Mike O'Connor
Australia’s 16-rider squad will begin their chase for gold at the 2026 UCI Track World Championships in Shanghai today, with the team looking to build on its Commonwealth Games success and improve on last year’s five-medal haul.
The championships run from October 14–18 at the Shanghai Chongming Velodrome in China, and also mark the start of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games qualification cycle.
Fifteen of the original selections competed at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, where Australia won six medals in the women’s endurance events alone.
The squad also includes the late addition of Maeve Plouffe in the women’s endurance group, stepping in for Georgia Baker, as we prepare to take on the world’s best across five days of racing.
Australia claimed two silver medals and three bronze medals at the 2025 world championships in Santiago, Chile, and will be aiming to add more gold to its tally in Shanghai.
Women’s endurance squad builds on Glasgow success
Australia’s women’s endurance squad will look to carry its Commonwealth Games form into Shanghai after winning six medals in Glasgow, including gold in the team pursuit, scratch race and elimination race.
Georgia Baker, Sophie Edwards, Claudia Marcks, Alyssa Polites, Felicity Wilson-Haffenden and Maeve Plouffe make up the women’s endurance group.
Wilson-Haffenden is the only rider in the original Australian selection yet to compete at an elite Track World Championships, but the young Tasmanian is no stranger to pressure, having just won the U23 TT World Title in Montreal.
AusCycling head coach of endurance Conor Taylor said the women’s squad had made significant progress over the past 12 months.
“Our women have progressed significantly over the past 12 months. Seeing all their hard work rewarded with gold in the team pursuit in Glasgow was particularly pleasing,” Taylor said.
The men’s endurance team comprises Blake Agnoletto, Thomas Cornish, Conor Leahy, James Moriarty and Liam Walsh, who returns to the squad. The group will be looking to turn silver medals at its two most recent major events into gold.
Australia’s men remain the reigning Olympic team pursuit champions, and Taylor said the riders had high expectations of themselves following their Glasgow result.
“Our men were disappointed to miss out on team pursuit gold in Glasgow. As reigning Olympic champions, they rightly set themselves high performance standards and they knew they were capable of going faster on the day,” Taylor said.
“However, they showed their class by winning multiple individual medals.”
Taylor acknowledged that the short turnaround between the Commonwealth Games and world championships would make Shanghai a particularly tough challenge, but said the squad was prepared for the opportunity to compete for rainbow jerseys.
“This year’s world championships will no doubt provide a particularly tough test given its proximity to the Commonwealth Games and that it opens the Olympic qualification period,” he said.
Hoffman leads Australian sprint hopes
Leigh Hoffman returns alongside Ryan Elliott and Danny Barber in the men’s sprint squad after a successful run at the Commonwealth Games.
The trio won team sprint gold in Glasgow, adding to the bronze medal they claimed at last year’s world championships in Santiago.
Kristina Clonan, Alessia McCaig and Molly McGill will contest the women’s sprint events, with Australia aiming for a third consecutive women’s team sprint medal at the world championships.
Clonan returns after missing the 2025 event through injury.
AusCycling head coach of acceleration and action Eric Haakonssen said the sprint squad was continuing to develop ahead of LA28.
“Leigh Hoffman and Kristina Clonan are the only Paris Olympians in our sprint group, but the squad carries real momentum from the Commonwealth Games and from the medals we won at last year’s world championships,” Haakonssen said.
“Ten weeks between the two events is a tight turnaround. The athletes are progressing well, and Matt Crampton (men’s sprint coach) and Kaarle McCulloch (women’s sprint coach) have driven strong work on team dynamics and performance behaviours alongside the physical preparation.”
Haakonssen said the opening of the Olympic qualification period would provide an important opportunity for the squad, with competition for selection expected to remain strong as the team builds towards Los Angeles.
The Shanghai championships also mark the opening of the UCI Track Olympic qualification period for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The first rankings will be tallied after the event and continually updated through to April 10, 2028, as riders and nations accumulate results during the qualification campaign.
UCI Track World Championships schedule
The championships begin on Wednesday, October 14, with team pursuit qualifying and the women’s scratch race, alongside the men’s and women’s team sprint competitions.
The programme features five days of racing, with qualifying rounds and finals across sprint and endurance disciplines.
All times below are Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).
| Date | Session times | Key events |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, October 14 | 12.30pm, 8.35pm | Women’s scratch race final, women’s and men’s team sprint |
| Thursday, October 15 | 2pm, 7.05pm | Men’s keirin, team pursuit finals, women’s elimination race and men’s scratch race |
| Friday, October 16 | 2pm, 7.05pm | Men’s 1km time trial, women’s omnium, men’s individual pursuit and women’s sprint finals |
| Saturday, October 17 | 1pm, 7.35pm | Women’s 1km time trial, men’s omnium, women’s individual pursuit and women’s Madison |
| Sunday, October 18 | 1pm, 3.35pm | Men’s sprint finals, women’s keirin, women’s points race, men’s elimination race and men’s Madison |
The schedule also includes qualifying rounds for the men’s and women’s sprint events, along with the full omnium and team pursuit programmes.
Australian viewers can follow the championships on Stan Sport. Check the broadcaster’s schedule for session coverage and availability.
Start lists, live timing and official results will be available through Tissot Timing.
Shanghai Chongming Velodrome
The championships will take place at the Shanghai Chongming Velodrome on Chongming Island, Shanghai. The venue features a 250-metre track surfaced with European red pine, with a width of 7.5 metres.
The track’s bends are banked to a maximum of 45 degrees, while the straights have a minimum banking angle of 13 degrees. The circumference measured at the fence is 290 metres.
The velodrome will host five days of racing as riders compete for world titles and begin their campaigns in the qualification period for LA28.
ARA Australian Cycling Team
Men’s endurance
- Blake Agnoletto (Victoria)
- Thomas Cornish (NSW)
- Conor Leahy (WA)
- James Moriarty (Queensland)
- Liam Walsh (Queensland)
Women’s endurance
- Sophie Edwards (South Australia)
- Claudia Marcks (ACT)
- Alyssa Polites (Victoria)
- Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Tasmania)
- Maeve Plouffe (South Australia)
Men’s sprint
- Danny Barber (NSW)
- Ryan Elliott (Queensland)
- Leigh Hoffman (South Australia)
Women’s sprint
- Kristina Clonan (Queensland)
- Alessia McCaig (Victoria)
- Molly McGill (Queensland)
Mike O’Connor – A keen cyclist, runner and photographer, Mike O’Connor is the Editor of Bicycling Australia. He manages the BA website and social media, and loves promoting the achievements of Australian cyclists.
