The UCI Track Champions League is an exciting new track cycling competition that launched in 2021. It features the world’s top track cyclists competing in a new fast-paced format across four rounds in major velodromes around Europe. With elite sprinters, endurance riders, and madison teams facing off, it promises some spectacular racing for fans to enjoy. But how can you watch the UCI Track Champions League if you want to follow all the action?
What is the UCI Track Champions League?
The UCI Track Champions League is organised by Discovery Sports Events in partnership with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). It aims to create an annual elite track cycling competition to increase the visibility, engagement and popularity of track cycling.
The competition features 72 riders across Sprint and Endurance categories, including some of the biggest names and reigning world champions in the sport. The Sprint category includes individual sprinters and two-rider madison teams. The Endurance category features individual riders competing in the scratch race, elimination race, and individual pursuit disciplines.
Riders compete for points in their chosen disciplines across four rounds held in November and December each year. The locations for the 2022-23 series are Mallorca (Spain), Berlin (Germany), Paris (France) and London (UK). After each round the top riders in the Sprint and Endurance categories lead the series rankings. The overall champions are crowned at the final round in London.
With a fast spectator-friendly format modeled on motorsports and marathon races, the Track Champions League aims to create an exciting annual competition that will enhance track cycling’s popularity for fans and sponsors.
Where can I watch the UCI Track Champions League?
For the inaugural 2021-22 series, live coverage and highlights of the UCI Track Champions League are being broadcast around Europe and worldwide:
– Eurosport – Live coverage and highlights are being shown on Eurosport 1 across 54 countries in Europe, Asia and Oceania. Eurosport has extensive experience covering top cycling events.
– GCN Race Pass – The Global Cycling Network (GCN) is providing live streaming and on-demand access to Track Champions League action via their GCN Race Pass. This is available online worldwide excluding some European countries.
– Discovery Plus – As Discovery Sports Events run the Track Champions League, Discovery+ streaming service has exclusive live and on-demand access in Poland.
– Various broadcasters – Such as BBC in the UK, RTBF in Belgium, L’Equipe in France, and ESPN across Latin America are also showing highlights, news and delayed telecasts of events.
So if you have access to Eurosport or Discovery+ through your cable/satellite provider or OTT service, they will likely be the best ways to watch live coverage of the UCI Track Champions League in your region. Otherwise check what cycling coverage your local sports networks may have. And the GCN Race Pass provides a good online option for live streaming and on-demand replays.
2022-23 UCI Track Champions League TV Schedule
The dates, locations and broadcasters for the 2022-23 UCI Track Champions League are:
Round 1 – Mallorca, Spain
Saturday 12 November 2022
Live on Eurosport & GCN Race Pass
Round 2 – Berlin, Germany
Saturday 19 November 2022
Live on Eurosport & GCN Race Pass
Round 3 – Paris, France
Saturday 26 November 2022
Live on Eurosport & GCN Race Pass
Delayed on L’Equipe
Round 4 – London, UK
Saturday 3 December 2022
Live on Eurosport, GCN Race Pass, BBC
This schedule provides four weekends of exciting elite track cycling action broadcast live across Europe and globally. With rounds held in iconic velodromes, it allows fans to cheer on their favourite riders as Champions League winners are crowned.
UCI Track Champions League Format
The UCI Track Champions League features a new competition format designed to create fast paced, exciting and easy to follow track cycling events for spectators. Here’s an overview of the format:
Sprint League
– 72 riders compete (36 men, 36 women) split into Sprint and Endurance categories.
– Sprint category features 18 riders (9 men, 9 women) competing in:
– Individual Sprint
– Keirin
– Elimination races
– Sprint riders gain points in each discipline at every round.
– The overall Sprint Champion is the rider with most points accumulated across all Sprint disciplines and rounds.
Endurance League
– Endurance category features 18 male and 18 female riders competing in:
– Scratch Race
– Elimination Race
– Individual Pursuit
– Riders score points in each of these disciplines at every round.
– The overall Endurance Champion is the rider with the most points accumulated across all Endurance disciplines and rounds.
