The Virtual Velo Podcast p/b TheZommunique.com

Cycling esports is evolving fast, and national federations are working to define their role in the sport. In this episode of The Virtual Velo Podcast , we sit down with Josh Peacock , Cycling Canada’s Director of Marketing and Events, to explore how the federation navigates this dynamic space. We discuss Cycling Canada’s philosophy on virtual racing, its strategic plan to leverage Canada’s long wi...

How does a women’s cycling esports team grow from just five members to dominating at both the elite and community levels in a few short years while remaining true to the inclusive motto:  We are stronger together ?  In episode 65 of  The Virtual Velo Podcast , hosts  Chris and Emma  sit down with  Karla Williams , co-founder of Aeonian Race Team, along with committee members  Berdien Driscoll  and...

In Episode 64, a special episode of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , we’re bringing you an inspiring conversation with Cody McKay, founder of Project Heart, and our very own Chris. Both are passionate cyclists with a unique perspective—overcoming life-altering cardiac challenges to return to and thrive in the endurance sport they love. Cody, a 33-year-old competitive cyclist from Ottawa, Canada, takes...

In Episode 63 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , a true pioneer in the cycling and tech worlds, Frank Garcia joins Emma and Chris. As the founder of Improvement Interactive, Frank has built custom business software for industry giants, but his influence extends far beyond that. In the world of virtual cycling, he’s a visionary—having competed in one of the first-ever races on Zwift and developing his...

In Episode 62 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Emma and Chris sit down with elite cycling esports superstar Gabi Guerra to uncover her journey from a humble upbringing in Brazil to competing on the global stage.   Gabi shares how skateboarding first sparked her passion for elite sports and paved the way for her to champion women’s representation. We explore her unexpected leap into competitive cycli...

In Episode 61 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Emma and Chris welcome NeXT eSports pb Enshored cycling team president Greg Abbott. The results for Abbott and his team of elite global talent are undeniable—multiple Zwift elite team titles, several national esports champions, and numerous UCI Cycling Esports World Championship finalists with top-ten placings. Abbott opens up about the philosophy and i...

In Episode 60 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris welcomes cycling journalist Aaron Borrill, an elite racer who has competed in multiple UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. Aaron discusses his role as Captain of the South African Esports National Team, the innovative ways  Cycling South Africa  supports cycling esports, and how their approach could inspire a roadmap for the future of competi...

In Episode 59 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and Emma welcome Eric Hill, founder of Project Echelon Racing and Echelon Racing Promotions. Eric has been a visionary in blending traditional cycling with virtual racing, supporting the sport and the veteran community through his groundbreaking initiatives. In this episode, we’ll dive into Project Echelon’s mission and its impact on cycling and v...

In Episode 58 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and Emma welcome Dirk Friel, co-founder and Chief Evangelist of Training Peaks, and Dr. George Gilbert, the creator of indieVelo, to discuss their newly formed partnership and the launch of Training Peaks Virtual. The collaboration combines indieVelo’s innovative approach to virtual cycling and esports with Training Peaks’ well-established focus o...

In Episode 57 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and Emma sit down with cycling esports’ new women’s World Champion, New Zealand's Kate McCarthy, for her first interview since her thrilling victory in the live finals in Abu Dhabi.  McCarthy, the only community racer to conquer the elite esports stage, opens up about the emotional rollercoaster leading to her title: missed flights, lost bikes, an...

In episode 56 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , host Chris catches up with Jacob Fraser from the UCI and Matt Smithson from MyWhoosh in Abu Dhabi as they gear up for the groundbreaking 2024 UCI Cycling Esports live event final. Set against the stunning backdrop of Abu Dhabi, this episode is essential listening for any cycling esports fan or enthusiast as they prepare for the thrilling action on Satur...

In Episode 55 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and Emma have a candid conversation with Olympic medalist rower turned WorldTour Pro Jason Osborne. In a heartfelt conversation, Osborne reveals that he’s happier now that he stepped away from Alpecin Deceuninck, free of the burdens of being enslaved by a joyless sport that is no longer worth the risk-reward to him. He shares how stepping away fro...

