Cycling’s global governing body, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) present the Track Champions League, an exciting new format of racing designed to find the best of the best in the worlds of both sprint and endurance track cycling. Riders qualify from the UCI Track World Championships - as well as via other routes - to compete across 5 rounds to determine who are the world’s greatest sprint and endurance riders. Every race counts as riders will have to fight for every point to ensure they are at the top of the league table at the end of the season.
The race format includes the fastest and most exciting disciplines: Sprint and Keirin for the Sprint Championship and Elimination and Scratch for the Endurance Championship.
- Sprint - 2 riders compete starting at the same start line. The race is 750 m, but only the final 200 m are timed. The first rider across the finish line wins
- Keirin - between 3-7 riders compete in a sprint race of 600-700 m after tailing a pacing motorbike (derny) for the first 1,400 m. The derny increases in speed before peeling off and allowing the sprint to begin
- Elimination race - certain participants are eliminated through various criteria. The most common type is miss and out: at the end of every lap or set number of laps, the last rider to cross the line is eliminated from the race
- Scratch race - up to 24 riders compete over 15 km (men) or 10 km (women). Endurance specialists aim to lap the field in order to stop powerful sprinters from sprinting at the end of the race. Sprinters try to save their energy until the end by sitting in the pack
On 6 November, we saw some recognisable names prosper at the spectacular inaugural round of the UCI Track Champions League held at the impressive Palma Arena in Mallorca. Multiple Olympic medalists and world champions such as the Netherlands’ Harrie Lavreysen and Germany’s Emma Hinze took early leads in the Sprint Championships. Britain’s cycling sensation Katie Archibald continued her dominant 2021 by topping the women’s Endurance Championship and Corbin Strong of New Zealand took the award in the corresponding men’s competition.
The riders won’t be slamming on the brakes as there are still 4 more rounds to come. Round 2 is on 27 November at the Cido Arena in Panevėžys, Lithuania. Round 3 and Round 4 are on 3 and 4 December at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London, UK. The fifth round will be the decisive finale and is hosted by the brand-new Sylvan Adams Velodrome in Tel Aviv, Israel on 11 December. All rounds are on sale, except Round 5 which is due to release tickets soon.