Preparations for the 2018 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships continue as the Great Britain Cycling Team are joined by some of the world’s best para-cyclists at the 2017 UCI Manchester Para-cycling International.
The HSBC UK National Cycling Centre plays host to the international event with 19 riders set to represent the Great Britain Cycling Team - with entry to watch world-class para-cycling completely free all weekend.
The team
The event will see some of the biggest stars of the Great Britain Cycling Team in action.
Seven time Paralympic gold medallist and 13-time world champion, Jody Cundy will ride in Great Britain Cycling Team colours for the first time since March. As well as competing in the kilo, an event he has dominated for over a decade, he will also take part in the scratch race and pursuit, and re-unite with Jon-Allan Butterworth and Louis Rolfe in the team sprint.
Alongside his team-sprint duties, Rolfe will also compete in the kilo, the individual pursuit and the scratch race, while Megan Giglia, who announced herself on the world stage at the Manchester Para-cycling International in 2015 with a stunning performance in the individual pursuit also returns to the track for the first time since becoming a British national track champion in January. Giglia’s 2017 has been interrupted by injury and she’ll be hoping to return to something approaching her best form.
There will also be a strong British presence in the tandem events. Helen Scott and Sophie Thornhill will pair up for the first time since Rio 2016, in the kilo and sprint events, while Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall will take part in the kilo and pursuit.
In the men’s events, six-time world champions and Paralympic silver medallists Neil Fachie and Pete Mitchell will take on current double world champions James Ball and Matt Rotherham in the tandem sprint and kilo.
After a year that saw them impress on the road, Steve Bate and Adam Duggleby will return to the track as they continue their preparations for the world championships and the hunt for the elusive rainbow jersey, competing in the pursuit and the kilo.
Jon Gildea will be aiming to finish 2017 with a flourish and will ride in the kilo, pursuit and scratch races, events in which he won two rainbow jerseys and a silver medal in the world championships in March. He will face competition in all three events from team-mate Will Bjergfjelt.
David Smith will ride in Great Britain Cycling Team colours for the first time in two years as he continues his recovery from surgery, while Crystal Lane-Wright will also be hoping to impress after a year which has seen her win multiple medals on the road.
Ben Watson will also be hoping to round off a brilliant debut year for the Great Britain Cycling Team. Watson, who took a stunning silver medal in the time-trial at his debut world championships in South Africa at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, will be aiming to replicate that form in his first track event for the team.
Great Britain Cycling Team for the UCI Manchester Para-cycling International
James Ball (piloted by Matt Rotherham)
Steve Bate (piloted by Adam Duggleby)
Will Bjergfelt
Jon-Allan Butterworth
Jody Cundy
Neil Fachie (piloted by Pete Mitchell)
Lora Fachie (piloted by Corrine Hall)
Megan Giglia
Jon Gildea
Crystal Lane-Wright
Louis Rolfe
David Smith
Sophie Thornhill (piloted by Helen Scott)
Ben Watson
The venue
The 2017 UCI Manchester Para-cycling International is the second major international cycling event to take place at the HSBC UK National Cycling Centre this month.
Manchester played host to the Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup earlier this month and now welcomes the world’s best para-cyclists to its famous velodrome.
Opened in 1994, the velodrome has previously hosted the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in 2008 as well as three editions of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships, most recently in 2008.
The 250m track is made of Siberian pine and has a bend inclination of 41 degrees.
The schedule
Friday 24 November
7pm - 10pm
Men’s C1-3 1km time trial finals
Men’s B 1km time trial finals
Women’s B 1km time trial finals
Men’s C4-5 1km time trial finals
Saturday 25 November
1pm - 5pm
Men’s C1 3km individual pursuit qualification
Men’s C2 3km individual pursuit qualification
Men’s C3 3km individual pursuit qualification
Women’s B 3km individual pursuit qualification
Men’s C4 4km individual pursuit qualification
Men’s B 4km individual pursuit qualification
Men’s C5 4km individual pursuit qualification
7pm - 9.45pm
Men’s C1 3km individual pursuit finals
Men’s C2 3km individual pursuit finals
Men’s C3 3km individual pursuit finals
Women’s B 3km individual pursuit finals
Women’s C1-3 500m time trial finals (factored)
Men’s C4 4km individual pursuit finals
Men’s C5 4km individual pursuit finals
Men’s B 4km individual pursuit finals
Women’s C4-5 500m time trial finals (factored)
Sunday 26 November
9am - 12.40pm
Mixed C1-5 team sprint qualification and finals
Men’s B sprint qualification and quarter-finals
Women’s B sprint qualification and quarter-finals
Women’s C1 3km individual pursuit qualification
Women’s C2 3km individual pursuit qualification
Women’s C5 3km individual pursuit qualification
Women’s C4 4km individual pursuit qualification
Women’s C3 3km individual pursuit qualification
2.30pm - 6.30pm
Men’s B sprint semi-finals and finals
Women’s B sprint semi-finals and finals
Men’s C1-3 15km scratch race
Women’s C1 3km individual pursuit finals
Women’s C2 3km individual pursuit finals
Women’s C5 3km individual pursuit finals
Women’s C4 3km individual pursuit finals
Women’s C3 3km individual pursuit finals
Men’s C4-5 15km scratch race
Women’s C1-5 10km scratch race