In Episode 54 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and Emma sit down with Jacob Fraser, the UCI's Cycling Esports Coordinator. Fraser's journey from early involvement in cycling esports with platforms like Zwift and MyWhoosh to his current role with the UCI showcases his impact on the sport's rapid evolution. His insights shed light on the UCI's commitment to advancing cycling esports, particularl...

In Episode 53 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and Emma welcome the Danish Cycling Union’s Esports Director Martin Wang Hjørngaard. Denmark is the home of the defending men’s cycling esports World Champion, Bjørn Andreassen, and the second most medals in Cycling Esports World Championship history. The nation’s perennial success is no coincidence. With Hjørngaard at the helm and buy-in by the D...

In Episode 52 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and Emma welcome Great Britain’s cycling esports superstar, Lou Bates. From a bustling corner of her Zurich hotel lobby, Emma found a coveted Wi-Fi signal and a short window of time. She’s there putting words to the action, calling numerous 2024 Road and Para-Cycling World Champions for the BBC. [ Please excuse the sound quality. ] Will Lou be one...

In Episode 51 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and guest host, cycling broadcaster Matt Payne, welcome 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship finalist, the USA's Hayden "Farmwatts" Pucker. He epitomizes the new breed of cycling esports racers making a mark on the sport through their youthful exuberance, competitive charisma, and drive to be the best in the world. In a sport...

In Episode 50 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and Emma welcome Matt Smithson, MyWhoosh's Senior Director of Esports and Events. Before getting Matt's prediction for who will pull the rainbow-striped jersey over their heads, he shares MyWhoosh's unlikely journey to the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships Semi-Final, which took place on September 6th. They break down the th...

In Episode 49 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and Emma welcome Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY24's Kristen Kulchinsky and Coach Josh Lipka. The reigning US National Cycling Esports Champion is on a barnstorming campaign in her first year as a real world cyclist, crushing the course record on every hill climb she entered, including an epic victory atop the toughest hill climb in the US, i...

In Episode 48 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and Emma discuss the Zwift Community Elite 2024/25 season performance verification process changes with AthleteAnalytiX founder Bjoern Ossenbrink. Bjoern is a pioneer in the space. Beginning as a Zwift beta-tester, he progressed from community racer to leading ZADA, the Zwift Accuracy and Data Analysis team. He is a widely acknowledged expert in o...

In Episode 47 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and Emma welcome elite esports cyclist Elyse Gallegos. The IRONMAN champion and mother to two young boys is proud to represent the USA in the semi-finals of the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship. Elyse shares her experience balancing family priorities while striving for personal athletic goals. She is equally passionate about promoting c...

In Episode 46 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Flamme Rouge Racing’s Richard Vale discusses the groundbreaking multi-platform  MYTIKAS Games  and, along with hosts Chris and Emma, explores the essential cycling esports news that all racers and fans need to know! The MYTIKAS games are the first cycling esports event to unfold across multiple platforms, featuring an exciting lineup of Olympic-inspired...

In Episode 45 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , hosts Chris and Emma catch up with the Purdue University College of Engineering team of Prof. Jan-Anders Mansson and researchers Patrick Cavanaugh and Teal Dowd, who are leading the UCI's smart trainer homologation and data manipulation program. The group is currently in Lucerne, Switzerland, preparing to present their years of groundbreaking smart...

In Episode 44 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, hosts Chris and Emma welcome Andrew Richardson, Ph. D., a foremost anti-doping cycling esports research associate at Newcastle University, UK. The scientific review " Zwift's Anti-Doping Policy: Is it Open to Cheating? " published in the International Journal of Esports in early 2022 was one of the first to tackle the controversial topic of...

In Episode 43 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , hosts Chris and Emma welcome the Aussie “Indoor Specialist” power couple Kate Trdin and Josh Harris. Josh held the World Record for the Beer Mile multiple times (four beers and four laps in 4:51), won the Zwift Grand Prix Epic Points Race, finished fourth in the 2024 Zwift Games Overall Championship, and took second in the AUS Cycling Esports Nationals....

For Episode 42 of the  Virtual Velo Podcast , Chris and Emma welcome back indieVelo founder Dr. George Gilbert for the third time for their first time together as co-hosts. Quickly after the Apple TV release, which makes indieVelo accessible to a broad range of users and devices, he explains why "Watts Aren't Watts" when defining the future of virtual sport. Dr. Gilbert addresses the...