Industry News
Virtual bike races as hard as Tour de France, says expert
- Virtual cycle races take place of cancelled road races
- Big names like Chris Froome have been taking part
- Cycling data expert says virtual races are proving to be just as hard as the real thing
Virtual cycle racing is proving to be just as hard as road races such as the Tour de France, according to professional riders and a leading sports data analyst.
Races on virtual platforms such as Zwift and ROUVY have filled the void left by the cancellation of professional road races over the past few weeks, with big-name riders like Chris Froome and Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet taking part in events such as the Digital Swiss 5, the Zwift Tour for All and the Team INEOS eRace on Zwift.
Together with a panel of cycling experts from bonusfinder.com, professional cycling coach and data scientist Philipp Diegner – who regularly analyses UCI WorldTour races – has assessed the publicly available performance data from more than 200 efforts made by pro riders in recent virtual races.
Although virtual races are up to six times shorter than road races, Diegner said they have proved to be just as difficult as road races and have caught some professionals off guard. ”The racing is short and particularly intense,” he explained. “It is 45-90 minutes of racing instead of 3-6 hours. The consequence for the riders is that there is no opportunity to save energy like they have in road races, so they have to make prolonged, all-out efforts that push them to their physical limit.
“Professionals are not necessarily used to this and it can be a shock to the system. Virtual racing is as hard as road racing; it is just that endurance is a more decisive factor in road racing, whereas virtual racing is one hour of pure, intense suffering.”
Pro rider Chris Hamilton, who rides for Team Sunweb, agreed with Diegner when he described one virtual race as “the hardest thing I have ever done”.
Diegner selected the following 10 performances as the most impressive he has seen in the professional virtual races to date.
| Rider | Team | Race | Time | Speed (avg km/h) | Power (avg watts) | W/kg (avg) | Ride Info Source |
| Chris Hamilton | Team Sunweb | Digital Swiss 5 Race 5 | 01:00:13 | 37.7 | 393 | 6.05 | Strava |
| Filippo Ganna | Team INEOS | Digital Swiss 5 Race 2 | 00:55:17 | 48.7 | 463 | 5.51 | Strava |
| James Piccoli | Israel Start-Up Nation | Zwift Tour for All Stage 3 | 01:41:56 | 42.7 | 335 | 5.2 | Zwift Companion |
| Louis Meintjes | NTT Pro Cycling | Zwift Tour for All Stage 5 | 01:23:40 | 33.3 | 323 | 5.7 | Zwift Companion |
| Stefan De Bod | NTT Pro Cycling | Zwift Tour for All Stage 5 | 01:23:49 | 33.3 | 357 | 5.4 | Zwift Companion |
| Nicolas Roche | Team Sunweb | Digital Swiss 5 Race 3 | 01:12:11 | 27.9 | 391 | 5.51 | Strava |
| Pello Bilbao | Bahrain – McLaren | Zwift Tour for All Stage 3 | 01:42:39 | 42.4 | 330 | 5.5 | Zwift Companion |
| Rohan Dennis | Team INEOS | Team INEOS eRace on Zwift | 00:58:01 | 29.2 | 373 | 5.18 | Zwift Companion |
| Tobias Ludvigsson | Groupama – FDJ | Digital Swiss 5 Race 4 | 00:48:00 | 46 | 428 | 5.63 | Strava |
| Nicolas Roche | Team Sunweb | Digital Swiss 5 Race 3 | 00:54:17 | 29.4 | 397 | 5.59 | Strava
|
Watts per kilogram is widely recognised as the most accurate barometer of effort in pro cycling. It takes the average power a rider produces over a set period of time and divides it by their weight in kilograms. The hardest road races require the winner to produce about 4/wkg over five hours. In virtual races, the winners have been nudging 6w/kg for between one hour and 1hr 45min.
Diegner said: “Chris Hamilton only finished fourth in race five of the Digital Swiss 5 but riding for one hour at 6.05w/kg is world class. He rode the last 12 minutes at 6.58w/kg, which would win him most WorldTour mountain stages.
“James Piccoli’s win on stage three of the Zwift Tour for All was a similarly amazing effort. He rode for one and a half hours at over 5w/kg and then kicked again and rode the last six minutes 25 seconds at 6.46w/kg. That’s unimaginable for amateur riders on Zwift.”
One lesson that emerged from the analysis was that the riders who are most successful on the road, such as Froome and 2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal, were not necessarily as effective in virtual races.
Diegner believes this was because successful road riders did not adjust to the nuances of virtual racing as well as others, but he expects them to start replicating their road success in virtual races with time and experience.
“Take Egan Bernal in the Team INEOS eRace on Zwift,” Diegner added. “He wasn’t competitive. That may be because he did not go all-out and was treating it as a training effort. But ultimately, once a rider with his capability gets used to the intensity, he will start winning like he does on the road.
“It is similar with sprints. Someone like [former three-time world champion] Peter Sagan might not get virtual racing right to begin with, but when he learns when and how to expend his power, he will start winning with the same regularity as on the road. Knowing when to start the sprint and how to reach max power in online races is a skill that has to be developed.”
Powered by WPeMatico
Casino Content
ICONIC21 launches Football Cup-branded casino games and debut network tournament
ICONIC21 has rolled out three limited-edition Football Cup-branded casino games and launched its first network tournament, ICONIC Showdown Football Cup, running from 9th of July to 19th of July.
