UCI Track Cycling World Championships

History

World championships were first held in 1893, in Chicago, under the ICA. They were for amateurs. Separate professional races were held from 1895, in Cologne. Amateurs and professionals competed in separate events until 1993, after which they raced together in "open" races. Championships are open to riders selected by their national cycling association. They compete in the colours of their country.

The winner of ICA championships received a gold medal. The UCI awards a gold medal and a rainbow jersey to the winner. Silver and bronze medals are awarded to the second and third place contestants. World champions wear their rainbow jersey until the following year's championship, but they may wear it only in the type of event in which they won it. Former champions can wear rainbow cuffs to their everyday jerseys.

World track championships are allocated to different countries each year. They are run by that country's national cycling association, although the top referees (President of the Commissaire's panel – PCP, Secretary, Starter, and Judge Referee) are International Commissaires appointed by the UCI.

Venues

To take advantage of the best weather conditions and reduce the risk of weather-related program changes, the UCI has long organized track world championships in the summer. Until 1966, the competition must by regulation take place on an open-air velodrome. It was not until the 1969 edition, organized at the Antwerps Sportpaleis, that the first championship was held on an indoor velodrome. From 1987, the trend reversed and indoor velodromes took over. From 1987 to 1995, there were five world championships organized on an indoor velodrome. Colombia hosts in 1995 the last track world championship organized outdoor.

Hosts

Championships

All-time medal table

:Updated after the 2025 World Championships.

Most successful athletes

Updated after the 2025 World Championships.

Men

Women

Harrie Lavreysen won the most individual titles with 13. Félicia Ballanger is the female athlete with most individual titles with ten.

Lavreysen is also the only rider to win four gold medals in a single edition, in 2025.

Most successful in each event

22 Events are held as part of the World championships. The table below summarises the most successful athlete and nation in each of the 22 separate events. The numbers in parentheses represent the number of golds, silvers and bronze respectively won by the athlete or nation in that specific event. Athletes and nations are differentiated in the standard way, first by number of golds, then silvers, then bronze medals.

Results by country

• ARG Argentina
• AUS Australia
• AZE Azerbaijan
• AUT Austria
• BLR Belarus
• BEL Belgium
• BRA Brazil
• CAN Canada
• CHI Chile
• TPE Chinese Taipei
• CUB Cuba
• DEN Denmark
• FIN Finland
• FRA France
• GBR Great Britain
• GRE Greece
• HKG Hong Kong
• HUN Hungary
• IND India
• IRE Ireland
• ITA Italy
• JPN Japan
• KAZ Kazakhstan
• LTU Lithuania
• MYS Malaysia
• MEX Mexico
• NED Netherlands
• NZL New Zealand
• POL Poland
• POR Portugal
• RUS Russia
• SVK Slovakia
• RSA South Africa
• KOR South Korea
• ESP Spain
• SUI Switzerland
• TRI Trinidad and Tobago
• UKR Ukraine
• USA United States
• UZB Uzbekistan
• VEN Venezuela

Results by event

• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's 1 km time trial
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's individual pursuit
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's keirin
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's madison
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's omnium
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's points race
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's scratch
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's sprint
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's team pursuit
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's team sprint
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Men's tandem (defunct)
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Women's 500 m time trial
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Women's individual pursuit
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Women's keirin
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Women's madison
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Women's omnium
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Women's points race
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Women's scratch
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Women's sprint
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Women's team pursuit
• UCI Track Cycling World Championships – Women's team sprint
• UCI Motor-paced World Championships (defunct)

Notes

References

References

1. Williams, Richard. (21 March 2014). "Historic Vigorelli velodrome rescued by volunteers who fought off inertia".
2. Perelman, Rich. (2025-09-26). "CYCLING: UCI Congress re-elects Lappartient as President, Trentino to host 2031 all-discipline Worlds and Durango gets 2030 Mountain Bike champs".
3. (26 January 2024). "'It builds bridges and brings many opportunities': UCI announces deep partnership with the UAE for years to come".
4. (30 September 2024). "AOC welcomes news Brisbane will host UCI Track Cycling World Championship in 2030".
5. Women's race was two laps long with two riders until 2017 and three laps long with three riders since 2018
6. Women's race was 500 m long until 2024 and 1 km long since 2025
7. Women's race was 3000 m long with three riders until 2013 and 4000 m long with four riders since 2014
8. Women's race was 3000 m long until 2024 and 4000 m long since 2025