EMMA ‘WINUCANE’ – Track Cycling World Champs Preview
Following an unprecedented year of success for Britain in women’s sport, GB’s track cycling team – including the world’s fastest sprinter, Emma Finucane – heads to Santiago with high hopes of bringing back more glory.
Having always been at the forefront of track cycling innovation and technology, Great Britain’s dominance has been challenged in recent years, but they enter the 2025 World Championships with plenty of momentum and gold medal potential, writes Gethin Thurlow.
So, apart from Wales’ finest, Finucane (above), where will Great Britain’s main medal threats lie?
Endurance events
Team Pursuit
Considered by many to be as ‘pure track cycling’, Britain has proudly defined this discipline for years, and the current women’s squad is as unbeatable as ever. While British track legend Katie Archibald drops out of the squad this time around, the remaining three riders from last year’s triumph – Josie Knight, Anna Morris and Megan Barker are joined by Jess Roberts who claimed a bronze medal in the event at the last Olympics.
The format is that four riders on each team will ride in a line together, with each rider moving up the velodrome and to the back of the line when they finish each ‘turn’. Due to aerodynamics, the rider at the front essentially pushes the wind out of the way of those directly behind them, meaning the other three can follow along at the same speed without putting as much effort through the pedals. This means that while each rider takes a turn at the front, the other three are getting a rest (if you can even call it that) so they are more able to push when they get back to front.
The ‘pursuit’ aspect of this is that there are two teams on track at each time, starting at opposite sides of the track. If one team catches up with the other within the 4-kilometre race then they win, but if this isn’t made then it’s based on who finishes their effort in the quickest time. Teams will drop down to three riders by the end of their runs so don’t be alarmed if you see your squad getting reduced to three. While Katie Archibald is a big miss, Team GB still have supreme talent in that squad of four and will be looking at anything other than a gold medal as a failure.
Individual Pursuit
This is much like the team pursuit, except at the name suggests it is an individual version. While the team pursuit is much more about planning the exact timing and nailing the changeovers, this is just about perfectly judging the effort and whichever rider has the most in their legs on the day. Anna Morris is the current World Champion, having broken the world record twice on her way to victory in the 2024 Championships in Denmark.
Madison
A very unique track event, it can be confusing to watch but is always fun. In the Madison, each team has two competitors, but only one competing in the race at each moment. The other rider eases round the top of the track, resting and getting ready to come back in the race. The turnovers are done by both riding holding hands and then the outgoing rider swings their teammate forward to get them going and from that point onwards they are ‘in’ for that moment. Sprints are done every 10 laps, giving out five for first, three for second, two for third and one for fourth place. You can also gain 20 points by lapping the peloton, which is where you catch a lap up to the biggest group on the velodrome.
With a World Championship gold and two bronze’s, Katie Archibald has experienced success in this race, as a country Great Britain boasts a good record in a race that is very tactical and hard to call. Archibald will be racing alongside debutant Maddie Leech as they look for another gold here.
Sprint Events
Team Sprint
Close to being a shorter version of the team pursuit, this event works in a similar way. Three laps, three riders with each rider doing a lap on the front before peeling off and letting their fresher teammate take over. The final lap is given the quickest sprinter as that means they can start their effort from the highest speed possible. Given the short nature of the event, lasting less than a minute, the start is extremely important, as is staying in the precise position to get the most aerodynamic gain without running into the back of your teammate.
Led by the world fastest sprinter Emma Finucane, GB bring a new look team even after winning gold at 2024 Olympics. Iona Moir, Rhianna Parris-Smith and Rhian Edmunds are also debutants, while Lauren Bell has a World Championship silver to her name from 2023. Great Britain will be hoping for a medal in the event, and the power of Finucane certainly puts them among the favourites.
Sprint
Whilst qualifying for this event is done as a one lap time trial, its one-on-one racing style is what defines it. After the race gets started by a lap behind a motorbike, the riders have the laps to compete in a direct race. These usually get very tactical, with riders looking around at each other and almost coming to a stop – which is actually impossible given the bikes they have. Eventually, one of them will start the sprint and it is a straight-up battle between their legs.
Having won this event at the Worlds two years in a row, GB’s Finucane has a lot of pedigree, but she could only claim bronze at the Olympics, showing that this event is no shoe-in for her.
Main Challengers
Lorena Wiebes (Netherlands)
The fastest sprinter in women’s road cycling history, Dutch star Wiebes lacks much experience on the track. She did win a gold on debut however, in the scratch race in 2024. Despite being a sprinter on the road, she competes in endurance events on track and is in good form having just won the gravel World Championship earlier this month. Wiebes will race the Omnium and Madison in Chile.
Chloe Dygert (USA)
Having suffered a long-term injury, Dygert returned to track cycling with a World Championship gold medal in the individual pursuit in 2023, but was shocked by Anna Morris last year. She will be sure to challenge Morris once more and will have taken motivation from the fact she even broke a world record and lost out in Denmark. Her form on the road hasn’t been that impressive this year, so it’s hard to judge what level the American is coming into the Championships at.
Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand)
A sprinting superstar, Andrews is here to spoil the British sprinting party. Having beaten Finucane at the Olympics, she is looking to do the same again here. Andrews didn’t race at the last Worlds and as such you have to go back to 2023 to see Finucane getting on over her rival. She will be well up for breaking the Welsh woman’s heart again and has a decent chance to do so, if she is carrying her best form.
The teams of Italy, Denmark and Australia as also worth looking out for on any given event, with strong overall backgrounds in the sport.
How to Watch
BBC will have live coverage of all days of the Championships, starting tomorrow evening.
Wednesday, 22nd October
22:20-00:40 BST – BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport Website & App
Thursday, 23rd October
18:15-20:35 & 21:20-01:00 BST – BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport Website & App
Friday, 24th October
15:50-19:30 & 20:50-01:00 BST – BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport Website & App
21:00-01:00 BST – BBC Three
Saturday, 25th October
21:20-01:10 BST – BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport Website & App
Sunday, 26th October
13:50-15:15 – BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport Website & App
16:20-21:00 GMT – BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport Website & App
16:30-19:15 GMT – BBC Two
19:15-21:00 GMT – BBC Three
Photos: SW Pix, Nicola