Points and Rankings
– Riders score points based on finishing positions in each discipline at each round.
– The rankings after each round determine the riders’ gates and positions for the next round.
– The leader races in red jersey; second in blue; third in white.
– Double points for final round help decide the overall Champions.
This format provides short explosive races between the world’s best track cyclists to entertain fans. The points-based system creates ongoing competition stories and allows riders to make comebacks.
Track Cycling Disciplines Featured
The UCI Track Champions League showcases four track cycling disciplines – two from the Sprint category and two from Endurance. Here’s an overview of each discipline:
Sprint Disciplines
Individual Sprint
– Two riders compete over 3 laps of a track.
– Involves tactics of gaining track position before explosive sprinting.
Keirin
– Riders sprint over 2.5 laps behind a derney motor-pacer who leaves the track with 1.5 laps remaining.
– Requires tactics to gain track position behind the pacer before sprinting for the finish.
Endurance Disciplines
Scratch Race
– A bunch race over 7.5km for men and 5km for women.
– First rider over the line wins – exciting unpredictable finishes.
Individual Pursuit
– Two riders start on opposite sides of the track and complete 4km (men) or 3km (women).
– A race against the clock requiring pacing strategy.
Elimination Race
– A bunch race where last rider over the line is eliminated each lap until only the winner remains.
– Creates high drama with constantly changing tactics.
These track cycling disciplines feature speed, endurance tactics and excitement for great television. The new competition formats provide compact, easy-to-follow events showcasing the athleticism and skills of the world’s top track cyclists.
Riders to Watch
Some of the biggest names and reigning world champions in track cycling will be competing in the UCI Track Champions League. Here are some of the top riders to watch:
Women
– Emma Hinze (Germany) – Reigning world champion and world record holder in sprint and team sprint. Major star of the Sprint League.
– Katie Archibald (Great Britain) – Olympic madison champion. Leading contender in the endurance league events.
– Mathilde Gros (France) – Rising sprint star who dominated the UCI Nations Cup.
– Annette Edmondson (Australia) – An experienced Olympic and world medalist targeting Endurance League success.
Men
– Harrie Lavreysen (Netherlands) – 2x Olympic champion and dominant figure in men’s sprinting. The one to beat in Sprint League.
– Sebastian Mora (Spain) – European and world champion scratch race specialist leading the Endurance contenders.
– Jeffrey Hoogland (Netherlands) – Part of the strong Dutch team sprint squad and a major Sprint League medal hope.
– Stefan Bissegger (Switzerland) – Worlds silver medalist in individual pursuit who will challenge in endurance events.
With many more world-class track stars set to compete, it promises some extremely competitive racing between specialists across the sprint and endurance disciplines.
Benefits for Track Cycling
The UCI Track Champions League aims to provide some key benefits that can strengthen track cycling globally:
Raising the Profile of Track Cycling
By creating an elite annual competition on primetime TV, it will increase the visibility, engagement and popularity of track cycling for fans and sponsors. Shorter faster formats allow the athleticism and excitement of track racing to shine.
Enhancing Commercial Value
A regular annual series with a unified marketing approach will improve sponsorship and media rights values. This provides greater financial stability for the development of track cycling.
Supporting the Growth of Velodromes
Events held in world-class velodromes help support their ongoing operation and the staging of other track cycling events for pros and grassroots participants.
Providing Heroes and Role Models
Star riders competing across a series allows heroes and role models to emerge, inspiring greater grassroots participation among children and fans.
If successful, the UCI Track Champions League could have a very positive impact on the profile, presentation and commercial strength of track cycling over the coming decade.
Conclusion
The UCI Track Champions League brings together the world’s best track cyclists to compete across a new, fast-paced televised series held in iconic velodromes. With Sprint and Endurance leagues and a range of disciplines, it promises exciting racing for fans to enjoy on Eurosport, GCN and various broadcasters globally. The innovative competition format provides compact, easy-to-follow events showcasing cycling’s top stars and disciplines to new audiences. If successful, it can significantly boost the popularity and commercial strength of track cycling worldwide. So tune into the UCI Track Champions League for some thrilling track action this November and December!