# UCI Track Cycling World Championships

The UCI Track Cycling World Championships are the set of world championship events for the various disciplines and distances in track cycling. They are regulated by the Union Cycliste Internationale. Before 1900, they were administered by the UCI's predecessor, the International Cycling Association (ICA).
Current events include: time trial, keirin, individual pursuit, team pursuit, points race, scratch race, sprint, team sprint, omnium, madison and elimination race. Women's events are generally shorter than men's. Events which are no longer held include the motor paced events and tandem events.

## 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

| Hosts | Editions hosted |
| France | 17 |
| Germany | 14 |
| Belgium | 13 |
| Italy | 13 |
| Denmark | 11 |
| United Kingdom | 10 |
| Netherlands | 8 |
| Switzerland | 8 |
| Spain | 5 |
| United States | 4 |
| Australia | 3 |
| Canada, Poland, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Colombia | 2 |
| Hong Kong, Belarus, Venezuela, Japan, Norway, Hungary, Uruguay | 1 |

## Championships

| Number | Year | Country | City | Velodrome | Events |
| 1 | 1893 | United States | Chicago | South Side Park | 3 |
| 2 | 1894 | Belgium | Antwerp | Velodroom van Zurenborg | 3 |
| 3 | 1895 | Germany | Cologne | Riehler Radrennbahn | 4 |
| 4 | 1896 | Denmark | Copenhagen | Ordrupbanen | 4 |
| 5 | 1897 | United Kingdom | Glasgow | Celtic Park | 4 |
| 6 | 1898 | Austria | Vienna | Prater Park | 4 |
| 7 | 1899 | Canada | Montreal | Vélodrome de Queen's Park | 4 |
| 8 | 1900 | France | Paris | Parc des Princes | 4 |
| 9 | 1901 | Germany | Berlin | Radrennbahn Friedenau [de] | 4 |
| 10 | 1902 | Italy | Rome | Velodromo di Porta Salaria | 4 |
| 10 | 1902 | Germany | Berlin | Radrennbahn Friedenau [de] | 4 |
| 11 | 1903 | Denmark | Copenhagen | Ordrupbanen | 4 |
| 12 | 1904 | United Kingdom | London | Crystal Palace | 4 |
| 13 | 1905 | Belgium | Antwerp | Velodroom van Zurenborg | 4 |
| 14 | 1906 | Switzerland | Geneva | Vélodrome de la Jonction | 4 |
| 15 | 1907 | France | Paris | Parc des Princes | 4 |
| 16 | 1908 | Germany | Leipzig | Sportplatz Leipzig [de] | 4 |
| 16 | 1908 | Germany | Berlin | Radrennbahn Steglitz [de] | 4 |
| 17 | 1909 | Denmark | Copenhagen | Ordrupbanen | 4 |
| 18 | 1910 | Belgium | Brussels | Velodroom van Karreveld | 4 |
| 19 | 1911 | Italy | Rome | Motovelodromo Appio [it] | 4 |
| 20 | 1912 | United States | Newark | Newark Velodrome | 3 |
| 21 | 1913 | Germany | Berlin | Deutsches Stadion | 4 |
| 21 | 1913 | Germany | Leipzig | Sportplatz Leipzig [de] | 4 |
| 22 | 1914 | Denmark | Copenhagen | Ordrupbanen | 1 |
| 1915–1919: not held due to World War I ||||||
| 23 | 1920 | Belgium | Antwerp | The Garden City Velodrome | 3 |
| 24 | 1921 | Denmark | Copenhagen | Ordrupbanen | 3 |
| 25 | 1922 | United Kingdom | Liverpool | Liverpool Velodrome | 3 |
| 25 | 1922 | France | Paris | Parc des Princes | 3 |
| 26 | 1923 | Switzerland | Zürich | Oerlikon Velodrome | 3 |
| 27 | 1924 | France | Paris | Parc des Princes | 3 |
| 28 | 1925 | Netherlands | Amsterdam | Olympisch Stadion | 3 |
| 29 | 1926 | Italy | Milan | Velódromo Sempione | 3 |
| 29 | 1926 | Italy | Turin | Motovelodromo di Corso Casale [it] | 3 |
| 30 | 1927 | Germany | Cologne | Müngersdorfer Radrennbahn | 3 |
