Apparently professional e-bike racing is going to be a thing now (+ video)

The European Cycling Union (UEC) is to add professional e-road and e-mountain bike races to its calendar for 2019.

Bicycling reports that the federation of pro cycling governing bodies announced the move at its annual meeting earlier this week. The circuit of races will be known as UEC Formula E-Bike.

Details such as the maximum power assistance and what kinds of electrical assistance will be permitted are yet to be established.

Earlier this month, the UCI announced its decision to integrate e-mountain bike racing “in response to growing public interest in this new form of cycling.”

In a statement, the sport’s governing body said: “Discussions will be held over the coming year with National Federations and representatives of the cycling industry, with a view to creating an initial set of regulations for this discipline from 2019.

“However, it is already the intention that electric starting systems will only be triggered once leg movement has begun, and will cut out when leg movement stops. This electric assistance must also cease when the bike reaches 25 km/h, and the engine must not exceed 250 watts."

The footage above is from the electric mountain bike race at the 2016 Sea Otter Classic.