UCI Track Champions League 2021 - Chris Hoy: Cycling 'has been crying out' for series
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Updated 28/10/2021 at 07:50 GMT
"I always said we needed some sort of flagship series that the riders could take part in. It's such a great sport, it's so great for the TV, it's great for the fans, exciting to take part in," said Chris Hoy ahead of the UCI Track Champions League, which starts in Mallorca on November 6. You can watch all of the action live on the Eurosport app, eurosport.co.uk and discovery+.
How will the UCI TCL change track cycling? - We asked Chris Hoy
Track cycling royalty Chris Hoy says the sport “has been crying out” for an event like the UCI Track Champions League.
The new fast-paced series gets underway in Mallorca on November 6, with coverage live on the Eurosport app, eurosport.co.uk and discovery+.
Hoy, who won six Olympic gold medals with Team GB, said the new series – which brings together the world’s top riders in the velodrome – would help elevate track cycling alongside road racing.
“I always said we needed some sort of flagship series that the riders could take part in,” Hoy told Eurosport ahead of the first event.
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'It's not just about a one-off race' - Hoy on what sets UCI Track Champions League apart
“And I feel like the sport has always been the poor relation compared to the road cycling side of things. And it's such a great sport, it's so great for the TV, it's great for the fans, exciting to take part in.
“So this is what the sport needs, this will give it the boost to take it to the next level. And for the riders a chance to attract sponsorship to raise their profile to get consistent, high-level competition.
It's win-win from both sides for the fans and for the riders.
The Track Champions League sees 72 riders (36 men and 36 women) split into two divisions: Sprint and Endurance.
The Sprint Championship will host keirin and sprint events at each of the five meetings, while the Endurance Championship will see a scratch race and elimination race.
“The only time you normally get to see all the best riders together at the same time is the World Championships or the Olympic Games. So every four years, you'll only see them five times,” said Hoy.
“And we're going to see them in this amazing series, at their best form, just off the back of a World Championship.
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'Every position counts' - The UCI Track Champions League is coming...
“So I think for the fans, it's super exciting. It's going to be nice and simple. It's going to be quick, it's going to be condensed into a two-hour package.
“I think it's what the fans really want. And I think it's what the riders want too.”
Riders score points in every race for every position with results tallied up in the respective leagues, leaving four champions (men’s sprint and endurance; women’s sprint and endurance) after the final round in Tel Aviv on December 11.
“Riders are going to be very mindful of the overall points competition, it's not just about a one-off race and one chance to grab a medal. It's about the points, it's about the bigger picture,” continued Hoy.
“But equally, every position counts. So there's going to be battles from first and second down to 10th, 11th, 12th, whatever, in all the races and that's great for the fans because they get to see real proper aggressive racing, every single round, and there's nobody turning up to just do a bit of racing to get fit or to get form.
Every race will count.
He added: “I think in order to win the UCI Track Champions League you're going to have to be consistent.
“It's not just about one outstanding performance, pulling out the bag on one night. It's about week after week nailing the rides and not making mistakes.
“In an overall points league, it's the person who doesn't make the mistakes that can win. But there's going to be a hard one to call because I think in all the competitions - men's, women's, sprint and endurance - it'll come down to the wire.”
WHEN IS THE TRACK CHAMPIONS LEAGUE?
The 2021 series takes place over five rounds in four countries.
- Round 1: Mallorca, Spain - Saturday 6 November
- Round 2: Panevezys, Lithuania – Saturday 27 November
- Round 3: London, UK – Friday 3 December
- Round 4: London, UK – Saturday 4 December
- Round 5: Tel Aviv, Israel – Saturday 11 December
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The UCI Track Champions League is coming and you can watch all of the action live on the Eurosport app, eurosport.co.uk and discovery+. Find out more about the "mind-blowing" new era for track cycling, with the first event on November 6 in Mallorca.
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