2026 UCI Tack Cycling World Championships: Your complete guide

2026 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
Date: Wednesday 14 October - Sunday 18 October
Where: Shanghai, China
Events: 22
How to watch: BBC iPlayer (UK), TNT Sports (UK), Flosports.tv (US), Stan Sport (Aus), UCI Youtube (geo-restriced)

The Track Cycling World Championships take place in China for the first time in its 123 year history. The 250 metre, indoor Shanghai velodrome in Chongming District opened in December 2023, and this is its first international event.

400 riders from 46 nations will compete in the 22 events over five days. British sprinter Matthew Richardson however will not be one of them, as he was withdrawn from the event and sent home by British Cycling at the beginning of the week.

The Times has reported that Richardson is under investigation for circulating discriminatory posts and behaviour. The sprinter, who won two silver medals at the Paris Olympics for Australia before switching nationalities, took to Instagram to say he would co-operate fully with the process.

Having topped the medal table last year, the Dutch team are once again expected to be the strongest team on the track, in part thanks to sprinter Harrie Lavreysen, who already holds 20 world titles and is undefeated in the sprint since he first won it in 2019. At 29, Lavreysen is already considered the greatest male sprinter of all time.

Great Britain's best chance of gold comes with the women's sprint squad, led by 2025 sprint world champion Emma Finucane, who, coming into these championships, said she wanted to become 'the most successful British sprinter.

The full schedule, live timings and results will all be posted on the Tissot Timing website throughout the event.

2026 Track Cycling World Championships - riders to watch

Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands)
The Dutchman is epxected to add to his massive haul of world titles in Shanghai. A former BMXer, no rider has found a way to beat him in the sprint since 2018, the year before his run of wins from 2019 onwards that also includes Olympic Games. Expect him to compete in all sprint competitions. He was part of the trio that qualified fastest by more than a quarter of a second in the men's team sprint on the opening morning. His biggest challenger might be from a team mate.

Lorena Wiebes (Netherlands)
The Dutch sprinter is almost unbeatable on the road, and so it proved on the track as she won the first event, the women's scratch race. No doubt with one eye on the 2028 Olympic Games in LA, Wiebes also rode the team pursuit, qualifying as the fourth fastest nation, nearly six second behind Great Britain

Emma Finucane (Great Britain)
Three world and one Olympic title make Finucane the most decorated rider in the British team, despite only being 23 years old. She became the first sprinter to win four golds in one Commonwealth Games earlier this year winning the sprint, team sprint, keirin and 1,000m tt. Whether or not she will be affected by the withdrawal from competition of her partner Matt Richardson remains to be seen.

Lotte Kopecky (Belgium)
While the former road world champion has had a poor season by her own very high standards, she remains a standout rider in the women's endurance events with six world titles under her belt. She's down to ride the elimination race, Madison, and omnium - teams can change riders at the last minute if they wish. Kopecky has a decorated palmares, but is still missing an Olympic title. She will have one eye on the LA Games, but as such a standout rider, all her competitors will have one eye on her when racing.

Taylor Phinney (USA)
Back riding a major track competition for the first time in 16 years; the American has come out of retirement in a bid to compete in the 2028 Olympic Games. Having won the individual pursuit world title early in his career, Phinney did not compete on the track once he switched to the WorldTour. The USA qualified seventh fastest in the team pursuit and Phinney is only a substitute for the individual pursuit