PREVIEW: THE 2023 UCI TRACK CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GRAND FINALE IN LONDON - ROUNDS 4 & 5

The 2023 season is set to reach a gripping conclusion on Friday and Saturday as the world's best track cyclists head to London for Rounds 4 & 5 of the UCI Track Champions League.

Round 3 in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines saw Dylan Bibic (Canada) move to the top of the Men's Endurance standings by winning both the Scratch and Elimination races in front of a packed crowd of almost 4,000 fans.

Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands), Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) and Katie Archibald (Great Britain) were also celebrating after successfully defending their leads in the Men’s Sprint, Women's Sprint and Women's Endurance competitions respectively.

All four competitions are yet to be decided with the likes of Matthew Richardson (Australia), Anita Stenberg (Norway), Alessa-Catriona Pröpster (Germany) and Jules Hesters (Belgium) among the 14 riders who are still in with a chance of winning the blue jerseys. 

The trophy - which will be awarded by UCI Track Champions League ambassador Sir Chris Hoy on Saturday night - was designed by Bertoni, who has produced some of the most prestigious and well-known trophies in the world, including the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Champions League trophies. Standing at over a metre high, with its futuristic, integrated, blue LED stripe, this iconic prize can be taken out of its base and lifted high by each winner, who also receive their own smaller version as well.

14 riders from Great Britain are set to compete in London - Katie Archibald, Sophie Capewell, Neah Evans, Emma Finucane, Danni Khan, Sophie Lewis, Katy Marchant, William Perrett, Kate Richardson, Mark Stewart, Ellie Stone, Lowri Thomas, William Tidball and Joe Truman - and each of them will be aiming to impress in front of their home crowd.

Click HERE to read about how Round 3 of the UCI Track Champions League played out.

Here is all the key information heading into Rounds 4 & 5:

RIDERS TO WATCH

Dylan Bibic (Canada):
Dylan was the stand-out performer in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, winning both Men's Endurance races and rising to the top of the overall standings in that competition. The Canadian has previously struggled for consistency - choosing instead to give 100% in each race that comes - so it will be interesting to see if he changes that approach in London in order to try and wrap up the blue jersey.

Matthew Richardson (Australia):
"I'm back" is the phrase an elated Matthew was expressing proudly in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines after ending Harrie Lavreysen's winning streak in the Men's Sprint competition. The Australian has been digging super deep all series and will clearly be buoyed by his first success of the season, which came in the Sprint. Defending the overall title he won last season seems unlikely but the 24 year old will be aiming to go out with a bang in London, so expect to see him firing on all cylinders once again.

Emma Finucane (Great Britain):
Emma was one of the favourites for the Women's Sprint title before the season started but has yet to claim a victory. The reigning UCI World Sprint Champion will be doing all she can to put that right on home soil, and the spotlight will certainly be on her when she rides in the iconic rainbow bands

Anita Stenberg (Norway):
Consistency is key when it comes to mounting a charge for the blue jersey, and Anita has been doing just that. While she hasn't hit the headlines like Katie Archibald (Great Britain) and Lily Williams (USA) have, the Norwegian has been steadily racking up points, and has never once this season finished a race outside the top four. She sits second overall in the Women's Endurance, and will be looking to pounce if Archibald shows any chinks in her armour.

Click HERE for the full list of riders who are competing in the 2023 UCI Track Champions League.

QUOTES

Men's Endurance leader Dylan Bibic (Canada) said: “The competition at this year's UCI Track Champions League feels a lot harder than in Season 2. There are bigger names in my category, and it’s so close in the Endurance standings right now, so I’m nervous for this weekend. Heading into London wearing the blue jersey feels like a lot of pressure, but I will take each race as it comes. I really want to keep the lead.”

Women's Sprint leader Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) said: “This is my first year competing in the UCI Track Champions League and it feels so special to be here. The atmosphere of the races so far has been incredible and I’m really looking forward to riding in London. To keep hold of the blue jersey and win the Women's Sprint competition would mean a lot to me. There are still some good battles to go, but I’m excited to get out there. It’s going to be fun.”

