UCI Track Nations Cup action takes place this weekend in Konya (Türkiye), a new venue to the series which began in 2021. Colombia won the inaugural edition, before Italy’s success in 2022, followed by Great Britain’s takeover in the last two years.
A total of 345 athletes representing 42 nations will be in Türkiye for the three days of action (14-16 March). They will battle in 14 different events: elimination race, keirin, Madison, omnium, sprint, team sprint, team pursuit, all held both for men and women.
Two Olympic Champions crowned last year at Paris 2024 are among the competitors: Oliver Bleddyn, winner of the team pursuit with Australia, and Great Britain’s Sophie Capewell, crowned in the team sprint.
Also a winner of the team sprint at last year’s Tissot UCI Track World Championships in Ballerup (Denmark), Capewell brings her UCI World Champion credentials into the UCI Track Nations Cup, where she’ll meet with an impressive list of riders who also claimed the rainbow jersey last year in Ballerup. Notably, Yana Burlakova (AIN) is expected to deliver impressive power, after her stunning success in the 500m time trial ahead of Capewell.
Rainbow jerseys and Continental Champions
Lots of attention will also be on New Zealand’s Ally Wollaston, who left Ballerup with two rainbow jerseys (omnium and elimination race) and started 2025 in winning fashion on the road. She is accompanied by eight Kiwi riders who recently claimed continental titles at the Oceania Track Championships: Bryony Botha, Sam Dakin, Samantha Donnelly, Prudence Fowler, Keegan Hornblow, Olivia King, Tom Sexton and Emily Shearman.
Japan comes with an even more stacked mix of rainbow jersey wearers and Continental Champions crowned in the first weeks of 2025. Mina Sato and Kento Yamasaki made history in Ballerup, winning the women’s and men’s keirins. Sato also ruled the individual sprint last month at the Asian Championships. Kazushige Kuboki was the other rider from Japan to claim gold at last year’s Tissot UCI Track World Championships, in the scratch race… And he went on to win the individual pursuit of the Asian Championships, as well as the Madison, with Eiya Hashimoto, also preparing for battle in Konya.
Spain’s Sebastián Mora, winner of the points race at last year’s UCI Worlds, and Denmark’s Amalie Dideriksen, who ruled the Madison with Julie Leth – now retired – are the other reigning UCI Track World Champions lining up in Konya. They will vie with many more athletes from different backgrounds and with different credentials, such as Norway’s Anita Stenberg, who dominated the elimination races in last year’s UCI Track Nations Cup and was recently crowned European Champion in the points race.