New Zealand's Kate McCarthy and Germany's Jason Osborne were crowned as champions in their respective events. Photo: Photosport / Alex Whitehead
In a dominant display, Hamilton cyclist Kate McCarthy has claimed back-to-back titles at the UCI Esports World Championship grand finals in Abu Dhabi.
The unique esport uses stationary bikes attached to smart trainers and a virtual cycling platform called MyWhoosh, and has been held since 2020.
The event has a three-stage point-based system, with different ways to score across the different stages.
McCarthy dominated the first-stage hill climb and it was downhill from there, as she beat out all 21 other finalists.
She opened up a 28-point lead by the end of the first stage - an 8.4km, 24-minute hill climb that featured 554m of elevation.
The Kiwi scored almost the maximum possible points during the second stage, where they were awarded at five checkpoints throughout a 12km loop, pushing her tally to 433.
McCarthy put the competition to bed in the third stage, dominating across the eight short laps.
She totalled 597 points, finishing ahead of Brazil's Gabriella Guerra, who had 525 points in second, and Italy's Francesca Tommasi on 478 points in third.
"I was aiming to show what I can do up that first climb and then hopefully hang on for the next two stages," McCarthy said.
New Zealand's Kate McCarthy claims the top spot on the podium and back-to-back Cycling Esports World Championships. Photo: Photosport / Alex Whitehead
McCarthy's family was in Abu Dhabi to support her, along with partner and former Olympic cyclist Dylan Kennett.
"It was so cool to have them here," she said. "They have been watching every race.
"Dad turns up and my partner is there every weekend, and my uncle watches online. It was so good to have them here."
Racing was online in the qualifying stages, but for the final, the top 22 riders competed in the flesh on stage at the Space42 Arena.
"It adds a different element, because we don't see each other usually and we don't get to see what each one looks like, so it is cool to bring it all together and to race each other in person."
"I am still letting it sink in," she said, reflecting on back-to-back titles.
"I was just so rapt with last year and with the year I have had, and to get this, I couldn't have had a better year."
The winners of both the elite men's and women's events receive US$15,000 (NZ$26,579) in prize money.
Former hockey international and Ironman athlete Bridget Kiddle of Marlborough finished 16th in her first trip to the esport world championships.
Christchurch cyclist Ollie Jones - who had been at the forefront of the global growth in esports racing - finished a respectable 10th in the elite men's event, where Germany's Jason Osborne won his third straight title.
Fellow New Zealander Michael Vink was forced to withdraw before the competition with illness, despite impressing in qualification.
The esports cycling world champs will once again return to Abu Dhabi in 2026.
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