olympic Virtual Series was set up by the International Olympic Committee and was the first event in which Zwift was played. It is relatively easy for anyone to take part in e-cycling.

Sean Parry, the strategy director of Zwift, says that anyone can go through a process of eligibility from the comfort of their own home.

Working through the ranks.

That is how Easler made it. She made it onto the USA's national team via a separate qualification process after being unsuccessful during a qualification round. She has participated in triathlons as a student. Virtual races are just as exciting as outdoor events. Easler says you feel the thrill. You are up against real-life people who are strong.
The smart trainer that Easler and her fellow competitors will all receive is a device that replaces the rear wheel on a stationary bike so that they can compete on a level playing field. Trainers can increase or decrease resistance to match the feel of the virtual road surface. It is possible to mimic cobbles.

Data plays a big role on platforms, and riders tend to monitor their performance constantly. Their heart rate, speed, and power output are all visible on screen during a race. Commentators can show spectators how hard a competitor is working by showing some of the statistics.
Easler knows that she needs to keep her heart rate under control in order to avoid crashing out. If my heart rate is 185, I can recover, but if it is 195, I can't. Tracking her numbers on screen allows her to approach her limit without overstepping it, and it is something she says she has grown better at over time.

Real-time data on each rider's performance will allow officials to spot any possible cheating at the championships. Unsporting competitors can use a variety of tricks, from lying about their weight to trying to rig the game.