Jay Vine to miss Esports World Championships

Jay Vine will not defend his world title in the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships next month.

The world champion published the following statement on social media today:

"The start of the 2023 season, winning the Australian Time Trial Championships and then the Tour Down Under, has been a dream.

It’s seen me realise goals I’ve set and worked hard to achieve, and continue the wild journey professional cycling has taken me on so far.

The 2022 season also brought surreal moments, including being crowned world esports champion, proudly taking home the rainbow jersey.

Combining road racing with esports has been important to me, to honour my development pathway through cycling, as well as the privilege of representing Australia alongside my wife Bre."

For now, this balance will have to shift towards my professional road racing career, and as such I won’t be able to defend my rainbow stripes at the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships.

After discussions with my coaches, managers and mentors, I feel that my focus and commitment is needed at Team UAE Emirates where scheduling will see me racing the Volta ao Algarve on the weekend of February 18, 2023.

Hopefully in future the World Championships will be held on a date where the UCI calendar isn’t so jam-packed!

Bre will fly the flag for Team Vine as a proud member of the Australian esports team for the World Championships, and I will be cheering for both her and the other Aussie team members to fight for the rainbows I have been honoured to wear for the past year.

Queensland rider Kyle Marwood has been added to the Australian squad. Marwood was a staple of last year's AusCycling Club Esports Series and will be making his national representative debut in the event.

The World Championships will be held on February 18 using new routes in Zwift based on the roads of Glasgow.

Australia – 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships

Men

• Josh Harris (TAS)
• Ben Hill (ACT)
• Sam Hill (NSW)
• Kyle Marwood (QLD)
• Freddy Ovett (QLD)
• Torben Partridge-Madsen (ACT)

Women

• Imogen Alton (QLD)
• Katie Banerjee (NSW)
• Justine Barrow (VIC)
• Rose Vassel (NSW)
• Bre Vine (ACT)
• Vicki Whitelaw (ACT)