Final Israel round of UCI Track Champions League cancelled due to Omicron Covid-19 variant, London to now close the show

The final round of the UCI Track Champions League has been cancelled as Israel closes its borders due to the new Covid-19 Omicron variant.

Organisers have therefore been left with no choice but to cancel the event, scheduled for December 11, as non-citizens are not permitted to enter the country.

This means that the back-to-back events at the Lee Valley Velodrome in London's Olympic Park will now be the final round of the inaugural competition.

François Ribeiro, Head of Discovery Sports Events, said: "It is with regret that we have been left with no choice but to remove Tel Aviv from this year’s calendar. 

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"We were ready to celebrate our four series winners at the Sylvan Adams National Velodrome, but the events of the pandemic have taught us the importance of adapting when necessary. 

"We must be led by official government guidance from host countries and ensure the safety of our riders, staff and fans. Whilst this is disappointing of course given the quality of the event prepared by Sylvan Adams, it places even more focus on this weekend’s sold-out event in London which is now set to be a thrilling grand finale."

This is the second cancellation the competition has faced after the French leg of the competition that was meant to take place on November 20 in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines but was called off due to the velodrome being used as a key Covid vaccination centre.

There have just been two rounds of the Track Champions League so far with it kicking off in Mallorca, Spain on November 6 followed by Panevėžys in Lithuania on November 27.

Sylvan Adams, the event's promoter and owner of WorldTour team Israel Start-Up Nation, said: “It is with regret that we were forced to withdraw from hosting this year’s Track Champions League Grand Finale. 

"The new restrictions made it impossible to bring the riders, staff, and technical crews into Israel on December 11th. Until we know more about the nature of the Omicron variant, I believe Israel’s pre-emptive measures are prudent, and will ensure the safety and health of all concerned. I wish all of this year’s competitors good luck, and may the best four riders win!"

The final two rounds will take place in London on Friday, December 3 and Saturday, December 4 with Katie Archibald and Sebastian Mora leading the endurance categories while Emma Hinze and Harrie Lavreysen dominating the sprint competitions.