The 2016 UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships get under way at the UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) in Aigle, Switzerland, on Wednesday July 20th and run through until Sunday July 24th.
Participation reaches record levels this year, with more than 300 athletes from 43 countries – including an athlete from Brazil for the first time - registered to compete. Racing promises to be intense, with holders of several world records set to compete.
The Italian Junior Women’s pursuit team and Lithuania’s Olivija Baleisyte, established new world marks (awaiting ratification) as recently as last week during the Under-23 and Junior European Track Cycling Championships.
The Italian women broke the 4:30 barrier to set a new world mark of 4:29.234 in the team pursuit, claiming back the record snatched from them by New Zealand at last year’s Junior World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Italian team, disqualified for two false starts in Astana, will be eager to put bad memories of last year’s championships behind them. Meanwhile Lithuania’s Olivija Baleisyte broke a six-year-old record in the individual pursuit, previously held by Australia’s Amy Cure. Baleisyte lowered the mark for 2km to 2:22.31.
These two world records will become official once ratified by the UCI.
Another athlete to watch for in Aigle is Germany’s Pauline Sophie Grabosch, triple world record holder (in the 500m time trial, team sprint and 200m flying start). She did not compete last week in Montichiari, preferring to focus on the UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships.
Still in the women’s competition, this year sees the inclusion of the Madison, as a demonstration event, for the first time. Teams from five countries have registered a team for this event, which will not lead to a title of UCI World Champion but will be closely observed by the UCI Track Cycling Commission with a view to eventual inclusion in UCI events.
While many of last year’s Junior UCI World Champions have moved onto the Elite category, some will defend their titles, not least Kelland O’Brien, who was part of Australia’s winning Junior Men’s Madison team and team pursuit squad in 2015. He will try to reclaim gold in these events with new team mates, and will also be one to watch in the Omnium.
Look out also for New Zealander Campbell Stewart, who will again be hungry for success after two gold medals, in the Omnium and the Scratch Race, in Astana. This year he lines up in the team pursuit, the Omnium and the Madison.
A host of first-year Juniors could also upset the older and more experienced athletes, as was the case in some events at last week’s European Championships.
At the end of last year’s UCI Junior Track World Championships, Germany headed the medals table with five gold, one silver and three bronze, followed by Australia and New Zealand. Fourteen nations claimed at least one medal, with the gold medals being shared by athletes from nine countries.
Strong nations from other years, including Russia, Colombia and Great Britain, will also be present in Aigle this week.
Racing gets under way on Wednesday, with the first 2016 UCI World Champions crowned in the Women’s points race, the Women’s team sprint and Men’s team sprint.
The event will be streamed live every day on the UCI website.
Competition schedule