Dutch legend Harrie Lavreysen and Australia’s Matthew Richardson are among a list of seven star male riders that have confirmed their attendance for the 2023 UCI Track Champions League.
Lavreysen and Richardson lit up the UCI Track Champions League last season, winning no less than five Men’s Sprint events each in a monumental two-way battle which ultimately saw Richardson claim the overall title by a two-point winning margin.
The duo also impressed at the recent UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, with Lavreysen adding two more rainbow jerseys to his collection in the Sprint and Team Sprint. His tally of UCI Track World Championship titles now stands at 13. Meanwhile Richardson earned silver medals in both the Team Sprint and Keirin.
Riders’ performances at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships are the main qualifying pathway to the UCI Track Champions League. Great Britain’s William Tidball and Colombian Kevin Quintero both became UCI World Champions for the very first time in Glasgow, and they will be joining Lavreysen and Richardson for the 2023 series along with fellow medallists Dylan Bibic (Canada – silver in Elimination), Mark Stewart (Great Britain – silver in Madison) and Tuur Dens (Belgium – bronze in Scratch).
This initial list of male stars comes hot on the heels of six female UCI Cycling World Championships medallists that were confirmed last week, with the full rosters set to be finalised soon.
Harrie Lavreysen said: “I’m really looking forward to riding the UCI Track Champions League again and I hope I can carry on my good form from the UCI Cycling World Championships and take the title back which I won in 2021. Last year the Men’s Sprint competition was mainly about me and Matthew [Richardson], but the level this year will be even higher as a lot of riders have definitely stepped up.”
Matthew Richardson said: “I’m really looking forward to racing my bike again at the UCI Track Champions League, having fun and trying to learn as much as I can. Obviously, I’d love to defend my Men’s Sprint title, and that’s my goal, but it’s such a competitive field that I’d be happy with a podium. The series is such important preparation for the Olympics, especially with the back-to-back racing and three-rider heats, you can’t replicate that anywhere else against the best riders in the world. I can’t wait to get going.”
Dylan Bibic said: “The UCI Track Champions League is my main goal for the remainder of the year and I want to win the blue jersey. I managed to win one race last year but I definitely want more than that this season, to get more victories and be right in the hunt for the overall title. The series is as much about strategy and decision making as it is physical ability – and last year I think I lacked in that regard. I was too conservative with my approach, and I want redemption for that in 2023.”
Kevin Quintero said: "The UCI Track Champions League is a series that I enjoy very much. It’s five rounds of exciting racing and I am proud to be competing in it again this year. It is definitely an ambition of mine to go for the blue jersey and I’ll be trying my best, from Mallorca right the way through to London, to achieve that goal.”
Florian Pavia, Series Director of the UCI Track Champions League, said: “We’re delighted to have added this stellar list of male athletes to the female stars that were unveiled last week. Last season the battle between Harrie Lavreysen and Matthew Richardson was one of the most gripping of the entire series and we can’t wait to see them resume that contest again.
“Having Dylan Bibic and Mark Stewart return is also great news as they both lit up the Men’s Endurance competition in 2022, and William Tidball, Kevin Quintero and Tuur Dens produced some incredible performances at the UCI Cycling World Championships, so we expect them to be right in the mix as well.”
RACE CALENDAR:
Round 1: Saturday 21 October, Mallorca / Velòdrom Illes Balears, Spain
Round 2: Saturday 28 October, Berlin / Berlin Velodrom, Germany
Round 3: Saturday 4 November, St-Quentin-en-Yvelines / Velodrome National de St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France
Round 4: Friday 10 November, London / Lee Valley VeloPark, UK
Round 5 / Grand Finale: Saturday 11 November, London / Lee Valley VeloPark, UK
