Australian cycling looking for new stars using a virtual game

Finding the best cycling talent in the modern world could be as simple as testing them on a new video game.

Logan Martin of Australia performs a backflip in front of the Olympic rings in Tokyo (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Australian cycling officials are turning to the virtual world to uncover the next Olympic champions launching a new talent identification program which will use an online game to find athletes looking to make a mark in the sport.

The governing body of Australian cycling has partnered with Zwift, an American cycling and running game in which the user trains or competes in a virtual world, hoping to unearth future champions in Olympic or Paralympic events on the track and road, as well as BMX and mountain biking.

Any potential athletes can test themselves via the program and through a simple workout at home using the Zwift indoor cycling platform.

They can also take part at one of AusCycling’s in-person events, or by setting up a testing day in their town or city.

The new program is aimed at 16- to 22-year-olds with no background in high-performance sport or people of all ages with previous high-performance experience.

“We know that a strong talent pool is the key to success on the international stage, and as we look toward the 2028 and 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we want to develop the next generation of elite cyclists and riders with the potential to go all the way,” AusCycling Director of Pathways Donna Rae-Szalinski said.

“This new talent ID program aims to identify and increase talent depth across all disciplines by expanding our search to those who may have never before ridden a bike competitively. By testing candidates virtually and at event hubs we are able to tap into talent we may not have previously had access to.”

ARA Australian Cycling Team member Erin Rowell with 2023 junior men’s 1000m Time Trial world champion Tayte Ryan and the Zwift program. Picture: AusCycling

Anyone looking to test themselves can attempt either a 30-minute test on Zwift remotely on their own equipment, a shorter 7-minute test an event hub during an AusCycling event, or testing at a pop-up centre hosted by AusCycling where there is sufficient demand.

Any candidates who hit benchmarks will proceed to further testing, with successful participants offered a development opportunity with AusCycling.

Australian cycling has produced a host of Olympic gold medallists in cycling, including track legend Anna Meares and BMX freestyle ace Logan Martin and CEO Marne Fechner said it was another way for the to “identify, develop and nurture talent”.

“Many of the great champions of cycling have come through our pathways and development programs before going on to achieve great success at an international level,” he said.

“You never know where our future champions may come from, with many of our past and present greats starting out in other sports such as rowing, hockey, gymnastics and running. We hope this virtual talent ID program will help unearth those future stars waiting to unlock their potential.”