The new titles are Football Cup Roulette, Football Cup Blackjack 360, and Football Cup Gravity Blackjack. ICONIC21 said the releases showcase different customisation approaches, including green screen production for the roulette environment and an updated visual rebrand for its RNG blackjack table.
For Football Cup Gravity Blackjack, ICONIC21 said it used its latest LED technology and applied the Gravity Series multiplier mechanic, with a custom felt, a football gate, and bespoke 3D-printed decorations.
Alongside the three new games, ICONIC21 pointed to its previously launched slot Soccer World Championship, plus The Kickoff and Top Card, which it said received football-season branding and UI/UX updates.
The ICONIC Showdown Football Cup tournament covers 11 games in total and is positioned around the quarter finals, semi-finals and final period. ICONIC21 said 1,000 winners will share a €50,000 prize pool, and operators can enroll via their account manager or by contacting the company directly.
Edvardas Sadovskis, Chief Product Officer at ICONIC21, said:
“What I’m most proud of with this project is the turnaround. We built three fully branded, technically distinct games, enhanced existing ones with promotional branding, and launched our first-ever network tournament around them, all timed to coincide with peak player interest and traffic.
That kind of speed doesn’t happen by accident, it reflects how this team works. ICONIC Showdown is a meaningful first step for us as a provider, and launching it during the Football Cup, with this much energy around the game, feels like the right way to do it. We’re genuinely excited to see how the leaderboard shapes up and even more excited for the finals.”
The post ICONIC21 launches Football Cup-branded casino games and debut network tournament appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Brand Ambassador
Ronaldinho visits CreedRoomz Yerevan studio to front Marble Cup and Kickoff Roulette
CreedRoomz has brought footballer Ronaldinho to its headquarters in Yerevan, where the company filmed an “exclusive interview” with the former player in connection with two new live casino game shows, Marble Cup and Kickoff Roulette. CreedRoomz said Ronaldinho is the global ambassador for both titles.
In the interview, Ronaldinho said: “For me, it’s a great joy to be a part of this partnership. Since arriving here at the office, everyone has treated me with great affection. I already feel at home, very happy.” Asked to choose between the two games, he added: “Honestly, it’s difficult to choose one, both are wonderful, I loved them, so it’s very difficult to choose one, I think everyone will really like them, I think the whole world will really enjoy them.”
Ronaldinho also described his first impressions of the studio and gameplay: “I was surprised and very happy, everything is very beautiful, everything is very innovative, so I believe that’s why everyone will really like them, so I’m looking forward to everyone starting to enjoy them a lot.”
On why CreedRoomz expects the titles to gain traction, he said: “These are different games. I think that will attract attention, the fact that football is a global passion also helps, so I believe everyone will like it for those reasons.. and for the innovation of everything that is happening.”
CreedRoomz linked the interview to upcoming “World Cup and R10 Tournaments,” with Ronaldinho closing by telling fans: “A message of gratitude for the continued affection. I’m very happy and excited. for the next competitions for the next games, the games are all ready, I hope everyone enjoys them and everyone be very happy and have good times together.”
The post Ronaldinho visits CreedRoomz Yerevan studio to front Marble Cup and Kickoff Roulette appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Gamification
Soft2Bet launches MEGA Shoot World Cup gamification engine
Soft2Bet has launched MEGA Shoot, a football-themed gamification engine designed around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, aimed at helping sportsbook operators retain players during the tournament.
The product will be deployed across selected Soft2Bet brands including Betinia, Swiper, Campobet, ToonieBet and Elabet, with availability spanning markets including Denmark, Greece, Mexico, New Jersey, Ontario, Romania, and the rest of Canada, according to the company.
MEGA Shoot uses a player-versus-player best-of-five penalty shootout format. Players alternate between striker and goalkeeper, with the striker selecting where to shoot and the goalkeeper selecting where to defend. Each round resolves as a goal or a save before roles switch.
Soft2Bet said early internal results show 31.9% engagement among active players across selected brands, with 71.2% of MEGA Shoot players going on to play a second match. The company also claims a 13.5% player retention uplift.
Yoel Zuckerberg, Chief Product Officer at Soft2Bet, said: “The World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July, so retention has to work across the full tournament calendar. MEGA Shoot gives operators a football game that players can understand quickly, with head-to-head competition tied to the sport they already follow. With almost 32% engagement among active players and about 71% converting into a second match, the early data shows how tournament-led gamification can strengthen sportsbook engagement during major football events.”
The post Soft2Bet launches MEGA Shoot World Cup gamification engine appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Baltics7 days agoDigitain Named Best Sportsbook Provider at HIPTHER Baltic & Nordics Gaming Awards 2026
-
DBET7 days agoHockeyAllsvenskan names DBET main partner in three-year deal from 2026/27
-
Blazing Flower7 days agoCT Interactive Strengthens its Presence in Romania with Newly Certified Games
-
Asia7 days agoS8UL’s League of Legends roster qualifies to represent India at Asian Games 2026
-
Australia5 days agoFormer Star Entertainment Executives Mathias Bekier and Paula Martin Disqualified and Ordered to Pay Penalties
-
CFTC6 days agoNovig Secures CFTC Designation, Bringing the First Prediction Market Built for Sports Fans Nationwide
-
Alina Mihaela Popa Chief Commercial Officer at ICONIC216 days agoICONIC21 launches live casino and RNG titles with Maxbet in Romania
-
Alberta6 days agoMediaTroopers lines up eight operator partners ahead of Alberta launch



