Press Releases

Virtual bike races as hard as Tour de France, says expert

Published

6 years ago

May 13, 2020

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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.”

content distribution

Pascal Gaming signs EGT Digital deal to distribute games via X-Nave

Published

14 minutes ago

July 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

pascal-gaming-signs-egt-digital-deal-to-distribute-games-via-x-nave

Integration puts Pascal’s slots, crash, instant and table titles in front of EGT Digital’s operator network across Europe, South America and Africa.

Pascal Gaming has signed a distribution agreement with EGT Digital, making its portfolio available through the X-Nave Gaming Aggregator. The deal was announced July 14, 2026.

Under the integration, operators across EGT Digital’s network will be able to access Pascal Gaming’s full range of slots, crash, instant and table games. EGT Digital said its Gaming Aggregator currently offers more than 20,000 games from over 200 studios.

Titles named in the agreement include Avinho R10 and Fortune Ronaldinho, developed in collaboration with football legend Ronaldinho, alongside Golden Tree Buy Bonus, Sugar Balloon and Juicy Storm.

Pascal Gaming said the partnership will expand distribution across Europe, South America and Africa, as it continues certifying titles for regulated markets. The supplier noted it has recently secured certifications for a number of its games in Brazil as part of its expansion in the market.

The post Pascal Gaming signs EGT Digital deal to distribute games via X-Nave appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

David Murray Head of Risk and Trading at AK Bets

AK Bets trading chief says VAR forces more in-play market suspensions

Published

1 hour ago

July 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

ak-bets-trading-chief-says-var-forces-more-in-play-market-suspensions

David Murray tells OLBG video reviews have cut live betting uptime and increased split-second risk decisions for traders.

VAR is reshaping how football is traded in-play, according to David Murray, Head of Risk & Trading at AK Bets, who says video reviews have increased uncertainty and reduced the time live betting markets can stay open.

Speaking to OLBG, Murray said traders now have to suspend markets more often because potential penalties, red cards and offsides can quickly swing outcomes. “Years ago you would only suspend betting for a handful of major incidents,” he said. “Now there are so many situations where something might happen that you’re constantly making judgement calls.”

Murray added that VAR has changed the experience of watching matches for both fans and trading teams. “It’s completely ruined the enjoyment of watching football,” he said. “We’re exactly the same as everybody else. Whether you’ve had a bet yourself or you’re trading the game, you’re afraid to celebrate a goal because you’re immediately wondering whether there’s going to be a VAR check.”

He said the operational impact is stark compared with a decade ago. “If you compare now with 10 years ago, it’s night and day,” Murray said. “The amount of time even the biggest football matches are actually available to bet on has changed because there are simply far more incidents that require markets to be suspended.”

Murray also pointed to scheduled stoppages at this summer’s World Cup, saying hydration breaks can create additional betting moments rather than interrupting activity. “It almost becomes like a mini half-time,” he said. “Customers have a few minutes to think about what they’ve watched, look at the updated prices and decide whether they want to get involved.”

The post AK Bets trading chief says VAR forces more in-play market suspensions appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

1spin4win

1spin4win achieves strong H1 2026 growth with GGR up 47% year over year

Published

8 hours ago

July 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

1spin4win-achieves-strong-h1-2026-growth-with-ggr-up-47%-year-over-year

1spin4win, an established classic online slot provider, closes the first half of the year by revealing key performance results and the most significant milestones.

The first six months of 2026 have marked a period of strong growth for the studio. Compared to H1 2025, 1spin4win recorded a 47% increase in GGR, while bet count rose by 46.66%.

The provider also saw a significant increase in player activity. In H1 2026, player count surged by 59.06%, and new player count jumped by 50.15% compared to the first half of last year. These numbers reflect 1spin4win’s ability to keep global audiences engaged through new mechanics, regular game releases, and simple gameplay.

Partner growth has also been an important part of this success. Today, 1spin4win works with over 1,000 recognized iGaming brands, including STAKE.MX, 1win, LevelUP, BitStarz, gg.bet, WinSpirit, mBit, Pin-Up, 1xBet, PlayAmo, to name a few. This broad network reinforces the company’s reputation as a trusted provider across international markets.

The latest results also highlighted the success of 1spin4win’s expansion strategy across Latin America and Africa. Both markets remain important directions for the studio, where its mobile-first, easy-to-follow slots resonate perfectly well with local preferences. In H1 2026, compared to H2 2025, the provider’s GGR increased by 45.45% in Africa and 27.68% in LatAm.

This momentum has also been recognized by the wider professional industry. During iGB L!VE, 1spin4win was named Slot Studio of the Year at the inaugural iGaming News Awards, highlighting the studio’s strong slot offering and continued growth.

Olga Hlukhovskaya, Business Development Director at 1spin4win, shared, “We are proud of the results achieved. For us, these numbers are not only about our own success — they show that our games continue to bring value to operators by keeping their audiences active and engaged across different markets. Moving forward, we will continue strengthening this value through regional development, tailored partner support, and high-performing content that stays true to what players enjoy about classic slots.”

About 1spin4win

1spin4win is a fast-growing game provider founded in May 2021 by ambitious developers with over 20 years of experience in the gambling industry. Since its inception, the company has expanded its portfolio to include over 200 classic online slots, all characterized by quality mathematics, transparent mechanics, and well-balanced gameplay — key factors that drive strong player retention. The studio aims to release an average of four new games each month in 2026 and offers effective promotional tools for casino operators to help them enhance player loyalty.

The post 1spin4win achieves strong H1 2026 growth with GGR up 47% year over year appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.