Eurosport is announcing a new broadcast partnership with Zwift that will see Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) premium multi-sport broadcaster produce coverage of the thrilling season finale of Chasing Down a Dream: Zwift Academy for viewers in Europe.

Eurosport will leverage its deep cycling expertise, rich storytelling ability and technical capabilities to produce four episodes showcasing the unique cycling competition where aspiring amateur athletes attempt to complete the most gruelling set of challenges using the global online fitness platform, Zwift.

Following weeks of intense indoor competition between more than 108,000 cyclists, three male and three female riders have made it through to the final test to win two professional contracts with UCI WorldTeams Canyon-SRAM and the Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team. They will now hone their real-life racing skills as part of a road cycling training camp in Denia, Spain.  

Guy Voisin, Senior Director of Cycling at WBD Sports Europe, said: “We know that data and analysis is critical to contemporary cycling both at a performance level but also how we present and communicate insights to viewers through our live broadcasts to better connect fans with the riders competing.

“We are thrilled to be working with Zwift to broadcast Chasing Down a Dream which offers the opportunity for us to showcase our cycling and production expertise to further engage fans through enhanced storytelling around the sport and its athletes through this unique challenge.”

Eurosport will also draw upon the insights and experience of a litany of cycling stars including former UCI World Champions Philippe Gilbert, Mathieu van der Poel and Kasia Niewiadoma by producing and airing a special interview-led show exploring the pathways to the peloton and the journeys cyclists go on to progress to professional level. The special programme be shown on Eurosport 1 at 19:30 CET on Monday 19 February ahead of the four-part Chasing Down a Dream: Zwift Academy series airing across four consecutive days in the same timeslot and with free digital coverage on Eurosport’s YouTube channel.

Philippe Gilbert, Eurosport cycling expert, said: “Cycling has changed over the last 20 years. It’s a lot faster, the teams are more professional, they have more support, science and better materials. Now, before signing a rider, you ask them the password of their database and you just go analyse all their training and races and see their great potential. It’s easier today for teams to take the real talent. You can detect a rider as strong as you’ve ever seen before.”

The six finalists competing for two professional contacts include:

• Katy Hill (Great Britain)Laura Simenc (Slovenia)
• Maude (Maddie) Le Roux (South Africa)
• Mattia Gaffuri (Italy)
• Louis Kitzki (Germany)
• Anton Schiffer (Germany)

Eurosport’s production and coverage of Chasing a Dream continues its commitment to cycling content and storytelling while showing more men’s and women’s races than any other broadcaster in Europe with 300 days of live action per year. The first broadcast of Chasing a Dream follows its live coverage of the UAE Tour Women and coincides with the beginning of the UAE Tour on 19 February. 

The full list of contributors who will appear in Chasing Down a Dream includes:
Kate Veronneau (USA) - Pro Cyclist 2008-2010
Magnus Bäckstedt (Sweden) - Pro Cyclist 1996-2012
Dani Christmas (Great Britain) - Pro Cyclist 2018-2021
Hannah Walker (Great Britain) - Pro Cyclist 2017-2018
Christoph Roodhooft (Belgium) - Sports Director - Alpecin-Deceuninck
Kristof De Kegel (Belgium) - Head of Performance - Alpecin-Deceuninck
Philippe Gilbert (Belgium) - Pro Cyclist 2003-2022
Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands) - Alpecin-Deceuninck
Jasper Philipsen - (Belgium) - Alpecin-Deceuninck
Kasia Niewiadom (Poland) - CANYON//SRAM Racing
Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (South Africa) - AG Insurance-Soudal Team
Neve Bradbury (Australia) - CANYON//SRAM Racing
Ella Harris (New Zealand) - Lifeplus Wahoo
Alex Morrice (Great Britain) - CANYON//SRAM Racing
Luca Vergallito (Italy) - Alpecin-Deceuninck
Ronny Lauke (Germany) - General Manager CANYON//SRAM Racing
Matt Stephens (Great Britain) - Pro Cyclist 1999-2011
Mattia Gaffuri (Italy) - Zwift Academy Finalist
Anton Schiffer (Germany) - Zwift Academy Finalist
Louis Kitzki (Germany) - Zwift Academy Finalist
Katy Hill (Great Britain) - Zwift Academy Finalist
Laura Simenc (Slovenia) - Zwift Academy Finalist
Maddie le Roux (South Africa) - Zwift Academy Finalist
Adam Szabo (Slovakia) - CANYON//SRAM Generation Team director
Zoe Backstedt (Great Britain) - CANYON//SRAM Racing
Chloé Dygert (USA) - CANYON//SRAM Racing
Elise Chabbey (Switzerland) - CANYON//SRAM Racing
Stephen Gallagher (Northern Ireland) - CANYON//SRAM Racing Performance Coach
Kaden Groves (Australia) - Alpecin-Deceuninck
Sam Gaze (New Zealand) - Alpecin-Deceuninck
Jonas Rickaert (Belgium) – Alpecin-Deceuninck
Jonny Towers (Great Britain) - Downhill coach