Canyon launch 'world's first professional eRacing team'

Image 1 of 3

German direct-to-consumer bike manufacturer Canyon Bicycles have announced the launch of "the world's first professional eRacing team": Canyon ZCC. The team, formed of five male and five female riders, will race in the Zwift KISS Community League where both squads won the inaugural events.

The 10 riders are joined by a team manager, Rhys Howell, who will communicate with the team's riders during racing through a radio "giving instructions and providing information throughout the race".

Canyon say the team kit is inspired from the early rave era in the 1990s, with Canyon releasing a limited number of 50 replica team kits to celebrate the launch of the team, available from their website from May 7. The team will wear the jerseys while racing on Zwift and in 'real life'. The team is equipped with Canyon Aeroad CF SL bikes, allowances for travel to events, trainers and accessories from Wahoo, and nutrition from Nuun.

In a press release from Canyon, Howell said: "In a very short space of time, we have built an incredibly close-knit team of riders who share our vision to build the ultimate eRacing team. This is just the beginning."

Included in the squad of 10 riders are two female and one male Zwift national champions.

Various Continental and Pro Continental teams, including Hagens Berman Axeon, the Israel Cycling Academy, Cofidis, Novo Nordisk and SEG Racing Academy, raced at the inaugural KISS Super League race in January.