Six defending world champions lead a strong British squad at the Track World Championships, held in Santiago, Chile this week.
22 titles are up for grabs, 11 each for men and women, as preparation begins in earnest for a tilt at the sport’s highest honours: Olympic gold in LA in 2028.
Among those hoping to get their campaigns off to the best possible start are the two-time defending women’s pursuit champions, with Meg Barker, Josie Knight, Anna Morris and Jess Roberts part of the 22-strong British squad heading to the Chilean capital.
Fellow team pursuit defending champion Katie Archibald will miss out on their bid at a hat-trick but will compete in the Madison and elimination races, while two-time sprint world champion Emma Finucane aims for a hat-trick of her own.
The men’s team is helmed by Matt Richardson, who demolished the 200m flying lap world record in August – becoming the first man to go under nine seconds with a blistering time of 8.857 – and will resume his duel with 17-time world champion Harrie Lavreysen of the Netherlands in the best possible form.
Here’s everything you need to know:
When are the Track World Championships?
The 2025 Track World Championships begin on Wednesday 22 October and run until Sunday 26 October at the Velódromo Peñalolén in Santiago, Chile, which hosts the event for the first time.
How to watch the Track World Championships
The 2025 Track World Championships will be broadcast live on BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
Friday’s events from 9pm-1am BST will be live on BBC Three, while Sunday’s action will be broadcast from 4.30-7.15pm GMT on BBC Two and 7.15-9pm on BBC Three.
Track World Championships schedule
Wednesday-Saturday times BST, Sunday times GMT
Wednesday 22 October
Scratch race 10 km – Final – Women
🥇Lorena Wiebes (NED)
🥈Amalie Dideriksen (DEN)
🥉Prudence Fowler (NZL)
Team sprint – Final – Women
🥇Netherlands (Kimberley Kalee, Hetty van de Wouw, Steffie van der Peet)
🥈Great Britain (Emma Finucane, Iona Moir, Rhianna Parris-Smith)
🥉Australia (Alessia McCaig, Molly McGill, Kristine Perkins)
Team sprint – Final – Men
🥇Netherlands (Roy van den Berg, Jeffrey Hoogland, Harrie Lavreysen)
🥈Great Britain (Joe Truman, Matthew Richardson, Hamish Turnball)
🥉Australia (Daniel Barber, Ryan Elliott, Leigh Hoffman)
Thursday 23 October
Morning session (3pm – 5.43pm)
- Keirin – First round – Men
- Sprint – 200m qualifying – Women
- Keirin – Repechages – Men
- Sprint – 1/16 final – Women
- Keirin – Second round – Men
- Sprint – 1/8 final – Women
Afternoon session (9.30pm-12.26am)
- Team pursuit – First round – Women
- Sprint – 1/4 Final 1 – Women
- Keirin – 3rd Round – Men
- Team pursuit – Finals – Men
- Sprint – 1/4 Final 2 – Women
- Elimination – Final – Women
- Sprint – 1/4 Final 3 – Women
- Keirin – Final (7th-12th place) – Men
- Keirin – Final (1st-6th place) – Men
- Scratch 10 km – Final – Men
- Team Pursuit – Final – Women
Friday 24 October
Morning session (3pm to 5.55pm)
- Kilometre time trial qualifying – Men
- Omnium – Scratch 10km – Women
- Individual pursuit – qualifying – Men
- Omnium – Tempo race 10km – Women
Afternoon session (9pm to 12.59am)
- Points race 40km – Final – Men
- Sprint – Semi-Final 1 – Women
- Omnium – Elimination – Women
- Sprint – Semi-Final 2 – Women
- Kilometre time trial – Final – Men
- Sprint – Semi-Final 3 – Women
- Individual pursuit – Finals – Men
- Sprint – Finals 1 – Women
- Omnium – Points race 20km – Women
- Sprint – Finals 2 and 3 – Women
Saturday 25 October
Morning session (3pm to 7.43pm)
- Kilometre time trial qualifying – Women
- Sprint qualifying – Men
- Omnium – Scratch 10km – Men
- Sprint – 1/16 Final – Men
- Individual pursuit – qualifying – Women
- Omnium – Tempo race 10km – Men
Afternoon session (9.30pm to 1.10am)
- Kilometre time trial – Final – Women
- Sprint – 1/4 Final 1 – Men
- Madison 30km – Final – Women
- Omnium – Elimination – Men
- Sprint – 1/4 Final 2 – Men
- Individual pursuit – Finals – Women
- Sprint – 1/4 Finals 3 – Men
- Omnium – Points race 25km – Men
Sunday 26 October
Morning session (2pm to 3.11pm)
- Sprint – Semi-Final 1 – Men
- Keirin – 1st round – Women
- Sprint – Semi-Final 2 – Men
- Keirin – Repechages – Women
- Sprint – Semi-Final 3 – Men
Afternoon session (4.30pm to 8.18pm)
- Keirin – 2nd round – Women
- Sprint – Finals 1 – Men
- Points race 25km – Final – Women
- Keirin – 3rd round – Women
- Elimination – Final – Men
- Sprint – Finals 2 – Men
- Keirin – Final (7th-12th place) – Women
- Keirin – Final (1st-6th place) – Women
- Sprint – Finals 3 – Men
- Madison 50km – Final – Men
Who are the Brits competing?
This year the British squad encompasses both multiple Olympic and world champions in Archibald and Finucane – the latter competing in the sprint and team sprint – and debutants including Rhian Edmunds, Iona Moir and Rhianna Parris-Smith.
Individual pursuit reigning champion Anna Morris has set two world records already this year and will look to translate that form into a successful title defence, while world team pursuit silver medallist Charlie Tanfield will be hoping to go one better this time around alongside Michael Gill and Will Tidball.
Giro d’Italia stage winner Josh Tarling will also make his elite track world championships debut after a lengthy injury lay-off on the road, partnering Mark Stewart in the Madison.
Matt Richardson will finally make his track world championships debut for Great Britain after switching from representing Australia after last year’s Paris Olympics.
Great Britain squad
Men’s endurance: Matthew Bostock, Josh Charlton, Michael Gill, Mark Stewart, Josh Tarling, Charlie Tanfield, Will Tidball
Women’s endurance: Katie Archibald, Meg Barker, Josie Knight, Maddie Leech, Anna Morris, Jessica Roberts
Men’s sprint: Harry Ledingham-Horn, Matt Richardson, Joe Truman, Hamish Turnbull
Women’s sprint: Lauren Bell, Rhian Edmunds, Emma Finucane, Iona Moir, Rhianna Parris-Smith
Last year GB matched the best medal haul of 13 medals, with only the Netherlands finishing ahead of them.