| 30 | 1927 | Germany | Elberfeld | Stadion am Zoo | 3 |
| 31 | 1928 | Hungary | Budapest | Millenáris Sporttelep | 3 |
| 32 | 1929 | Switzerland | Zürich | Oerlikon Velodrome | 3 |
| 33 | 1930 | Belgium | Brussels | Heysel Stadium | 3 |
| 34 | 1931 | Denmark | Copenhagen | Ordrupbanen | 3 |
| 35 | 1932 | Italy | Rome | Stadio Nazionale PNF | 3 |
| 36 | 1933 | France | Paris | Parc des Princes | 3 |
| 37 | 1934 | Germany | Leipzig | Sportplatz Leipzig [de] | 3 |
| 38 | 1935 | Belgium | Brussels | Heysel Stadium | 3 |
| 39 | 1936 | Switzerland | Zürich | Oerlikon Velodrome | 3 |
| 40 | 1937 | Denmark | Copenhagen | Ordrupbanen | 3 |
| 41 | 1938 | Netherlands | Amsterdam | Olympisch Stadion | 3 |
| 42 | 1939 | Italy | Milan | Velodromo Vigorelli | 2 |
| 1940–1945: not held due to World War II ||||||
| 43 | 1946 | Switzerland | Zürich | Oerlikon Velodrome | 5 |
| 44 | 1947 | France | Paris | Parc des Princes | 5 |
| 45 | 1948 | Netherlands | Amsterdam | Olympisch Stadion | 5 |
| 46 | 1949 | Denmark | Copenhagen | Ordrupbanen | 5 |
| 47 | 1950 | Belgium | Rocourt | Stade Vélodrome de Rocourt | 5 |
| 48 | 1951 | Italy | Milan | Velodromo Vigorelli | 5 |
| 49 | 1952 | France | Paris | Parc des Princes | 5 |
| 50 | 1953 | Switzerland | Zürich | Oerlikon Velodrome | 5 |
| 51 | 1954 | West Germany | Cologne | Müngersdorfer Stadion | 5 |
| 51 | 1954 | West Germany | Wuppertal | Stadion am Zoo | 5 |
| 52 | 1955 | Italy | Milan | Velodromo Vigorelli | 5 |
| 53 | 1956 | Denmark | Copenhagen | Ordrupbanen | 5 |
| 54 | 1957 | Belgium | Rocourt | Stade Vélodrome de Rocourt | 5 |
| 55 | 1958 | France | Paris | Parc des Princes | 8 |
| 56 | 1959 | Netherlands | Amsterdam | Olympisch Stadion | 8 |
| 57 | 1960 | East Germany | Leipzig | Alfred-Rosch-Kampfbahn | 8 |
| 57 | 1960 | East Germany | Chemnitz | Chemnitz Velodrome | 8 |
| 58 | 1961 | Switzerland | Zürich | Oerlikon Velodrome | 8 |
| 59 | 1962 | Italy | Milan | Velodromo Vigorelli | 9 |
| 60 | 1963 | Belgium | Rocourt | Stade Vélodrome de Rocourt | 9 |
| 61 | 1964 | France | Paris | Parc des Princes | 9 |
| 62 | 1965 | Spain | San Sebastián | Velódromo de Anoeta | 9 |
| 63 | 1966 | West Germany | Frankfurt | Waldstadion | 11 |
| 64 | 1967 | Netherlands | Amsterdam | Olympisch Stadion | 11 |
| 65 | 1968 | Italy | Rome | Olympic Velodrome | 11 |
| 65 | 1968 | Uruguay | Montevideo | Americo Ricaldoni | 11 |
| 66 | 1969 | Belgium | Antwerp | Sportpaleis | 11 |
| 66 | 1969 | Czechoslovakia | Brno | Brno Velodrome | 11 |
| 67 | 1970 | United Kingdom | Leicester | Saffron Lane Velodrome | 11 |
| 68 | 1971 | Italy | Varese | Luigi Ganna Velodrome | 11 |
| 69 | 1972 | France | Marseille | Stade Vélodrome | 6 |
| 70 | 1973 | Spain | San Sebastián | Velódromo de Anoeta | 11 |
| 71 | 1974 | Canada | Montreal | Le Stade du CEPSUM | 11 |
| 72 | 1975 | Belgium | Rocourt | Stade Vélodrome de Rocourt | 11 |
| 73 | 1976 | Italy | Monteroni di Lecce | Ulivi Velodrome | 7 |
| 74 | 1977 | Venezuela | San Cristóbal | José de Jesús Mora Figueroa Velodrome [es] | 12 |
| 75 | 1978 | West Germany | Munich | Radstadion | 12 |
| 76 | 1979 | Netherlands | Amsterdam | Velodrome Amsterdam [nl] | 12 |
| 77 | 1980 | France | Besançon | Stade Léo Lagrange | 10 |
| 78 | 1981 | Czechoslovakia | Brno | Brno Velodrome | 14 |
| 79 | 1982 | United Kingdom | Leicester | Saffron Lane Velodrome | 14 |