Men's Sprint leader Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands) said: “Season 3 of the UCI Track Champions League has gone really well for me so far and I’m pleased with my performance. In London, I’ll be looking to continue that form. It’s a double-header, so rest between the rounds will be important to allow my legs to recover. I don’t plan to go crazy on Friday night, and I’ll take each race one at a time, but I’m really looking forward to riding.”

Women's Endurance leader Katie Archibald (Great Britain) said: “The UCI Track Champions League has been amazing this year. The races in Mallorca, Berlin and Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines have drawn some huge crowds, but looking ahead to London, that's going to be special. The competition is tight, so I’m going into Rounds 4 and 5 with a clear mindset and with the aim to produce the best races possible.”

Florian Pavia, Series Director of the UCI Track Champions League, said: "As we reach the Grand Finale of the 2023 UCI Track Champions League, we've already been treated to some jaw-dropping action over the three previous rounds, and I am certain it'll be the same again in London. Various battles are going to reach their conclusion on Friday and Saturday night, and they’ll do so in front of packed crowds inside the Lee Valley VeloPark. I can’t wait to see how things play out.”

RACE PROGRAMME

The televised race schedules for both rounds is as follows:

19:00 GMT (Friday) and 17:30 GMT (Saturday): Live digital broadcast starts
Sprint / Men / First Round
Sprint / Women / First Round

20:00 GMT (Friday) and 18:30 GMT (Saturday): Live broadcast starts
Scratch / Men
Sprint / Men / Semi Finals
Sprint / Women / Semi Finals
Scratch / Women
Sprint / Men / Final
Sprint / Women / Final
Elimination / Men
Keirin / Men / First Round
Keirin / Women / First Round
Elimination / Women
Keirin / Men / Final
Keirin / Women / Final
22:30 GMT (Friday) and 21:00 GMT (Saturday): Live broadcast ends

WHERE TO WATCH

The 2023 UCI Track Champions League will be broadcast across Warner Bros. Discovery’s sports, entertainment, and free-to-air platforms, as well as via numerous official broadcast partners.

Every second of the series will be screened live, uninterrupted and ad-free across the globe on discovery+*, GCN+, and the Eurosport App, with the main events of every round also being shown live on Eurosport 1 International, and across 12 Asian countries via Eurosport World, in multiple language options.

In addition to that, the series will also be broadcast live on the following channels:
• Australia – SBS
• Canada – CBC
• China – Zhibo

• France – L’Équipe
• Germany – Eurosport 1 Germany
• Greece - ERT
• Italy - Rai Sport
• Japan – Speed Channel
• Latin America – Claro Sports
• Middle East & North Africa - Starzplay
• Netherlands - RTL7
• New Zealand – Sky
• Spain - RTVE
• Sub-Saharan Africa – Supersports
• Switzerland - SRG (Round 5 only)
• Ukraine – UAPBC

Highlights will also be aired on the following channels in order to reach the widest-possible audience:
• Belgium - RTBF
• Denmark - 6’Eren
• Finland - Kutonen
• Norway - Max
• Sweden - Kanal 9
• UK - Quest

Warner Bros. Discovery’s coverage will be supplemented by a 30-minute preview show as excitement builds ahead of the evening’s action, with 30 minutes of analysis and rider interviews rounding off each broadcast after the racing has concluded.

*Streaming is available on discovery+ in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the UK and Ireland.

FIRST-EVER TRACK CYCLING METAVERSE EXPERIENCE

Tomorrow (Friday 10th November) the UCI Track Champions League and Infinite Reality will unveil a new and first-of-its-kind mobile metaverse experience to bring fans even closer to the action and riders.

Former UCI World Champion Matthew Richardson and reigning Olympic Champion Kelsey Mitchell will greet fans face-to-face in a new immersive virtual world.

Download the latest metaverse experience, “UCI TrackChampionsLeague-Verse”, from the App Store.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

GAME-CHANGING APP

The new-and-improved UCI Track Champions League app will provide a game-changing experience during the 2023 season.

Powered by Official Cloud Infrastructure Provider AWS, the app delivers an elevated race experience with access to exclusive live data and onboard cameras which provide a whole host of unique insights.

New features include an expanded Fan Zone where supporters can make predictions and compete head-to-head in special quests and challenges.

The Cheer a Rider feature gives the opportunity for fans to get behind their favourite athletes, who will also win prizes at the end of the season for the amount of support they achieve. 

