News
New Zealand's track cycling squad rolls into Shanghai on Wednesday for the UCI Track Cycling World Championships — and the qualifying points on offer mean the racing will be brutal from the first lap.
Cycling New Zealand High Performance Director Ryan Hollows said it was an important opportunity to test their progress two years out from Los Angeles. Record numbers of nations are taking part, with the first qualifying points for the 2028 Olympic Games up for grabs.
The team pursuit campaigns open the meet for both the women and men — qualifying hits the boards Wednesday morning local time — joined by the women's team sprint and Prue Fowler in the women's scratch race.
One major name sits out. Double world gold medallist Ally Wollaston is absent recovering from a knee injury, but she has her eyes firmly fixed on a full return to the track for the New Year, alongside a move to professional road team Lidl-Trek.
The UCI Track Cycling World Championships is live on Sky Television.
New Zealand riders:
Men:
- Elimination: Tom Sexton
- Individual Pursuit: Marshall Erwood, Daniel Morton
- Madison: Keegan Hornblow, George Jackson
- Omnium: Keegan Hornblow
- Points: George Jackson
- Scratch: Tom Sexton
- Team Pursuit: Marshall Erwood, Keegan Hornblow, George Jackson, Daniel Morton
Women:
- Elimination: Sami Donnelly
- Keirin: Ellesse Andrews
- Madison: Bryony Botha, Prue Fowler
- Omnium: Sami Donnelly
- Points: Bryony Botha
- Scratch: Prue Fowler
- Sprint: Ellesse Andrews, Olivia King
- Team Pursuit: Bryony Botha, Sami Donnelly, Prue Fowler, Emily Shearman
- Team Sprint: Ellesse Andrews, Olivia King, Rebecca Petch
Event timetable (local Shanghai time):
Wednesday
- From 10.30am: Women Team Pursuit Qualifying, Men Team Pursuit Qualifying, Women Team Sprint Qualifying, Men Team Sprint Qualifying
- From 6.35pm: Women Team Sprint (1st Round and Finals), Men Team Sprint (1st Round and Finals), Women Scratch, Men Team Pursuit Round 1
Thursday
- From 12 noon: Men Keirin (Round 1 to Finals), Women Sprint Qualifying, Women Sprint Match Racing (to Quarterfinals), Women Elimination Race, Men Team Pursuit Finals, Men Scratch Race, Women Team Pursuit (First Round and Finals)
Friday
- From 10.30am: Men Time Trial Qualifying and Final, Women Omnium (Scratch, Tempo, Elimination, Points), Men Individual Pursuit (Qualifying and Finals), Men Points Race, Women Sprint (Semifinals and Finals)
Saturday
- Women Time Trial (Qualifying and Finals), Men Sprint (Qualifying to Quarterfinals), Men Omnium (Scratch, Tempo, Elimination, Points), Women Individual Pursuit (Qualifying and Finals), Women's Madison
Sunday
- Men Sprint (Semifinals and Finals), Women Keirin (First Round to Finals), Women Points, Men Elimination, Men Madison
The road to Los Angeles starts now. Put the foot down.