| 80 | 1983 | Switzerland | Zürich | Oerlikon Velodrome | 14 |
| 81 | 1984 | Spain | Barcelona | Velòdrom d'Horta | 9 |
| 82 | 1985 | Italy | Bassano del Grappa | Stadio Rino Mercante | 14 |
| 83 | 1986 | United States | Colorado Springs | 7-Eleven USOTC Velodrome | 14 |
| 84 | 1987 | Austria | Vienna | Ferry-Dusika-Hallenstadion | 14 |
| 85 | 1988 | Belgium | Ghent | Vlaams Wielercentrum Eddy Merckx | 9 |
| 86 | 1989 | France | Lyon | Vélodrome Georges-Préveral [fr] | 15 |
| 87 | 1990 | Japan | Maebashi | Green Dome Maebashi | 15 |
| 88 | 1991 | Germany | Stuttgart | Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle | 15 |
| 89 | 1992 | Spain | Valencia | Luis Puig Velodrome | 8 |
| 90 | 1993 | Norway | Hamar | Vikingskipet Olympic Arena | 11 |
| 91 | 1994 | Italy | Palermo | Velodromo Paolo Borsellino | 11 |
| 92 | 1995 | Colombia | Bogotá | Luis Carlos Galán Velodrome | 12 |
| 93 | 1996 | United Kingdom | Manchester | Manchester Velodrome | 12 |
| 94 | 1997 | Australia | Perth | Perth SpeedDome | 12 |
| 95 | 1998 | France | Bordeaux | Vélodrome de Bordeaux | 12 |
| 96 | 1999 | Germany | Berlin | Velodrom | 12 |
| 97 | 2000 | United Kingdom | Manchester | Manchester Velodrome | 12 |
| 98 | 2001 | Belgium | Antwerp | Sportpaleis | 12 |
| 99 | 2002 | Denmark | Ballerup | Siemens Arena | 15 |
| 100 | 2003 | Germany | Stuttgart | Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle | 15 |
| 101 | 2004 | Australia | Melbourne | Melbourne Park Multi-Purpose Venue | 15 |
| 102 | 2005 | United States | Los Angeles | VELO Sports Center | 15 |
| 103 | 2006 | France | Bordeaux | Vélodrome de Bordeaux | 15 |
| 104 | 2007 | Spain | Palma de Mallorca | Palma Arena | 17 |
| 105 | 2008 | United Kingdom | Manchester | Manchester Velodrome | 18 |
| 106 | 2009 | Poland | Pruszków | BGŻ Arena | 19 |
| 107 | 2010 | Denmark | Ballerup | Ballerup Super Arena | 19 |
| 108 | 2011 | Netherlands | Apeldoorn | Omnisport Apeldoorn | 19 |
| 109 | 2012 | Australia | Melbourne | Melbourne Park Multi-Purpose Venue | 19 |
| 110 | 2013 | Belarus | Minsk | Minsk-Arena | 19 |
| 111 | 2014 | Colombia | Cali | Velódromo Alcides Nieto Patiño | 19 |
| 112 | 2015 | France | Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines | Vélodrome de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines | 19 |
| 113 | 2016 | United Kingdom | London | Lee Valley VeloPark | 19 |
| 114 | 2017 | Hong Kong | Tseung Kwan O New Town | Hong Kong Velodrome | 20 |
| 115 | 2018 | Netherlands | Apeldoorn | Omnisport Apeldoorn | 20 |
| 116 | 2019 | Poland | Pruszków | BGŻ Arena | 20 |
| 117 | 2020 | Germany | Berlin | Velodrom | 20 |
| 118 | 2021 | France | Roubaix | Vélodrome Couvert Régional Jean-Stablinski [fr] | 22 |
| 119 | 2022 | France | Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines | Vélodrome de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines | 22 |
| 120 | 2023 | United Kingdom | Glasgow | Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome | 22 |
| 121 | 2024 | Denmark | Ballerup | Ballerup Super Arena | 22 |
| 122 | 2025 | Chile | Santiago | Velódromo Peñalolén [es] | |
| 123 | 2026 | China | Shanghai | | |
| 124 | 2027 | France | Haute Savoie | | |
| 125 | 2028 | TBA | TBA | | |
| 126 | 2029 | United Arab Emirates | Abu Dhabi | | |
| 127 | 2030 | Australia | Brisbane | Anna Meares Velodrome | |