If that wasn't enough, the app provides access to a host of live onboard camera feeds, while the Race Live Mode delivers live power, speed, heart rate and cadence data at the push of a button. Side-by-side comparisons between two competing athletes are also available.

Pushing the Feel Heartbeat button, users can feel the live heartbeat of any athlete in the palm of their hand using their smartphone’s vibrate function. Be it a nervous 130 beats per minute on the start line or a rapid 200bpm with one lap to go, this unique feature gives viewers unprecedented insight into world-class athletes’ performances.

The app’s game-changing features do not stop there; it also acts as a central information hub for the series. Users can view riders’ profiles with key physiological information, league results, standings and historical records all present. In addition, race results and standings, round info and the latest league news are all also available.
 
And users can also ensure they never miss a moment of the action, courtesy of push notification reminders delivered when their favourite rider is on track, or when a particular race is about to start.

The UCI Track Champions League app is now available to download for free on the App Store or the Google Play Store. 

ABOUT THE LEE VALLEY VELOPARK

This iconic track opened in 2012 and has played host to many career-defining performances; the 2012 London Olympic Games saw the likes of Sir Chris Hoy, Laura Kenny, and Jason Kenny, among others, storm to victory, taking seven out of a possible ten gold medals; Sir Bradley Wiggins’ successful attempt on the UCI Hour Record timed by Tissot in 2015, and more recently, the back-to-back, sold-out rounds of the UCI Track Champions League in 2021 and 2022. Check out our ‘Top 5’ moments from those previous events here.

The VeloPark was designed by architects at leading practice, Hopkins Architects, and has a capacity of over 5,500 spectators. The track sits at seven metres wide and 250 metres long. Made of Siberian pine, and with a banking of 42° at its highest and 12° at its lowest, it is clear the track is built for speed. With the stakes being higher than ever, it looks highly likely we will see some spectacular performances across the final two rounds.

THE SPORTING FORMAT

The UCI Track Champions League follows a league format with a consistent race programme in every round. Riders earn points in either the Sprint or Endurance category throughout the five rounds.

In each category, there are two types of races where competitors can gather points: Sprinters will race in both Sprint and Keirin races, while Endurance riders compete in both Elimination and Scratch races.

A total of 72 riders, with an equal number of males and females, participate in the league, with 18 riders in each category.

The Sprint Category races:
 
Sprint: The Sprint race will see the first rider to cross the finish line after three laps of the track win. The first round will comprise six heats of three riders going head-to-head, with the six winners progressing on to the semifinals. Two heats of three riders will then determine the final two competitors to go for the win.

Keirin: The Keirin race is a mass start sprint over five laps. The first two laps of the track will be behind a Derny motorcycle to set the pace, leaving riders to sprint to the finish over the remaining three. Six riders will take part in three heats, with the top two riders qualifying for the final. In the final, six riders will compete for victory.
 
The Endurance category races:
 
Elimination: In the Elimination race the last rider across the finish line in every other lap will be eliminated from the race. The first lap will be a neutral lap and all 18 riders take part from the start.

Scratch: The classic Scratch race will be contested over a relatively short distance of 5 km and see high-speed action from the start. All 18 riders will be vying for a podium position over 20 laps of the 250m track.
 
POINTS AND RIDER RANKINGS

Rankings within the UCI Track Champions League will be determined by points allocated to riders from their performance in each race. Points will accrue in a ranking table and the overall winner in each of the categories will be the rider with the most points at the end of the series. 

At the end of each round, the current leader will be awarded the UCI Track Champions League leader’s jersey to wear at the next round.

REMAINING RACE CALENDAR:

Round 4: Friday 10 November, London / Lee Valley VeloPark, UK - Buy tickets
Round 5 / Grand Finale: Saturday 11 November, London / Lee Valley VeloPark, UK - SOLD OUT

Since its launch in 2021, the UCI Track Champions League has consolidated its place alongside the Tissot UCI Track World Championships, the Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup and the Olympic Games at the very pinnacle of the global racing calendar.
 
The series – organised in partnership between the events division of Warner Bros. Discovery Sports and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) – makes track cycling more accessible and exciting than ever before, elevating the sport to new levels and reaching new audiences in the process.