UCI Track Cycling World Championships

The UCI Track Cycling World Championships are the set of world championship events for the various disciplines and distances in track cycling. They are regulated by the Union Cycliste Internationale. Before 1900, they were administered by the UCI's predecessor, the International Cycling Association (ICA).

UCI Track Cycling World Championships
Rainbow jersey track cycling
StatusActive
GenreTrack cycling
Date(s)February–April
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Worldwide velodromes
Inaugurated1893
Previous event2023
Next event2024
Organised byUCI
2023 UCI Track Cycling World Championships

Current events include: time trial, keirin, individual pursuit, team pursuit, points race, scratch race, sprint, team sprint, omnium, madison and elimination race. Women's events are generally shorter than men's. Events which are no longer held include the motor paced events and tandem events.

History

World championships were first held in 1893, in Chicago, under the ICA. They were for amateurs. Separate professional races were held from 1895, in Cologne. Amateurs and professionals competed in separate events until 1993, after which they raced together in "open" races. Championships are open to riders selected by their national cycling association. They compete in the colours of their country.

The winner of ICA championships received a gold medal. The UCI awards a gold medal and a rainbow jersey to the winner. Silver and bronze medals are awarded to the second and third place contestants. World champions wear their rainbow jersey until the following year's championship, but they may wear it only in the type of event in which they won it. Former champions can wear rainbow cuffs to their everyday jerseys.

World track championships are allocated to different countries each year. They are run by that country's national cycling association, although the top referees (President of the Commissaire's panel – PCP, Secretary, Starter, and Judge Referee) are International Commissaires appointed by the UCI.

Venues

To take advantage of the best weather conditions and reduce the risk of weather-related program changes, the UCI has long organized track world championships in the summer. Until 1966, the competition must by regulation take place on an open-air velodrome. It was not until the 1969 edition, organized at the Antwerps Sportpaleis, that the first championship was held on an indoor velodrome. From 1987, the trend reversed and indoor velodromes took over. From 1987 to 1995, there were five world championships organized on an indoor velodrome. Colombia hosts in 1995 the last track world championship organized outdoor.

Hosts

HostsEditions hosted
 France17
 Germany14
 Belgium13
 Italy13
 Denmark11
 United Kingdom10
 Netherlands8
  Switzerland8
 Spain5
 United States4
 Australia3
 Canada,  Poland,
 Austria,  Czechoslovakia,  Colombia
2
 Hong Kong,  Belarus,  Venezuela,
 Japan,  Norway,  Hungary,  Uruguay
1

