Industry News

Virtual bike races as hard as Tour de France, says expert

Published

5 years ago

May 13, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Virtual cycle races take place of cancelled road races
Big names like Chris Froome have been taking part
Cycling data expert says virtual races are proving to be just as hard as the real thing

Virtual cycle racing is proving to be just as hard as road races such as the Tour de France, according to professional riders and a leading sports data analyst.

Races on virtual platforms such as Zwift and ROUVY have filled the void left by the cancellation of professional road races over the past few weeks, with big-name riders like Chris Froome and Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet taking part in events such as the Digital Swiss 5, the Zwift Tour for All and the Team INEOS eRace on Zwift.

Together with a panel of cycling experts from bonusfinder.com, professional cycling coach and data scientist Philipp Diegner – who regularly analyses UCI WorldTour races – has assessed the publicly available performance data from more than 200 efforts made by pro riders in recent virtual races.

Although virtual races are up to six times shorter than road races, Diegner said they have proved to be just as difficult as road races and have caught some professionals off guard. ”The racing is short and particularly intense,” he explained. “It is 45-90 minutes of racing instead of 3-6 hours. The consequence for the riders is that there is no opportunity to save energy like they have in road races, so they have to make prolonged, all-out efforts that push them to their physical limit.

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“Professionals are not necessarily used to this and it can be a shock to the system. Virtual racing is as hard as road racing; it is just that endurance is a more decisive factor in road racing, whereas virtual racing is one hour of pure, intense suffering.”

Pro rider Chris Hamilton, who rides for Team Sunweb, agreed with Diegner when he described one virtual race as “the hardest thing I have ever done”.

Diegner selected the following 10 performances as the most impressive he has seen in the professional virtual races to date.

*Rider*	*Team*	*Race*	*Time*	*Speed (avg km/h)*	*Power (avg watts)*	*W/kg (avg)*	*Ride Info Source*
Chris Hamilton	Team Sunweb	Digital Swiss 5 Race 5	01:00:13	37.7	393	6.05	Strava
Filippo Ganna	Team INEOS	Digital Swiss 5 Race 2	00:55:17	48.7	463	5.51	Strava
James Piccoli	Israel Start-Up Nation	Zwift Tour for All Stage 3	01:41:56	42.7	335	5.2	Zwift Companion
Louis Meintjes	NTT Pro Cycling	Zwift Tour for All Stage 5	01:23:40	33.3	323	5.7	Zwift Companion
Stefan De Bod	NTT Pro Cycling	Zwift Tour for All Stage 5	01:23:49	33.3	357	5.4	Zwift Companion
Nicolas Roche	Team Sunweb	Digital Swiss 5 Race 3	01:12:11	27.9	391	5.51	Strava
Pello Bilbao	Bahrain – McLaren	Zwift Tour for All Stage 3	01:42:39	42.4	330	5.5	Zwift Companion
Rohan Dennis	Team INEOS	Team INEOS eRace on Zwift	00:58:01	29.2	373	5.18	Zwift Companion
Tobias Ludvigsson	Groupama – FDJ	Digital Swiss 5 Race 4	00:48:00	46	428	5.63	Strava
Nicolas Roche	Team Sunweb	Digital Swiss 5 Race 3	00:54:17	29.4	397	5.59	Strava Advertisement

Watts per kilogram is widely recognised as the most accurate barometer of effort in pro cycling. It takes the average power a rider produces over a set period of time and divides it by their weight in kilograms. The hardest road races require the winner to produce about 4/wkg over five hours. In virtual races, the winners have been nudging 6w/kg for between one hour and 1hr 45min.

Diegner said: “Chris Hamilton only finished fourth in race five of the Digital Swiss 5 but riding for one hour at 6.05w/kg is world class. He rode the last 12 minutes at 6.58w/kg, which would win him most WorldTour mountain stages.

“James Piccoli’s win on stage three of the Zwift Tour for All was a similarly amazing effort. He rode for one and a half hours at over 5w/kg and then kicked again and rode the last six minutes 25 seconds at 6.46w/kg. That’s unimaginable for amateur riders on Zwift.”

One lesson that emerged from the analysis was that the riders who are most successful on the road, such as Froome and 2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal, were not necessarily as effective in virtual races.

Diegner believes this was because successful road riders did not adjust to the nuances of virtual racing as well as others, but he expects them to start replicating their road success in virtual races with time and experience.

“Take Egan Bernal in the Team INEOS eRace on Zwift,” Diegner added. “He wasn’t competitive. That may be because he did not go all-out and was treating it as a training effort. But ultimately, once a rider with his capability gets used to the intensity, he will start winning like he does on the road.