## All-time medal table

    Updated after the 2024 World Championships.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | France | 148 | 123 | 134 | 405 |
| 2 | Great Britain | 120 | 91 | 83 | 294 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 117 | 107 | 95 | 319 |
| 4 | Italy | 90 | 97 | 106 | 293 |
| 5 | Australia | 87 | 101 | 79 | 267 |
| 6 | Germany | 86 | 80 | 95 | 261 |
| 7 | Soviet Union | 58 | 50 | 35 | 143 |
| 8 | Belgium | 56 | 59 | 56 | 171 |
| 9 | United States | 53 | 48 | 49 | 150 |
| 10 | Denmark | 36 | 42 | 38 | 116 |
| 11 | East Germany | 34 | 31 | 28 | 93 |
| 12 | Switzerland | 33 | 34 | 36 | 103 |
| 13 | West Germany | 29 | 31 | 30 | 90 |
| 14 | Russia | 24 | 23 | 28 | 75 |
| 15 | Spain | 20 | 22 | 16 | 58 |
| 16 | New Zealand | 17 | 25 | 28 | 70 |
| 17 | Japan | 16 | 16 | 19 | 51 |
| 18 | Czechoslovakia | 14 | 9 | 18 | 41 |
| 19 | Belarus | 14 | 2 | 8 | 24 |
| 20 | Poland | 9 | 7 | 9 | 25 |
| 21 | Colombia | 7 | 6 | 2 | 15 |
| 22 | Canada | 6 | 20 | 17 | 43 |
| 23 | Austria | 5 | 7 | 11 | 23 |
| 24 | Hong Kong | 5 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| 25 | China | 4 | 15 | 12 | 31 |
| 26 | Ukraine | 4 | 7 | 3 | 14 |
| 27 | Cuba | 4 | 4 | 5 | 13 |
| 28 | Czech Republic | 3 | 5 | 7 | 15 |
| 29 | Commonwealth Games Federation | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 30 | Lithuania | 2 | 8 | 11 | 21 |
| 31 | Norway | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| 32 | Ireland | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 |
| 33 | Mexico | 1 | 7 | 4 | 12 |
| 34 | Argentina | 1 | 5 | 10 | 16 |
| 35 | Malaysia | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| 36 | Portugal | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 37 | South Africa | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 38 | Individual Neutral Athletes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 39 | Russian Cycling Federation | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 40 | Luxembourg | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 40 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 42 | Greece | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 43 | Barbados | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 43 | South Korea | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 45 | Bohemia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 45 | Israel | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 45 | Latvia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 45 | Uruguay | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 49 | Sweden | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 50 | Estonia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 50 | Kazakhstan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 50 | Liechtenstein | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (52 entries) | Totals (52 entries) | 1,114 | 1,111 | 1,114 | 3,339 |

