The road season is almost done, and ‘cross is definitely here–but there’s also lots of track racing going down. Including the world champs. Canada will send a 10-rider team to the 2026 UCI track world championships in Shanghai. Racing gets underway Oct. 14 at the Shanghai Velodrome.
The squad includes Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Kelsey Mitchell, who returns to track competition after representing Canada in bobsleigh at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. Mitchell will race the sprint and keirin alongside Lauriane Genest. If you follow her Instagram, she’s been putting in some big training sessions at the track.
The Canadian men’s sprint team includes James Hedgcock, Cole Dempster and Tyler Rorke. The trio will race in the team sprint, with Hedgcock also entered in the time trial.
Canada’s sprint team
Lauriane Genest, Lévis, Que. — sprint, keirin
Kelsey Mitchell, Sherwood Park, Alta. — sprint, keirin
James Hedgcock, Ancaster, Ont. — team sprint, time trial
Cole Dempster, Milton, Ont. — team sprint
Tyler Rorke, Baden, Ont. — team sprint
On the endurance side, Matthias Guillemette returns to the national team after spending much of the 2026 road season racing with Tudor Pro Cycling. Guillemette was part of Canada’s Olympic team in Paris in 2024 and will race the team pursuit in Shanghai.
He’ll be joined in the team pursuit by Chris Ernst, Campbell Parish and Jonathan Hinse. Ernst will also race the individual pursuit, while Parish is entered in the time trial. Carson Mattern will race the individual pursuit.
As you probably know by now, there will be no women’s team pursuit team racing.
Ashlin Barry, who lives in Toronto, Ont. and races for USA Cycling is also racing–notably part of a strong team pursuit team, along with the unretired (and another son of two famous ex-pro cyclists) Taylor Phinney.
Canada’s endurance team
Matthias Guillemette, Trois-Rivières, Que. — team pursuit
Chris Ernst, Kitchener, Ont. — team pursuit, individual pursuit
Campbell Parish, Vancouver, B.C. — time trial, team pursuit
Jonathan Hinse, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. — team pursuit
Carson Mattern, Ancaster, Ont. — individual pursuit
The 2026 UCI track world Championships run from Oct. 14 to 18 in Shanghai. Flobikes is broadcasting it–as is the UCI YouTube channel, but the latter may be geoblocked. If that changes, check back here for an update on how to watch it. Nothing like seeing riders go full gas around and around, with only left hand turns!