New Zealand’s leading riders take their first pedal strokes towards the 2028 Olympic Games when they host the UCI Oceania Track Cycling Championships in Cambridge starting tomorrow.
The championships, supported by GJ Gardner Waipa, carry important qualifying points and provide a platform towards the upcoming series of UCI World Cup competitions in Australia, Hong Kong and Malaysia which form the key qualification process to the world championships and ultimately to LA 2028.
Cycling New Zealand has named a strong squad including Para-cyclists, with all-but one rider having competed in last year’s UCI Track World Championships and most were in the successful Paris Olympic and Paralympic campaigns.
The powerful women’s endurance squad, led by six-time world championship medallist Bryony Botha, and national road champion Ally Wollaston, who returns after three medals including two gold in 2024.
All four of the men’s 2025 medal winning team pursuit return with experienced Paris reserve Geroge Jackson re-joining, and the sprint squad features triple Paris gold medallist Ellesse Andrews, Olivia King and standout Sam Dakin.
Last year’s outstanding Para-cycling contingent, that won 10 medals at the 2025 UCI Track World Championships are competing, headed by Waikato’s Devon Briggs, who claimed a World Championship title last year.
He is joined by Nicole Murray, Shiobhan Terry and Emma Foy with Jessie Hodges, with the quartet collectively winning 13 world championship medals.
The kiwi riders will have plenty of competition with a strong contingent from Australia, along with riders from American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands and Tahiti.
Key competition on the first day will be the team pursuit and team sprint for both women and men; the multi-discipline omnium on days two and three with sprints and individual pursuit dominating the final two days.
There is full competition for elite, under-19 and Para-cyclists with morning sessions from 10.30am and evening finals from 5pm at the Grassroots Trust Velodrome, with free entry for spectators.
