"There were too many limitations" - E-Sports World Champion finds happiness away from the road, and 'my numbers are the best of my life'

E-Sports World Champion Jason Osborne has recently talked about the issues that indoor cycling currently faces regarding doping, however in a recent interview he has also discussed how in it, he finds his best numbers. He has tried out in the World Tour for Alpecin-Deceuninck, however he didn't find the environment optimal for performance, and prioritizes independence.

Osborne won, for the first time, the e-Sports Worlds in 2020 and the following season he rode as a trainee for Alpecin-Deceuninck. He ended up doing so until 2024, trying throughout several years to make use of his potential on the road, however being unable to do so. He has had a few decent results at the top level, but never managed to deliver anywhere near the same level of success as with indoor racing.

"There were too many limitations. I couldn't reach my full potential because the teams operated too centrally," the German rider said in words to Marca. "Training, methods, decisions...everything was controlled. There was no room for individuality." It is the professionalism requirement at the top level, but not all riders can adapt to it - specially Osborne who developed himself in the discipline, after being an Olympic medalist in rowing prior to his professionalism in cycling.

"My numbers are the best of my life, better than when I was racing on the road. It's a bit sad, because with these numbers, I could have achieved great things on the road, but I never had the opportunity to develop them." Ever since leaving pro cycling he has won both 2024 and 2025 e-Sports World Championships once again, adding to his palmarès.

The 31-year old is an unusual case in the sport, and ends up finding his own feet in a more individualistic environment. Indoor cycling, as luck would have it, ends up allowing for this specifically. "This flexibility changes everything. Indoor cycling allows me to compete anywhere: all I need is a trainer, an iPad, and my bike. In virtual cycling, everything depends on you. I've rediscovered the satisfaction I'd lost on the road."

From 2027 onwards, riders' performances in cyclocross, mountain bike and track will reward their respective road teams with UCI points. It is possible that at some point in time, the same can apply to e-Sports, or perhaps that the discipline gains further notoriety and with it, the same happens to standout riders such as Osborne.

“There will be a shift toward hybrid athletes, with more individualized structures and less team dependence," he believes, a trend that may have already started. "More freedom and less stress. This is the way forward.”