“It is similar with sprints. Someone like [former three-time world champion] Peter Sagan might not get virtual racing right to begin with, but when he learns when and how to expend his power, he will start winning with the same regularity as on the road. Knowing when to start the sprint and how to reach max power in online races is a skill that has to be developed.”

Affiliate Industry

Gamblorium Enhances Casino Reviews with Updated Rating System

Published

3 hours ago

March 20, 2025

Niji Narayan

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

Gamblorium, a trusted online casino affiliate platform, announces its new and improved casino rating system. This updated system is designed to give players even more accurate and transparent rankings for online casinos. Since 2020, Gamblorium has been known for providing honest and expert-tested casino reviews. With this updated rating system, Gamblorium continues to ensure players can easily find the best gambling sites.

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The post Gamblorium Enhances Casino Reviews with Updated Rating System appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Asia

PAGCOR chief honored at 2025 Asia Gaming Award

Published

1 day ago

March 19, 2025

Adrienn Sarkany

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco received on Tuesday, March 18, the inaugural Regulatory Landmark Award during this year’s Asia Gaming Awards at the Grand Ballroom of Shangri-La, The Fort in Taguig.

The Regulatory Landmark Award, a newly added category to the prestigious Asia Gaming Awards, was bestowed upon the PAGCOR chief for his significant contributions to the growth of the Philippine gaming industry.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Tengco acknowledged the efforts of the PAGCOR team and industry stakeholders, emphasizing that the recognition was a testament to their dedication, resilience, and commitment to regulatory excellence.

“This award reaffirms our efforts in fostering a well-regulated gaming sector in the Philippines,” he said. “It will serve as an inspiration for all of us to continue shaping an industry that is not only profitable but also ethical, sustainable, and beneficial to the communities we serve.”

Under Mr. Tengco’s leadership, the Philippine gaming industry posted a record-breaking gross gaming revenue (GGR) of Php410 billion in 2024 – a 25% increase from the previous year’s GGR.

Likewise, PAGCOR recorded unprecedented revenues of Php112 billion in 2024, a 41% growth year-on-year.

The Asia Gaming Awards, now on its fifth year, recognizes the achievements of key players and leaders in the gaming industry across the region.

The post PAGCOR chief honored at 2025 Asia Gaming Award appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Industry News

Gaming industry earns Php410 B despite POGO ban – PAGCOR

Published

2 days ago

March 18, 2025

Peter Tolan

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Despite the implemented ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO), the gaming industry in the country continues to boom, according to Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco.

In his keynote address at the ASEAN Gaming Summit in Manila, Tengco said the country’s Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) will rise to Php410 billion in 2024, up 25% from the Php329 billion GGR in 2023.

“As offshore gaming exits, PAGCOR recognizes that the future of Philippine gaming will continue to become more technology-driven,” he said. “This is why PAGCOR will continue to closely regulate electronic gaming while ensuring strict oversight to combat illegal operators.”

The PAGCOR chairman emphasized that while land-based casinos contributed Php201 billion—almost half of the total GGR in 2024—revenue from the E-Games and E-Bingo sector grew significantly, grossing Php154.51 billion, 165% higher than in 2023.

“We partly attribute the strong performance of the local gaming industry to the strategic policy adjustments that we have implemented, such as the gradual reduction of fee rates for E-Games since 2023,” Tengco’s explanation.

He said that in 2023, PAGCOR was charging 50% to 55% license fees which was an obstacle to the increase in operators. “But effective January 1, 2025, our fee rates for E-Games stand at only 30% of GGR,” he added.

As a result, more operators have come under regulation, voluntary closures of businesses have been avoided, and the profits of licensed companies have been maintained. Also as a result of the said reforms, the E-Games sector reached its target of Php100 billion in GGR revenue as early as September 2024. Tengco also mentioned PAGCOR’s focus on more intensified “responsible gaming programs” to promote a “more sustainable and ethical gaming industry.”

“We wish to assure our industry stakeholders that even as we strive for greater success, responsible gaming and market integrity will continue to be at the heart of our efforts,” Tengco said.

The PAGCOR chief is also fully confident in the direction of the industry.

“The best days of Philippine gaming are still ahead of us, and we look forward to working with all of you to shape what comes next,” he said.

The ASEAN Gaming Summit, organized by Asian Gaming Brief, serves as a platform for industry leaders to discuss trends, challenges and new opportunities in the region’s gaming landscape.

Translated article.

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