UAE Team Emirates has announced its sixth signing for the upcoming 2023 season, with 30-year-old New Zealander Michael Vink joining the team on a one-year deal.

Vink raced at the continental level last season with New Zealand's Bolton Equities Black Spoke team and will be paired with compatriot George Bennett at the new team.

The deal was made after UAE Team Emirates, the team's co-sponsor, took notice of his rides on MyWhoosh, a free UAE-based virtual cycling platform.

"The team took notice of his positive results in a number of competitive races on Whoosh, and after further testing, he has decided to join the team for 2023," a statement released by the team reads.

Vink has raced at the continental level in his career with Trek Livestrong, Team Budget Forklift, and St. George, winning elite road race and time trial titles in 2012 and 2015, He has won several New Zealand national titles.

In 2019, he finished fifth at the Tour of Taihu Lake and Tour of Fuzhou, and won the New Zealand Cycle Classic in 2014.

Team principal Mauro Gianetti said, "We are very happy to welcome Michael to the team. He has had good results on the road before, but we have become more aware of him through his performance in Whoosh"

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"The athletes use Whoosh throughout the year, as the weather sometimes makes it impossible to train outside.

"Cycling is constantly evolving, and new innovations like Whoosh, which is proud to be a platform founded in the UAE, are even helping to discover new riders that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

Vink said he can't wait to start racing with his new teammates and is thrilled to be a part of such a great team.

"I am extremely grateful to be given this opportunity with UAE Team Emirates. Being asked to be a part of such a great team is truly humbling and I intend to make the most of it." This is the beginning of a new chapter in my career and I can't wait to see what I can do in the World Tour peloton."

Vink is not the first rider to earn a pro contract on the back of his performance in the virtual cycling world. In recent years, Canyon-Slam has recruited Zwift Academy winners, including Tanya Ellas, Neve Bradbury, and Ella Harris, who turned pro after winning.

In the men's peloton, Jay Vine is the most famous athlete to turn pro after winning the Zwift Academy. The Australian, who won two stages at this season's Vuelta a España, is in his third year with Alpecin de Seuninck.