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Movistar Team Challenge Announced on Zwift to Recruit for New E-Team

Kevin Curry

Kevin Curry

— 5 min read
Movistar Team Challenge Announced on Zwift to Recruit for New E-Team

The Movistar Team is the longest-running and one of the most successful squads in pro cycling’s top tier, the UCI WorldTour. Do you want to throw your leg over your own official team bike, wear the official kit, and race for them? You’re in the right place.

The Movistar Team Challenge Community Qualifier provides the Zwift community a chance to make history as a member of the first World Tour-backed esport cycling squad, the Movistar E-Team. 

Throwing your hat in the ring is easy. Snagging one of the coveted spots is not. To start the process, signup for the Community Qualifier. The fastest men and women will progress to a series of elimination races in the Movistar Team Challenge. After three rounds of intense racing and challenges, Movistar Team will invite ten riders — five men and five women — to join the Movistar E-Team.

These riders will become part of the official Movistar Team and most of the privileges* that entails: including a CANYON bicycle, equipment, and team kit. And, of course, they will also receive the virtual Movistar kit. (*You won’t have the privilege of racing in the freezing rain in late winter races!)

Although race results are a massive part of the selection process, social media presence, conduct, and personality will also be factored in to ensure the finalists mesh well with the Movistar Team’s values. That’s no different than most, if not all, UCI teams. 

The Movistar E-Team will target the Premier Division of the Zwift Racing League in both male and female categories as they seek to become one of the best cycling esports teams on the planet. 

Movistar Team Challenge Community Qualifier Race

Date – Feb 3rd

  • This race is the entry point for non-preselected riders to the Challenge. The Community Qualifier welcomes riders worldwide to battle across two laps of Zwift’s Ocean Lava Cliffside Loop in Zwift. There are only two time slots available,  focusing on the most popular times on Zwift.
  • The top 3 riders from each qualifier race (Qualifier 1: three male & three female, Q2: three male and three female —  12 total) will advance to the Movistar Team Challenge. 
  • Zwifts Accuracy and Data Analysis team (ZADA) will verify race results. Riders are required to abide by the Zwift Esports Rules as outlined here.

How do I enter the Movistar Team Challenge?

  • Finish top three in your selected Movistar Team Challenge Community Qualifier race on Feb 3. 
  • FYI: Movistar and Zwift already invited 300 of the best-ranked racers on the platform, currently racing in Season 2 of the Zwift Racing League, to compete for a spot on the team.

Is This a Race?

You know the answer to this. This is a race to find the 12 fastest community riders on Zwift. They’ll advance to Round 1 of the Movistar Team Challenge. Both Zwift and the Movistar team will follow the race closely. Please calibrate your power meters and trainers, and make sure your rider details are correct before the race[s].  

Race Eligibility requirements: 

  • Heart rate monitor
  • Direct drive trainer and power meter (correctly calibrated)
  • ZwiftPower account (race performance will be compared against historical Zwift data)
  • Strava account (race performance will be compared against historical data)
  • Correct weight/height
  • Be at least 18 years old as of March 1, 2021
  • Any rider to be in contention must be able to provide or carry out additional verification procedures as required by ZADA.
  • All riders will be assigned the Canyon Aeroad and Zipp 454 wheels to ensure equipment parity.

Movistar Team Challenge Community Qualifier Races 

What is the Movistar Team Challenge?

The program will offer the opportunity to become a rider for Movistar E-Team, the esports team of Movistar Team. The Movistar Team Challenge Acts as a Talent ID program to find the best Zwift racers to build the Movistar E-Team. The riders will be required to go through a series of challenges to find the final 5 men and 5 women (10 spots in total).  Movistar Team may assign a maximum of 2 out of the 10 spots for exceptional reasons in its sole discretion.

What Will I Get If I Become A Movistar E-Team Member?

2021 Canyon Aeroad CFR at Movistar Team’s Almería Training Camp. 20.1.2021.

You’ll become a member of the first ever esports team developed by a WorldTour / Women’s WorldTour-licensed organization, enjoying the same advantages as our road racers – including, but not limited to:

  1. A Movistar Team-issue Canyon bike with SRAM components (both in Zwift and IRL)
  2. An Elite Direto XR trainer, Movistar E-Team limited edition
  3. Full Movistar Team kit (both in Zwift and IRL), as well as official products and services from the team as a fully-fledged Movistar E-Team member. Includes: Le Coq Sportif lifestyle wear, ABUS helmet, 100%, sunglasses, Garmin cycle computers, RAW Superdrink, cryocompression systems from Aquilo…
  4. Custom attentions from the team, with training plans and systems, assessment of your nutrition and recovery, therapies… from members of the Movistar Team’s staff
  5. Support from the performance team and coaches of the Movistar Team
  6. Attending Movistar Team Training Camps
  7. Access to the Movistar Team Travel Experience cycling trips
  8. 1-year contract, subject to renewal upon review
  9. No salary provided

Members of the Movistar E-Team are expected to:

  1. Participate in the Zwift Racing League and other high tier virtual races by Zwift.
  2. Race as a Team, representing and wearing the brand and image of Movistar E-Team both in the game and IRL.
  3. Communicate their engagement with the Team via their social media channels, by generating content about the Movistar E-Team and their sponsors: photos, videos, posts, etc.
  4. Sign a 1 year ambassador contract with Movistar E-Team.
  5. Movistar E-Team riders will take part in the Training camps of the World Tour Team.

More information and rules around the Movistar Team Challenge:

About Movistar Team

The Movistar Team is the longest-running, most successful squad in pro cycling’s top tier, the UCI WorldTour, which gathers the 19 most prestigious men’s teams on the planet. 2021 sees the Blues’ men’s team fulfill their 42nd consecutive season of activity with a roster of 29 riders. The squad also includes a 14-member women’s team, active since 2018 and part of the highest tier, the UCI Women’s WorldTour. Qualified professionals in support of those on the bikes complete an organization employing nearly one hundred people. The squad is managed by the Abarca Sports corporation, based in Navarra, Spain. Together with more than 900 victories as a professional, Europe-based men’s structure -as well as more than twenty already obtained with its women’s squad-, the organization has achieved six yearly titles as the best team in the world in 1992, 2008 and — under Telefónica’s sponsorship —  2013 to 2016 consecutively.

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