2025 UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships: Australia shines on first day

Multiple records set in Rio

The first of four days at the 2025 UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships, in the Rio Olympic Velodrome, Brazil, delivered thrilling races, personal bests, world records, a rainbow jersey for the home nation and no fewer than 11 UCI world titles.

New world records were set in qualifying by Italy’s Claudia Cretti (Women’s C5 time trial) and Australia’s Korey Boddington (Men’s C3 sprint) with more to follow in the finals. It was a great start for Spanish men, with Ricardo Ten Argiles (MC1 time trial) a very popular recipient of the event’s first rainbow jersey, followed immediately by Alfonso Cabello Llamas (MC 5 time trial).

But the day belonged to the Australians. Tahlia Clayton-Goodie, Tara Neyland, Korey Boddington, Emily Petricola and the tandem riders Jessica Gallagher and Kane Perris, with pilots Jacqui Mengler-Mohr and Luke Zaccaria, all delivered winning performances.

Alexandre Léauté (FRA), Claudia Cretti (ITA), Jody Cundy (GBR) and Sabrina Custódia Da Silva (BRA) all won gold – with medals also earned by Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Malaysia, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

The quickest rider in the Men’s C1 1km time trial qualifying, Mohamad Yusof Hafizi Shaharuddin (MAS) – bronze medallist last year – was second fastest in the final, hitting a great pace but unable to beat the time set by Ricardo Ten Argiles. The 50-year-old Spaniard took the gold medal with a time of 1:15.182 (47.883km/h).

It didn’t take long for Spain to register their second rainbow jersey. 2024 UCI Worlds C5 1 km time trial silver medallist Alfonso Cabello Llamas – third in qualifying – put in a great start for a time of 1:03.513 (56.681km/h). 2024 UCI World Champion and Paralympic silver medallist Blaine Hunt (GBR) – second quickest qualifier – couldn’t match him.

And it all came down to the last rider, fastest qualifier Niels Verschaeren (BEL) – 2024 bronze medallist – but he experienced an issue near the start, losing grip on the bars, and coming in fifth, as Austria’s Franz-Josef Lässer took the bronze.

When Alexandre Léauté (FRA) and Hidde Buur (NED) took a lap in the Men’s C2 10km scratch race, it became a question of which of the pair would take the gold. It was the French defending UCI World Champion who powered away, with the Dutchman taking silver and Matthew Robertson (GBR) bronze.

After Italy’s Claudia Cretti set a new world record in the Women’s C5 time trial qualifying (1:12.325), the evening’s final followed the form with rainbow bands for the Italian plus another fastest time: 1:12.028 (49.980km/h average speed). The Kiwi Nicole Murray - 2024 bronze medallist – was second, with Argentina’s Mariela Analia Delgado third.

In the WC1 sprint, Australia’s Tahlia Clayton-Goodie, got the better of Victoria Maria De Camargo E Barbosa (BRA), rekindling a rivalry enjoyed on the road in Ronse, Belgium, earlier this year. Then the first WC4 elimination UCI world title race saw an all-Antipodean podium. Australia’s Tara Neyland got the better of New Zealand’s Siobhan Terry, with Aussie Erin Normoyle third.

With less than a second covering the qualifying times of the top four riders in the Men’s C4 1km time trial, a nip-and-tuck final beckoned. Australia’s Michael Shippley went quicker than his qualification time for provisional first place before Great Britain’s Archie Atkinson edged him by 0.1 sec. After Belgium’s Jarno Thierens missed Atkinson’s time by 0.036 sec, could the world record holder Jody Cundy deny his compatriot the gold? Emphatically so. The defending UCI World Champion went 1.7 seconds quicker to lead a British 1-2.

In the Men’s C3 sprint, after Australia’s Korey Boddington’s world record in qualification (10.581 sec at 68.046 km/h) he faced second fastest qualifier Devon Briggs (NZL) in the gold final. The two went shoulder to shoulder in a show of power before the Aussie prevailed.

Emily Petricola was next to underscore Australia’s strength. With help from her countrywoman Paige Greco (4th), she controlled the pace in the Women’s C3 10km scratch race, taking the win ahead of Colombia’s Daniela Paula Caballeros Perez and Canada’s Mel Pemble.

When Switzerland’s Flurina Rigling set a new world record in the Women’s C2 time trial - 1:20.299 for 1km -, she could have been forgiven for celebrating. But, with a blistering start, Brazil’s Sabrina Custódia Da Silva scythed more than a quarter of a second off that time, recording 1:20.020. When Germany’s Maike Hausberger crossed the line in third position, the gold medal was confirmed for the home nation!

In qualifying for the M/WB 750m tandem team sprint, Australia – Jessica Gallagher (WB) with pilot Jacqui Mengler-Mohr and Kane Perris (MB) with pilot Luke Zaccaria – were fastest, setting a world record.

They went head-to-head with Italy – Marianna Agostini (WB) with pilot Elena Bissolati, and Stefano Meroni (MB) with pilot Francesco Ceci – in the gold final, the day’s last race. In victory, Australia broke their own world record to end an impressive day.

Sport classes for para cycling track

C – Cycle: conventional bike with adaptations if necessary

B – Tandem: for visually impaired athletes with sighted pilot

Group C (1-5) is divided into different sport classes, with the lower the number indicating a higher level of impairment.