New Zealand track riders take their first pedal strokes towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai, China starting on Wednesday.
There are record numbers of nations taking part, and with the first qualifying points available from these world championships, racing is expected to be fierce.
Cycling New Zealand High Performance Director, Ryan Hollows said the squad forms new combinations from that of the Paris Olympic Games, with the younger team having prepared well.
Hollows said the World Championships form an important opportunity to test their progress two years out from Los Angeles.
As usual the team pursuit competition begins the campaign for both women and men tomorrow with qualifying, and likewise for the women's team sprint, along with Prue Fowler in the women's Scratch race.
Missing from the New Zealand team is 2024 double world medallist, Ally Wollaston who is recovering from a knee injury but has eyes firmly fixed on a full return to the track for the New Year along with a move to top-tier professional road team, Lidl-Trek.
The UCI Track Cycling World Championships is live on SKY Television.
Event Timetable (Day, Local Time)
Wednesday
From 10.30am:
Women Team Pursuit, Qualifying
Men Team Pursuit, Qualifying
Women Team Sprint Qualifying
Men Team Sprint Qualifying
From 6.35pm:
Men Team Pursuit (1st Round & Finals)
Women Team Sprint (1st Round & Finals)
Men Team Sprint (1st Round & Finals)
Women Scratch
Men Team Pursuit Round 1
Thursday
From 12 Noon:
Men Keirin (From Rd1 to Finals)
Women Sprint Qualifying
Women Sprint Match Racing (to Quarterfinals)
Women Elimination Race
Men Team Pursuit Finals
Men Scratch Race
Women Team Pursuit (First Round & Finals)
Friday
From 10.30am:
Men Time Trial Qualifying and final
Women Omnium (Scratch, Tempo, Elimination, Points)
Men Individual Pursuit (qualifying and finals)
Men Points Race
Women Sprint (Semifinals and Finals)
Saturday
Women Time Trial (Qualifying and Finals)
Men Sprint (Qualifying, to quarterfinals)
Men Omnium (Scratch, Tempo, Elimination, Points)
Women Individual Pursuit (Qualifying and finals)
Women's Madison
Sunday
Men Sprint (Semifinals & Finals)
Women Keirin (First round to finals)
Women Points
Men Elimination
Men Madison
New Zealand riders:
Men:
Elimination: Tom Sexton
Individual Pursuit: Marshall Erwood, Daniel Morton
Madison: Keegan Hornblow, George Jackson
Omnium: Keegan Hornblow
Points: George Jackson
Scratch: Tom Sexton
Team Pursuit: Marshall Erwood, Keegan Hornblow, George Jackson, Daniel Morton
Women:
Elimination: Sami Donnelly
Keirin: Ellesse Andrews
Madison: Bryony Botha, Prue Fowler
Omnium: Sami Donnelly
Points: Bryony Botha
Scratch: Prue Fowler
Sprint: Ellesse Andrews, Olivia King
Team Pursuit: Bryony Botha, Sami Donnelly, Prue Fowler, Emily Shearman
Team Sprint: Ellesse Andrews, Olivia King, Rebecca Petch
Tom Sexton in training ahead of the UCI Track World Championships in Shanghai, China. (Credit: SWPix)