2024 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup: British and Dutch stars emerge as favorites for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Canadians bring joy to their fans

Final round and last chance to meet the competition ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The third and final round of the 2024 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup, held at the Milton Velodrome in Canada from 12 to 14 April, brought significant changes to the overall standings. While Great Britain, with 29,772 points, retained the overall first place held since the first round of the series, Australia and New Zealand had to give up their respective second and third places as Japan (22,585 points) and Germany (20,669 points) completed the podium.

In Milton, it was once again the British who won the most medals and secured the most wins, with a total of eight podiums and five victories. Great Britain won the women’s team pursuit (with Katie Archibald, Josie Knight, Anna Morris and Jessica Roberts), the women’s omnium (Katie Archibald), the women’s Madison (Katie Archibald and Neah Evans), the men’s team pursuit (Daniel Bigham, Ethan Hayter, Ethan Vernon and Oliver Wood) and the men’s omnium (Ethan Hayter).

The Netherlands followed closely behind, with a total of seven podiums and four victories. Dutch riders placed first in the women’s team sprint (with Kyra Lamberink, Hetty van de Wouw and Steffie van der Peet), the men’s team sprint (Jeffrey Hoogland, Harrie Lavreysen and Roy van den Berg), the men’s sprint (Harrie Lavreysen) and the men’s keirin (Harrie Lavreysen).

Canadians bring joy to their fans

Canadian fans could celebrate their riders throughout the weekend, as the Canadian team secured three podiums, including one victory.

On the Friday, Dylan Bibic won the elimination race, repeating his win in the first round in Adelaide (Australia). The 20-year-old dominated the scratch race in 2022, at his UCI Track World Championships debut in the Elite category, which was a first for Canada.

The Canadian team sprint squad later followed his example with a podium place: Ryan Dodyk, James Hedgcock and Tyler Rorke placed third in the team sprint. A very good result for a young team, giving Canada several options for the Olympic selection, between its more experienced athletes and its promising young talents. All three would be making their Olympic Games debut if they got selected for Paris 2024.

On Sunday, Lauriane Genest completed Canada’s medal count with a third place in the keirin, won by current UCI World Champion Ellesse Andrews (NZL). Genest won the keirin bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and looks to be in good form ahead of Paris 2024.

Gros, Valente, Lavreysen… world class show in Milton

Several other world class track athletes also featured among the medalists in Milton.

In the women’s sprint, gold was claimed by Mathilde Gros (FRA), 2022 UCI World Champion and two-time UEC European Champion (2018 and 2019) in the specialty.

The women’s elimination race was won by Jennifer Valente (USA), who won the gold medal in the omnium and the bronze in the team pursuit at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the silver medal in the team pursuit at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and who holds seven UCI World Champion titles in various track specialties.

Belgian riders Lindsay de Vylder and Robbe Ghys won the men’s Madison ahead of Yanne Dorenbos and Jan Willem van Schip (NED). Both are yet to win an Elite title, which makes their triumph over a duo led by 2023 UCI World Champion in the Madison, Van Schip, all the more impressive.

Dutch superstar Harrie Lavreysen, 13-time UCI World Champion in Elite sprint events and gold medalist in the sprint and team sprint at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, returned to the velodrome in Milton to make up for having to abandon the second round in Hong Kong (China). Mission accomplished as he won the men’s sprint, the team sprint and the keirin. With three gold medals, he joins Archibald, a three-time winner in the endurance events, as the most successful riders of weekend.

The three rounds of this year’s UCI Tissot Track Nations Cup have demonstrated which riders are in good form ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympic Games. But in the track discipline, surprises can never be ruled out.