The Virtual Velo Podcast p/b TheZommunique.com

Paweł Ścierski didn’t coast into cycling esports. He arrived at full speed, beating established names and forcing the community to take notice.
In Episode 89 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris Schwenker sits down with the young Polish rider to trace his path from national-level mountain bike racing to the sharp end of elite cycling esports competition, unpack the rapid performance gains that raised debate, and revisit his illness-impacted ride at the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships in Abu Dhabi.
It’s an honest, wide-ranging conversation about raw talent, unassuming temperament, perspective, and what it takes to rise in a sport still learning how to trust.
Don’t miss out on the unique opportunity to delve even deeper into the intriguing topics discussed in this episode.
Preview: Can the favorites repeat at the 2025 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships? [Escape Collective, Nov. 2025]
Osborne and McCarthy repeat as cycling esports world champions [Escape Collective, Nov. 2025]
Did the UCI’s Cycling Esports World Championship weigh-in policy work? [Escape Collective, Dec. 2025]
 
Statements made by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the podcast, its hosts, or its partners. Listeners are encouraged to form their own opinions.

Fresh off his third UCI Cycling Esports World Championship, Jason Osborne returns to the Virtual Velo Podcast for one of his most open conversations yet. From an extended stay in Abu Dhabi — part training camp, part cultural deep dive — to settling back into life as a full-time esports professional, Jason pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to stay at the top of a sport still defining itself.
He walks us through this year’s Worlds race moment by moment, offering a rare inside line on the tactics, the pressure, and the sensations that shaped his ride to another rainbow jersey. But Jason doesn’t stop at the victory lap. He talks candidly about the challenges facing the discipline, from its growing pains to the structural issues that continue to test its credibility.
We touch on his recent remarks in Domestique, where he called for stronger year-round doping standards and a more mature competitive framework — and why he believes the sport is at a turning point that could set its trajectory for years to come.
It’s an unfiltered look at an athlete who has become synonymous with cycling esports, reflecting on his own reinvention, the state of the discipline, and why he remains genuinely optimistic about its future.
Don’t miss out on the unique opportunity to delve even deeper into the intriguing topics discussed in this episode.
Listen to Jason’s last interview with us on Spotify!
Triple world champion Jason Osborne calls for year-round anti-doping measures in cycling Esports [Domestique, Nov 2025]
‘It felt like, I wouldn’t say slavery, but like they were in too much control’ – Jason Osborne speaks out over exit from Alpecin-Deceuninck [CyclingNews, Oct 2024]
Germany’s Jason Osborne and New Zealand’s Mary Kate McCarthy Win the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship [Zommunique, Oct 2024]
 
Statements made by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the podcast, its hosts, or its partners. Listeners are encouraged to form their own opinions.

In this episode of the Virtual Velo Podcast, we sit down with CEO Kimberly Coats and Jeremy Ford of Team Africa Rising to explore one of the most ambitious development projects in modern African cycling: a plan to bring over 1,000 young cyclists across Africa into virtual racing through a new network of Virtual Performance Centers.
From Rwanda’s historic Road World Championships to the ingenuity sparked during the pandemic, we trace how virtual training has begun to level the playing field for riders who have long faced barriers to accessing the global racing scene. Kimberly and Jeremy walk us through the origins of Team Africa Rising, the challenges they confront on the ground, and how partnerships with platforms like Zwift and Wahoo are helping to unlock a new era of talent identification, safety, and opportunity on the continent.
Joined by award-winning cycling tech journalist and South African native Aaron Borrill, host Chris Schwenker explores what this initiative means for the next generation of African cyclists — and what the future might look like if virtual racing continues to reshape the sport on the African continent.
A conversation about access, ambition, and the power of virtual cycling to make an authentic and real grassroots impact.
Donate here to support Team Africa Rising’s work on the ground in Africa!

Don’t miss out on the unique opportunity to delve even deeper into the intriguing topics discussed in this episode.
​The impossible tale of Adrien Niyonshuti, from a wooden bike to the World Championships [Escape Collective, Sept. 2025]
​Zwift, a bike, and a dream: The virtual rise of a Ugandan cycling club [Escape Collective, June 2025]
 
Statements made by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the podcast, its hosts, or its partners. Listeners are encouraged to form their own opinions.

Two-time UCI Cycling Esports World Champion Kate McCarthy joins the Virtual Velo Podcast, fresh off her successful title defense in Abu Dhabi. She’s joined by her partner, Olympian and former track world champion Dylan Kennett, for a straightforward conversation about racing, preparation, and life behind the results.
Kate talks through how this year’s final unfolded, what felt different, and how support from family and friends shapes her racing experience. Dylan shares his perspective from years at the top of the sport, his role in Kate’s training and strategy, and what he believes cycling esports needs to continue progressing.
We cover their story as a couple, the challenges of outside criticism, thoughts on doping controls and the new weigh-in policy, and where they see the discipline heading. It’s an honest look at the realities of competing—and succeeding—at the highest level of cycling esports.
Don’t miss out on the unique opportunity to delve even deeper into the intriguing topics discussed in this episode.
Kate McCarthy’s road race redemption is a victory for cycling esports [Escape Collective, Feb. 2025]
Listen to ep. 57 with Kate here.
Osborne and McCarthy repeat as cycling esports world champions [Escape Collective, Nov. 2025]
Preview: Can the favorites repeat at the 2025 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships? [Escape Collective, Nov. 2025]
We need to talk openly about weight in cycling esports too [Escape Collective, Aug. 2025]
Triple world champion Jason Osborne calls for year-round anti-doping measures in cycling Esports [Domestique, Nov. 2025]
Statements made by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the podcast, its hosts, or its partners. Listeners are encouraged to form their own opinions.

In this episode, the Virtual Velo Podcast rolls into the biggest week on the cycling esports calendar. USA Cycling Esports National Champion Hayden “Farmwatts” Pucker returns to the show as he prepares to take on the world’s best at the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships live final in Abu Dhabi on November 15th.
Co-hosts Chris Schwenker and Emma Martin catch up with Hayden on his mindset heading into his second consecutive Worlds appearance, the rivalries taking shape, and what to expect from this year’s new course and format. Hayden talks about defending his National title on TrainingPeaks Virtual.
Chris also breaks down his top storylines and predictions as the sport’s brightest talents converge under the lights in the desert for esports cycling’s grandest stage.
 
Don’t miss out on the unique opportunity to delve even deeper into the intriguing topics discussed in this episode.
Get to Know Why They Call This Elite Cyclist, Hayden “Farmwatts” Pucker [Zommunique, Jan. 2024]
Listen to ep. 51 with Hayden here.
Revamped format revealed for the 2025 Cycling Esports World Championships [Escape Collective, Aug. 2025]
TrainingPeaks Virtual to Host USA Cycling Esports National Championships Through 2028 [USA Cycling]
We need to talk openly about weight in cycling esports too [Escape Collective, Aug. 2025]
USA Cycling Awards 20 Stars and Stripes Jerseys at the 2025 Cycling Esports National Championships [Zommunique, Feb. 2025]
 
Statements made by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the podcast, its hosts, or its partners. Listeners are encouraged to form their own opinions.