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Tactics over watts? Surprise checkpoints and different route options as UCI revolutionises format for 2026 Esports World Championships

The UCI is overhauling the Esports World Championships for 2026, shifting the focus from pure power output to strategic decision-making. Scheduled for December 5 in Copenhagen, the competition will feature a two-stage format where the overall points leader claims the title rather than the first rider to cross the finish line.

The opening stage introduces surprise checkpoints announced shortly before they occur, while the second stage offers riders distinct route choices that balance point accumulation against physical recovery. Only 18 men and 18 women, determined through previous qualifying rounds, will participate in this new studio-based event.

UCI president David Lapparient and MyWhoosh operations director Matt Smithson emphasized that this format aims to leverage the unique capabilities of virtual racing to test both athleticism and tactical intelligence.

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