GCN takes on Visma-Lease a Bike's Vingegaard and Kuss in Zwift challenge

We are three weeks into January, and that usually spells an end to many New Year's resolutions which fall short of the mark as the gym gets quieter and the confectionary aisles in supermarkets get busier. But there will be no such let up for Dan Lloyd, who is taking part in the GCN 30 in 30 activity challenge alongside the rest of our GCN presenters and thousands of you as well.

From running and yoga to cycling and palates, the 30 in 30 challenge is designed to encourage participants to complete 30 minutes of exercise per day for the first 30 days of January. The 31st will be a day of rest and recuperation, all being well!

Read more: Ride with our GCN presenters during our 30 in 30 January fitness challenge

We have partnered with indoor training platform, Zwift, who have been hosting our GCN rides throughout the month and will provide the scene for Dan's latest activity, which is a special one indeed.

No doubt buoyed by his recent return to cycling, Dan has gone one step further and challenged the Visma-Lease a Bike men's WorldTeam to a challenge! Rather you than us, Dan...

That's right, 12 years on from his retirement, Dan will be going up against Visma-Lease a Bike's Jonas Vingegaard and Sepp Kuss in a Zwift race.

Zwift is the perfect platform to get an accurate gauge of each rider's fitness, with Zwift long holding the Zwift Academy trials to offer the winners a pro contract with either Canyon-SRAM or Alpecin-Deceuninck, and AusCycling recently announcing that they are turning to Zwift to identify the next great Australian talents.

Ahead of his showdown with Vingegaard and Sepp Kuss, Dan may have been wise to look to GCN's stat guru Cillian Kelly for a few tips and tricks, with the Irishman recently taking part in the Zwift Academy in a straight-up battle against British hill climbing phenom, Andrew Feather.

Read more: GCN takes on the Zwift Academy: Do Andrew Feather or Cillian Kelly have what it takes to make it as a pro rider?

Dan may have an even tougher test than Cillian this time, however, with Visma-Lease a Bike sending their all-star lineup to defend their honour against Cervélo Test Team's former domestique-deluxe.

Vingegaard is, of course, the reigning two-time Tour de France champion, having dismantled UAE Team Emirates' Tadej Pogačar at the last two editions of the sport's biggest race. The Dane is also coming off the back of a near-perfect season in which he also dominated both Itzulia Basque Country and the Critérium du Dauphiné - all before finishing runner-up at the Vuelta a España. Kuss is the reigning Vuelta a España winner and helped his team to win all all three Grand Tours in 2023.

Needless to say, Dan will have his work cut out trying to get one over on this outstanding double-act. But Zwift is never short in offering up opportunities to riders, whether it be coffee stops or power-ups, so don't count Lloydy out just yet...

Read more: A beginner’s guide to Zwift

Can Dan possibly beat Vingegaard and Kuss in a Zwift race? Watch into the video above to find out!