Championships

NumberYearCountryCityVelodromeEvents
11893  United StatesChicagoSouth Side Park3
21894  BelgiumAntwerpVelodroom van Zurenborg3
31895  GermanyCologneRiehler Radrennbahn [de]4
41896  DenmarkCopenhagenOrdrupbanen4
51897  United KingdomGlasgowCeltic Park4
61898  AustriaViennaPrater Park4
71899  CanadaMontrealVélodrome de Queen's Park4
81900  FranceParisParc des Princes4
91901  GermanyBerlinRadrennbahn Friedenau [de]4
101902  ItalyRomeVelodromo di Porta Salaria4
 GermanyBerlinRadrennbahn Friedenau [de]
111903  DenmarkCopenhagenOrdrupbanen4
121904  United KingdomLondonCrystal Palace4
131905  BelgiumAntwerpVelodroom van Zurenborg4
141906  SwitzerlandGenevaVélodrome de la Jonction4
151907  FranceParisParc des Princes4
161908  GermanyLeipzigSportplatz Leipzig [de]4
BerlinRadrennbahn Steglitz [de]
171909  DenmarkCopenhagenOrdrupbanen4
181910  BelgiumBrusselsVelodroom van Karreveld4
191911  ItalyRomeMotovelodromo Appio [it]4
201912  United StatesNewarkNewark Velodrome3
211913  GermanyBerlinDeutsches Stadion4
LeipzigSportplatz Leipzig [de]
221914  DenmarkCopenhagenOrdrupbanen1
1915–1919: not held due to the WWI
231920  BelgiumAntwerpThe Garden City Velodrome3
241921  DenmarkCopenhagenOrdrupbanen3
251922  United KingdomLiverpoolLiverpool Velodrome3
 FranceParisParc des Princes
261923  SwitzerlandZürichOerlikon Velodrome3
271924  FranceParisParc des Princes3
281925  NetherlandsAmsterdamOlympisch Stadion3
291926  ItalyMilanVelódromo Sempione3
TurinMotovelodromo di Corso Casale [it]
301927  GermanyCologneMüngersdorfer Radrennbahn [de]3
ElberfeldStadion am Zoo
311928  HungaryBudapestMillenáris Sporttelep3
321929  SwitzerlandZürichOerlikon Velodrome3
331930  BelgiumBrusselsHeysel Stadium3
341931  DenmarkCopenhagenOrdrupbanen3
351932  ItalyRomeStadio Nazionale PNF3
361933  FranceParisParc des Princes3
371934  GermanyLeipzigSportplatz Leipzig [de]3
381935  BelgiumBrusselsHeysel Stadium3
391936  SwitzerlandZürichOerlikon Velodrome3
401937  DenmarkCopenhagenOrdrupbanen3
411938  NetherlandsAmsterdamOlympisch Stadion3
421939  ItalyMilanVelodromo Vigorelli[1]2
1940–1945: not held due to the WWII
431946  SwitzerlandZürichOerlikon Velodrome5
441947  FranceParisParc des Princes5
451948  NetherlandsAmsterdamOlympisch Stadion5
461949  DenmarkCopenhagenOrdrupbanen5
471950  BelgiumRocourtStade Vélodrome de Rocourt5
481951  ItalyMilanVelodromo Vigorelli[1]5
491952  FranceParisParc des Princes5
501953  SwitzerlandZürichOerlikon Velodrome5
511954  West GermanyCologneMüngersdorfer Stadion5
WuppertalStadion am Zoo
521955  ItalyMilanVelodromo Vigorelli[1]5
531956  DenmarkCopenhagenOrdrupbanen5
541957  BelgiumRocourtStade Vélodrome de Rocourt5
551958  FranceParisParc des Princes8
561959  NetherlandsAmsterdamOlympisch Stadion8
571960  East GermanyLeipzigAlfred-Rosch-Kampfbahn8
ChemnitzChemnitz Velodrome
581961  SwitzerlandZürichOerlikon Velodrome8
591962  ItalyMilanVelodromo Vigorelli[1]9
601963  BelgiumRocourtStade Vélodrome de Rocourt9
611964  FranceParisParc des Princes9
621965  SpainSan SebastiánVelódromo de Anoeta9
631966  West GermanyFrankfurtWaldstadion11
641967  NetherlandsAmsterdamOlympisch Stadion11
651968  ItalyRomeOlympic Velodrome11
 UruguayMontevideoAmerico Ricaldoni
661969  BelgiumAntwerpSportpaleis11
 CzechoslovakiaBrnoBrno Velodrome
671970  United KingdomLeicesterSaffron Lane Velodrome11
681971  ItalyVareseLuigi Ganna Velodrome11
691972  FranceMarseilleStade Vélodrome6
701973  SpainSan SebastiánVelódromo de Anoeta11
711974  CanadaMontrealLe Stade du CEPSUM11
721975  BelgiumRocourtStade Vélodrome de Rocourt11
731976  ItalyMonteroni di LecceUlivi Velodrome7
741977  VenezuelaSan CristóbalJosé de Jesús Mora Figueroa Velodrome [es]12
751978  West GermanyMunichRadstadion12
761979  NetherlandsAmsterdamVelodrome Amsterdam [nl]12
771980  FranceBesançonStade Léo Lagrange10
781981  CzechoslovakiaBrnoBrno Velodrome14
791982  United KingdomLeicesterSaffron Lane Velodrome14
801983  SwitzerlandZürichOerlikon Velodrome14
811984  SpainBarcelonaVelòdrom d'Horta9
821985  ItalyBassano del GrappaStadio Rino Mercante14
831986  United StatesColorado Springs7-Eleven USOTC Velodrome14
841987  AustriaViennaFerry-Dusika-Hallenstadion14
851988  BelgiumGhentVlaams Wielercentrum Eddy Merckx [nl]9
861989  FranceLyonVélodrome Georges-Préveral [fr]15
871990  JapanMaebashiGreen Dome Maebashi15
881991  GermanyStuttgartHanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle15
891992  SpainValenciaLuis Puig Velodrome8
901993  NorwayHamarVikingskipet Olympic Arena11
911994  ItalyPalermoVelodromo Paolo Borsellino11
921995  ColombiaBogotáLuis Carlos Galán Velodrome12
931996  United KingdomManchesterManchester Velodrome12
941997  AustraliaPerthPerth SpeedDome12
951998  FranceBordeauxVélodrome de Bordeaux12
961999  GermanyBerlinVelodrom12
972000  United KingdomManchesterManchester Velodrome12
982001  BelgiumAntwerpSportpaleis12
992002  DenmarkBallerupSiemens Arena15
1002003  GermanyStuttgartHanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle15
1012004  AustraliaMelbourneMelbourne Park Multi-Purpose Venue15
1022005  United StatesLos AngelesVELO Sports Center15
1032006  FranceBordeauxVélodrome de Bordeaux15
1042007  SpainPalma de MallorcaPalma Arena17
1052008  United KingdomManchesterManchester Velodrome18
1062009  PolandPruszkówBGŻ Arena19
1072010  DenmarkBallerupBallerup Super Arena19
1082011  NetherlandsApeldoornOmnisport Apeldoorn19
1092012  AustraliaMelbourneMelbourne Park Multi-Purpose Venue19
1102013  BelarusMinskMinsk-Arena19
1112014  ColombiaCaliVelódromo Alcides Nieto Patiño19
1122015  FranceSaint-Quentin-en-YvelinesVélodrome de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines19
1132016  United KingdomLondonLee Valley VeloPark19
1142017  Hong KongTseung Kwan O New TownHong Kong Velodrome20
1152018  NetherlandsApeldoornOmnisport Apeldoorn20
1162019  PolandPruszkówBGŻ Arena20
1172020  GermanyBerlinVelodrom20
1182021  FranceRoubaixVélodrome Couvert Régional Jean-Stablinski [fr]22
1192022  FranceSaint-Quentin-en-YvelinesVélodrome de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines22
1202023  United KingdomGlasgowSir Chris Hoy Velodrome22
1212024  DenmarkBallerupBallerup Super Arena
1222025  ArgentinaSan JuanVicente Alejo Chancay Velodrome
1232026  ChinaShanghai
1242027  FranceHaute Savoie
1252028
1262029  United Arab EmiratesAbu Dhabi

