Gabriella Nordin, who will be competing at the Esports Cycling World Championships, says different skills are needed opposed to road cycling.
Representing Sweden, Gabriella Nordin, who works at Prime Accountants Group, which has offices in Solihull, Birmingham and Coventry, eased through the qualifying races to finish tenth overall, securing her place in the World Championships on February 18.
Gabriella, 34, who lives in Tamworth, has been cycling competitively since 2012, however, only relatively recently started training in the Esport discipline, racing on a stationary bike using virtual tours.
She joined the Esport cycling Team Swedish Zwifters in June 2022, an incredibly strong team which features 11 out of 12 cyclists from the World Champion Swedish E-cycling squad.
She said: “Since getting through the qualifiers in November 2022, I still can’t quite believe I’ve made it to the World Championships. Just getting to this stage is a huge achievement.
“My love for cycling started in my 20s when I used to go riding with my dad, every ride an opportunity for me to try to beat him!
“This drive to be better and faster now translates into my professional races, with a competitive streak helping give me an edge against my opponents.”
Gabriella said Esport cycling competitions are not just a simulation of outdoor bike races. They require different skills than traditional road cycling, with a participant’s view and perception of fellow competitors also different.
She added: “With E-cycling, you can’t see the exhaustion in your fellow rivals and must instead evaluate competitors’ strength or vulnerability from the data shown on the screen, including power-to-weight ratio and upcoming terrain.
“The competition for the World Championships is tough, with three races each testing different skills. To match this intensity, my training has increased. I typically train 10 to 20 hours a week, only made possible thanks to Prime and its flexible working practices.
“To provide me more time to train and focus on up-and-coming competitions, I am able to work from home two days a week, with the remaining three open to generous flexitime depending on when my training needs to take place.
“By cutting down on commuting time, I have been able to train for the three races; The Punch, The Climb and The Podium, which will be contested on three separate routes.
“It’s an exciting time to be part of the Esports world. As it continues to grow more popular within the sporting community, it will be amazing to see more spectators gain interest.”
