It will be the first time France has hosted the UCI World Championships since 2006 in Bordeaux. Track cycling is the oldest UCI discipline, with Paris hosting the first UCI World Championships for the discipline in 1900. It was also in Paris that women raced for the first time, in 1958.
The new track is already drawing praise from athletes, and fans can expect to see some aggressive racing when competition gets underway on Wednesday, February 18. In addition to the battle for the right to don the rainbow jersey of UCI World Champion in the 19 events to be contested, every country will be looking to score highly coveted ranking points for the rapidly approaching 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Team Canada is ready to compete with only one objective: bring back home some medals. For a complete roster of the 10 athletes racing and a preview of the team click HERE.
One of the much-awaited athletes will be the hosts’ own François Pervis who, one year ago in Cali, Colombia, became the first athlete to take the three titles in the individual sprint specialities (sprint, kilometre and keirin).
Competition begins on Wednesday afternoon with the opening rounds of the team events for men and women – the team pursuit and team sprint. Great Britain continues to be the squad to beat in the team pursuit, with Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Denmark (the latter two for men) all hoping to upset. Great Britain and Australia are leading contenders in the team sprint. Wednesday evening will also see the start of individual competition with the women’s Points race. Three titles will be awarded on the first day – the men’s and women’s team sprint and the women’s points race.
Thursday will bring the conclusion to the team pursuit for both men and women, and medal finals for the men’s Keirin and scratch race, plus the women’s 500m time trial: 5 titles in total, the most on any one day.
On Friday, the men’s Omnium begins, as does the women’s sprint. Medal finals will be held for the men’s 1km time trial, the men’s points race and the women’s individual pursuit.
Four titles will be awarded on Saturday – the women’s Scratch race, women’s sprint, men’s individual pursuit and the men’s Omnium. The women’s Omnium will also begin, as will the men’s sprint.
The 2015 UCI Track World Championships conclude on Sunday with four titles awarded in the women’s Omnium, women’s Keirin, men’s sprint and the crowd-favourite, the men’s Madison.
Catch the action live at tv.uci.ch