All-time medal table

Updated after the 2023 World Championships.
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  France148122133403
2  Great Britain1168778281
3  Netherlands11310293308
4  Italy8995105289
5  Australia8710078265
6  Germany857994258
7  Soviet Union585035143
8  Belgium555656167
9  United States534648147
10  East Germany34312893
11  Switzerland333436103
12  Denmark324037109
13  West Germany29313090
14  Russia24232875
15  Spain19221657
16  New Zealand15252666
17  Czechoslovakia1491841
18  Belarus142824
19  Japan13161645
20  Poland97925
21  Colombia76114
22  Canada6201642
23  Austria571123
24  Hong Kong52411
25  China4151231
26  Ukraine47314
27  Cuba44513
28  Czech Republic35715
29  Commonwealth Games Federation3238
30  Lithuania281121
31  Norway2349
32  Ireland2338
33  Mexico17412
34  Argentina151016
35  Malaysia1258
36  Portugal1236
37  South Africa1214
38Russian Cycling Federation0246
39  Luxembourg0224
 Trinidad and Tobago0224
41  Greece0123
42  Barbados0112
 South Korea0112
44  Bohemia0101
 Latvia0101
 Uruguay0101
47  Sweden0022
48  Estonia0011
 Kazakhstan0011
 Liechtenstein0011
Totals (50 entries)1092108910923273

Most successful athletes

Updated after the 2023 World Championships.

Men

NoAthleteNation TotalYearsEvents
1Arnaud Tournant  France1432191997-20081 km time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint
2Harrie Lavreysen  Netherlands1330162017-2023Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint
3Chris Hoy  Great Britain1186251999-20121 km time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint
4Florian Rousseau  France1024161993-20021 km time trial, Sprint, Team sprint
5Urs Freuler  Switzerland1005151981-1989Keirin, Points race, Team Pursuit
6Koichi Nakano  Japan1000101977-1986Sprint
7Jeffrey Hoogland  Netherlands980172016-20231 km time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint
8Cameron Meyer  Australia942152009-2018Madison, Points race, Team Pursuit
9Grégory Baugé  France941142006-2019Sprint, Team sprint
10Daniel Morelon  France835161964-1980Keirin, Sprint, Tandem

Women

NoAthleteNation TotalYearsEvents
1Anna Meares  Australia11106262003-2015500 m time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint
2Kristina Vogel  Germany1114162012-2018Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint
3Félicia Ballanger  France1010111994-1999500 m time trial, Sprint
4Victoria Pendleton  Great Britain952162005-2012500 m time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint
5Kirsten Wild  Netherlands945182011-2021Madison, Omnium, Points race, Scratch
6Sarah Hammer  United States852152006-2017Individual Pursuit, Omnium, Points race, Team Pursuit
7Lea Friedrich  Germany832132020-2023500 m time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint
8Emma Hinze  Germany812112019-2023500 m time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint
9Natallia Tsylinskaya  Belarus811102000-2007500 m time trial, Sprint
10Chloé Dygert  United States80082016-2023Individual Pursuit, Team Pursuit

Results by country

Results by event

See also

References

Media related to UCI Track World Championships at Wikimedia Commons