UCI Track Champions League: Katie Archibald, Kirsten Wild and Corbin Strong among pre-qualified ‘endurance’ riders

Tokyo 2020 gold medalist Katie Archibald (Great Britain), eight-time UCI World Champion Kirsten Wild (Netherlands) and current points race UCI World Champion Corbin Strong are among a star-studded list of pre-qualified ‘endurance’ riders for the upcoming UCI Track Champions League.

Following last week’s announcement of the 12 pre-qualified sprinters, the league has confirmed a truly international mix of five male and five female ‘endurance’ riders set to battle it out from November. Joining a list of 22 pre-qualified riders, they will compete for equal prize money in the innovative new series, set to elevate the sport to new levels with short format, high adrenaline racing, broadcast to millions.

In the men’s line up are: current UCI World Champion in the points race and 2022 Israel Start-Up Nation rider Strong (New Zealand), Ed Clancy (Great Britain), six-time European Champion Sebastian Mora (Spain), two-time team pursuit UCI World Champion Kelland O’Brien (Australia) and Yacine Chalel (Algeria) - current leader of the UCI Men Elite Elimination Rankings.

Commenting on his pre-qualification for the league, Strong said: "Track cycling is an incredibly exciting spectacle, and the UCI Track Champions League has done a great job of designing an event that will showcase this to a large audience. For a long time we've been missing an event like the Champions League and I feel very grateful to have qualified."

The women’s line-up will see Tokyo 2020 gold medalist Archibald (UK) go head-to-head with eight-time UCI World and European Champion Wild (Netherlands), three-time UCI World Champion Annette Edmondson (Australia), Olympic silver medalist Yumi Kajihara (Japan) and Norwegian National Champion Anita Yvonne Stenberg.

Commenting on her pre-qualification, Archibald said: “I was so excited when I first heard about the UCI Track Champions League – a thrilling new track competition and a great addition to the cycling calendar. I was even more pleased to have pre-qualified for the inaugural event when I found out just after the Olympics this summer. After 18 months with no racing, it’s fantastic to get back into the rhythm and the UCI Track Champions League will provide a chance to test myself against the best of the best and to travel and race all over Europe again in a matter of weeks – I can’t wait!”

Today’s list of 10 will be joined by an additional two pre-qualified riders to be announced soon. Selection is determined by a range of criteria including past results from the Tokyo Olympics and other major events including the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup in Cali (Colombia) and European Track Championships. Previous palmares and general status in the sport are also considered. The 24 pre-qualified Sprint and Endurance riders will join a further 48 who will qualify for the league during the UCI Track World Championships taking place in Roubaix (France) this week*.

It means that the UCI Track Champions League will feature the very best talent coming together in a way never seen before, battling it out across five rounds in four countries. For riders, selection represents a ‘golden ticket’ to the most exciting series in track cycling. For millions of fans around the world, it is another step closer to an action-packed, technology-driven sporting experience whether watching live in the velodrome, via an innovative, premium TV broadcast, or online.

The 48 riders yet to qualify and remaining two pre-qualified riders will be revealed prior to the first round in Mallorca, on November 6.

Corbin Strong (New Zealand) - Current points race UCI World Champion and team pursuit silver medalist at the 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships

Ed Clancy (Great Britain) - Three-time Olympic gold medalist, six-time UCI World Champion and five-time European Champion

Sebastián Mora (Spain) - Former UCI World Champion and six-time European Champion

Yacine Chalel (Algeria) - Current leader of the UCI Men Elite Elimination Rankings

Kelland O'Brien (Australia) - Two-time team pursuit UCI World Champion and Olympic Games bronze medalist

Katie Archibald (Great Britain) - Two-time Olympic gold medalist, three-time UCI World Champion

Kirsten Wild (The Netherlands) - Eight-time UCI World and European Champion, Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist

Annette Edmondson (Australia) - Three-time UCI World Champion and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist

Yumi Kajihara (Japan) - Olympic silver medalist in Tokyo and reigning UCI World Champion

Anita Yvonne Stenberg (Norway) - Norwegian National Champion

François Ribeiro, Head of Discovery Sports Events said: “The fact that riders of this calibre are attracted to the UCI Track Champions League is a testament to the quality of this innovative new series. Endurance track cycling events are some of the very toughest in the sport, and draw the very best to compete. Securing these highly-talented individuals is key in Discovery Sports Events’ mission to produce an ‘edge-of-your-seat’ spectacle. We look forward to announcing more world-class riders before the start of the season.”

Round 1: November 6, Mallorca / Velòdrom Illes Balears, Spain

Round 2: November 27. Panevézys / Cido Arena, Lithuania

Round 3: December 3, London / Lee Valley VeloPark, Great Britain

Round 4: December 4, London / Lee Valley VeloPark, Great Britain

Round 5: December 11, Tel Aviv / Sylvan Adams National Velodrome, Israel

For more information about the UCI Track Champions League, visit www.ucitrackchampionsleague.com.

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