Why does a free platform offer a $1m prize fund?

The purse is marketing. MyWhoosh charges nothing to use and is funded by the United Arab Emirates, so the $1m does not need to be recouped through subscriptions or entry fees. It buys attention and pulls competitive riders onto the platform. It also gives MyWhoosh a flagship event to build a calendar around. The same logic explains the platform’s wider expansion, which now includes rowing alongside cycling. Zwift funds itself through subscriptions and has grown by acquisition. The contrast in strategy is a useful thing to watch.

Can an amateur win the MyWhoosh Championships?

Realistically, the prize money goes to former professionals and dedicated esports specialists. The 2025 men’s champion was Michael Vink, a former UAE Team Emirates rider. The women’s title went to Mary Kate McCarthy, who races virtual events year-round and reportedly earned around $148,000 from MyWhoosh across the season. The Championships are open to all, and any qualified rider can enter, but the top categories are contested by people who train and race indoors at a high level. A genuine amateur entering the sharp end of the field should ride for the experience and the finisher gift pack rather than a payout.

How does MyWhoosh keep the racing fair?

Two mechanisms apply. The Power Passport Test verifies a rider’s power output and weight before they can compete, addressing the most common form of manipulation in virtual racing: inaccurate or favourable data. Separately, MyWhoosh runs an integrity and anti-doping programme during the Championships and describes it as a first of its kind in virtual racing. Treat that claim with some caution, since performance verification already exists across the sport.

How do you enter the MyWhoosh Championships 2026?

Register through the MyWhoosh events page once registration opens, then complete the Power Passport Test if you have not already done so. Riders who have raced the platform’s Sunday Race Club within the qualifying window are generally exempt from the test. Complete the verification early so you are eligible for the first stage. The seven stages run across a single week in July.