2025 UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships: Multiple winners shine on third day

Spain’s Ten Argiles among riders on winning streak

Another evening of drama and high-speed competition saw seven nations take rainbow bands on day three of four at the 2025 UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships in Rio di Janeiro, Brazil. Australia claimed four titles, and Great Britain took three, while there were also wins for Belgium, France (two), Italy, Spain and Switzerland.

For Saturday’s first final, the Men’s C1 elimination race, Ricardo Ten Argiles followed his own example from Friday’s scratch race: hit the front and stay there! It’s tough to argue with, and Ivan Ermakov (AIN) tried – right up to his limit – but the Spaniard held on for the win. Belgium’s Lennert Vanlathem took bronze.

In the Women’s B time trial final, the 2024 UCI World and Paralympic Champions Elizabeth Jordan and Dannielle Khan (GBR), hit 1:06.796 (53.895 km/h) for the 1km distance, to get the better of the New Zealanders Emma Foy and pilot Jesse Hodges – with Australians Jessica Gallagher and Jaqui Mengler-Mohr taking bronze.

The WC2 sprint final saw a game of cat and mouse between Switzerland’s Flurina Rigling and the home rider Sabrina Custódia Da Silva – drummed and cheered by fans in the velodrome – with Germany’s Maike Hausberger stalking the pair. It was Rigling who took the win ahead of the Brazilian.

The Men’s C3 elimination final saw the early elimination for 2024 UCI World Championships bronze medalist Devon Briggs (NZL). The last two laps were fought between Australia’s Korey Boddington – with two golds in the first two days of the competition – and Britain’s Finlay Graham, who had already claimed two bronze medals. And it was a third win of the Championships for Boddington, with Graham stepping up to silver on day three.

In the Men’s C2 1km time trial, the 2024 UCI World Champion Alexandre Léaute (FRA), retained his rainbow bands with a time of 1:09.003, some +1.345-sec ahead of Hidde Buur (NED), while Gordon Allan (AUS), silver medallist in 2024, took bronze this year.

In the Men’s C5 sprint finals, Belgium’s Niels Verschaeren led the trio across the line in a time of 11.012 (65.383km/h). he was followed by Austrain Franz-Josef Lässer and Alfonso Cabello Llamas (ESP).

Australia’s Tahlia Clayton-Goodie took her third title in three days with victory in the Women’s C1 1km time trial, in a time of 1:25.366 – an average speed of 42.171km/h.

With home riders pushing the pace in the MC4 10 km scratch race it was down to favourites including France’s Gatien Le Rousseau and Great Britain’s Archie Atkinson to close them down. With 12 laps to go the race was neutralised as a number of riders crashed. And with all riders looked after and safe, from the restart it was Le Rousseau who pushed lap after lap – but Atkinson timed his effort superbly to take the win from the Frenchman on the line.

Australia’s Erin Normoyle pushed the pace throughout the WC4 sprint and just held off Great Britain’s Kadeena Cox who tried to come round her off the final corner – but the Aussie was strongest, winning in 13.919. Siobhan Terry (NZL) was third.

After the USA won the MB individual pursuit race for bronze, overhauling the Polish tandem, in the gold medal final, the UCI World and Paralympic silver and bronze medallists went head to head: Britain’s Stephen Bate and Christopher Latham versus Italy’s Lorenzo Bernard and Paolo Totò. The British tandem made the catch just before race distance – with Bate being given the guard of honour after victory in his last race before retirement.

In the sprint finals for WC5, Italy’s Claudia Cretti continued her superb streak of form, winning in 13.537 ahead of the Kiwi Nicole Murray.

Emily Petricola rode with wisdom in the WC3 elimination final. The Australian survived early scares before protecting herself. Canada’s Mel Pemble took silver, and the Netherlands’ Aniek Van den Aarssen bronze.

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.