## Most successful athletes

Updated after the 2024 World Championships.

### Men

| No | Athlete | Nation | | | | Total | Years | Events |
| 1 | Harrie Lavreysen | Netherlands | 16 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 2017–2024 | 1 km time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint |
| 2 | Arnaud Tournant | France | 14 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 1997–2008 | 1 km time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint |
| 3 | Chris Hoy | Great Britain | 11 | 8 | 6 | 25 | 1999–2012 | 1 km time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint |
| 4 | Jeffrey Hoogland | Netherlands | 10 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 2016–2024 | 1 km time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint |
| 5 | Florian Rousseau | France | 10 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 1993–2002 | 1 km time trial, Sprint, Team sprint |
| 6 | Urs Freuler | Switzerland | 10 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 1981–1989 | Keirin, Points race, Team Pursuit |
| 7 | Koichi Nakano | Japan | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1977–1986 | Sprint |
| 8 | Cameron Meyer | Australia | 9 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 2009–2018 | Madison, Points race, Team Pursuit |
| 9 | Grégory Baugé | France | 9 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 2006–2019 | Sprint, Team sprint |
| 10 | Daniel Morelon | France | 8 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 1964–1980 | Keirin, Sprint, Tandem |

### Women

| No | Athlete | Nation | | | | Total | Years | Events |
| 1 | Anna Meares | Australia | 11 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 2003–2015 | 500 m time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint |
| 2 | Kristina Vogel | Germany | 11 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 2012–2018 | Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint |
| 3 | Félicia Ballanger | France | 10 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 1994–1999 | 500 m time trial, Sprint |
| 4 | Victoria Pendleton | Great Britain | 9 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 2005–2012 | 500 m time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint |
| 5 | Kirsten Wild | Netherlands | 9 | 4 | 5 | 18 | 2011–2021 | Madison, Omnium, Points race, Scratch |
| 6 | Sarah Hammer | United States | 8 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 2006–2017 | Individual Pursuit, Omnium, Points race, Team Pursuit |
| 7 | Lea Friedrich | Germany | 8 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 2020–2023 | 500 m time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint |
| 8 | Emma Hinze | Germany | 8 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 2019–2023 | 500 m time trial, Keirin, Sprint, Team sprint |
| 9 | Natallia Tsylinskaya | Belarus | 8 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 2000–2007 | 500 m time trial, Sprint |
| 10 | Chloé Dygert | United States | 8 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2016–2024 | Individual Pursuit, Team Pursuit |
Lavreysen, Freuler, Nakano and Ballanger won the most individual titles with ten each.

## Results by country

* Argentina
* Australia
* Azerbaijan
* Austria
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Chinese Taipei
* Cuba
* Denmark
* Finland
* France
* Greece
* Hong Kong
* Hungary
* India
* Ireland
* Italy
* Japan
* Kazakhstan
* Lithuania
* Malaysia
* Mexico
* Netherlands
* New Zealand
* Poland
* Portugal
* Russia
* Slovakia
* South Africa
* South Korea
* Spain
* Switzerland
* Trinidad and Tobago
* Ukraine
* United States
* Uzbekistan
* 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)