Talent ID: Discover your potential with virtual racing this September

Could you be Australia’s next Olympic or Paralympic cyclist? 

AusCycling is inviting budding athletes to see if they have the potential to excel in the sport of cycling and become the next Grace Brown, Saya Sakakibara, Sam Welsford or Emily Petricola.

By taking part in a virtual race series this September, you could be identified as a future cycling prospect and given opportunities to take the next step in the sport.

The series is the latest testing event in AusCycling’s Virtual Talent Identification program, which aims to identify and nurture promising young cyclists with the potential to go far in the sport.

To test yourself, you will need to participate in the three Zwift events listed below:

• Stage 1, Baseline: Tuesday, September 10, 6:00pm AEST or Thursday, September 12, 5:00pm AEST
• Stage 2, Time Trial: Tuesday, September 17, 6:30pm AEST
• Stage 3, Criterium: Tuesday, September 24, 6:30pm AEST

(You only need to complete Stage 1 once).

Could you be a future Olympian? (Tim de Waele / Getty Images)

After the series, AusCycling will analyse your results and compare them to our benchmark data. If you meet the criteria, you’ll be invited for further in-person testing, which could lead to categorisation in our performance pathway, scholarship opportunities, and ultimately, the chance to compete for Australia at major events.

AusCycling’s Virtual Talent program is open to Australians:

• with a physical or vision impairment,
• with a background in another competitive sport, or
• aged 16−22 with no prior high-performance experience.

For more information, or to learn how to set up Zwift at home, visit the Virtual Talent ID page.

Feature photo: Sebastien Bozon via AFP / Getty Images