Cycling, eSports World Cup: the Cigala blue and the secrets to win

A life cycling in symbiosis with your avatar. It is the destiny of the new frontier of cycling through the Zwift application. The 28-year-old Matteo Cigala, with a past as a promising Junior – he took part in the World Championship in Copenhagen in 2011 – and Under 23, a graduate in Business Management in Ireland, is one of the blue hopes for the cycling eSports world championships scheduled today. at 19.30 Italian (the women’s race at 18). “It is a particular discipline – says the Brescian from Nuvolento -. It is essential to have a knowledge of one’s own means but above all it is necessary to understand how the vehicle reacts, a harmony must be created between the runner who rides on the reels and the avatar that represents him in the ‘virtual game’, a synchrony of pedaling must be found between the two worlds “.

New York

–

Matteo Cigala reached this world championship through the online qualification process. “In December I participated in the European qualifiers, the top 5 won the direct pass for the World Cup. I finished in 3rd place and now here I am ”. An adventure that will see Matteo also challenge cycling professionals, starting with Jason Osborne, former rower and outgoing world champion and last year intern with Quick-Step, then passing Jay Vine (Alpecin), Freddy Ovett (Legion LA ) arriving at Nicolas Roche – son of Stephen – and the other Italian Liam Bertazzo, gold in the team pursuit at the World Championships on track in 2021. “This discipline is able to eliminate the gap that separates a professional from an enthusiast. With an hour a day of training on the reels you can compete with the Pros. At this World Championship, set in New York, the circuit is 22.5 km long and must be repeated twice. At the end there is a 1.4 km climb with a slope of 6.1% and peaks at 17%. In total it will be about 55 km, the quality counts. A concentrated effort and the difference will be made by the power-ups, the ‘fortunes’ “.

Like in a video game

–

To be a good interpreter of this eSports it is not enough to know how to pedal, you have to choose the right moments for “help”. “These ‘fortunes’ are acquired along the way, for example at flying finish lines or at gpm. These are features that your avatar can take advantage of while running. For example that of aerodynamics or weight reduction. A ‘help’ for a limited time that the cyclist decides when to use. If you use the decrease in weight during the climb it can help as well as the aerodynamics played when you decide to try to escape can be an important card “.

From the lockdown

–

A boom son of the lockdown for an application that was previously exclusively used for training on reels in the winter. “Since the pandemic broke out, there have been 2-3 races a week and there are even real team championships in which I also participate”. Obviously everything from home but the eye of cycling’s Big Brother “watches over” all the participants. “There is a camera that monitors the race of each of us. Two hours before the start, the weight test is carried out and the roller used for the competition is calibrated by the UCI. Finally, a few days before and after the race he underwent the ‘whereabout’ anti-doping protocol “. Zwift-mania is ready for definitive consecration in Italy. A world title is enough to become a phenomenon and Matteo does not hide: “The virtual path suits me”.

The other blues

–

The ambitious Italian team in addition to Cigala is made up of Liam Bertazzo, Martina Fidanza and Elena Pirrone. Bertazzo, world champion in the quartet, is a very respectable Pro. “I don’t have a lot of experience on the reels, even if it is a great honor to wear the blue. I’m curious to see how he will go and watch the other champions. I will give my best, the starting point of the track will help me. I would have seen someone like Pippo Ganna, who is able to hold great wattages for several minutes ”. The women’s team sees time trial expert Elena Pirrone and scratch world champion Martina Fidanza. Pirrone: “A different emotion than usual and my feeling with the virtual is not at its best. I am currently doing well even though the sensations on the road are good. On Zwift you have to be ready to release many watts right away ”. Fidanza: “I arrive calmly at this event, because I find myself still behind in condition, but the race will help me to put quality in my legs. A job that will come in handy. I will have to pay attention to certain details, because the virtual trail is different, however I am confident in the fact that I am a versatile athlete “.