The great and the good of track cycling will soon descend on China\u2019s east coast as the 2026 UCI Track Cycling World Championships begin at the Shanghai Velodrome.<\/p>\n
It is the first time in the event\u2019s 133-year history that it will be hosted in China.<\/p>\n
The competition will be fast and fierce, and here\u2019s all you need to know about the upcoming Championships\u2026<\/p>\n
What is the UCI Track Cycling World Championships?<\/p>\n
The UCI Track Cycling World Championships are the sport\u2019s premier global event, bringing together the world\u2019s best track cyclists to compete for the prestigious rainbow jerseys.<\/p>\n
Held annually, riders contest a range of disciplines (see below), with this year\u2019s competition being the 123rd edition of the event.<\/p>\n
What events are there at the 2026 worlds?<\/p>\n
There will be 22 events across the five days of action, with the men\u2019s and women\u2019s categories each containing the same 11 disciplines.<\/p>\n
On offer will be the Individual and Team pursuits and sprints, the Keirin, Madison, Omnium, Scratch, Points race, Elimination and 1km time trial.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday 14 October, the women\u2019s scratch final and men\u2019s and women\u2019s team sprint finals will take place, with the men\u2019s team pursuit, keirin and scratch finals being held the following day alongside the Women\u2019s elimination race team pursuit final.<\/p>\n
Friday 16 October sees the men\u2019s points race, time trial and individual pursuit finals and the women\u2019s sprint and omnium finals take place, while the women\u2019s time trial, madison and individual pursuit finals and the men\u2019s omnium final happen on Saturday 17 October.<\/p>\n
Rounding off the medal action on Sunday 18 October is the men\u2019s sprint final, elimination race and madison and the women\u2019s points race and keirin final.<\/p>\n
Ones to watch in Shanghai<\/p>\n
The British team has not been announced yet but whoever makes the cut will be gunning to repeat, if not better, the feats of last year in Santiago, Chile.<\/p>\n
At the competition\u2019s 122nd offering, Great Britain returned from South America with 14 medals in total \u2013 the most of any country.<\/p>\n
They finished second in the medal table with four golds, eight silvers and two bronzes, behind only the Netherlands, who racked up nine golds, two silvers and two bronzes. Perhaps the highlight from a British perspective came in the women’s individual pursuit, as Anna Morris and Josie Knight recorded a one-two.<\/p>\n
And with only two years to go until the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, these Championships present a great opportunity to stake a claim for a Team GB spot.<\/p>\n
Where to watch<\/p>\n
The 2026 UCI Track Cycling World Championships are taking place from 14-18 October.<\/p>\n