Track World Championships: Lorena Wiebes triumphs again in scratch race, Taylor Phinney returns with USA team pursuit squad

The opening day of the 2026 UCI Track World Championships saw three titles handed out in the Shanghai Velodrome on Chongming Island.

As was the case last year, rainbow jerseys were awarded for the women's scratch race and both the men's and women's team sprints, while qualification rounds for the men's and women's team pursuits came earlier in the day.

Lorena Wiebes scored the first gold of the Championships in the women's scratch race, while the Netherlands won the men's team sprint for the third year in succession and the home nation triumphed in the women's team sprint.

Taylor Phinney made his return to international competition, helping the USA make the top eight and advance to the first round. However, they were knocked out after going head-to-head with France and did not make the medal finals.

Read on for full reports and results from all of Wednesday's action.

Women's Scratch Race

Dutch star Lorena Wiebes took home the first rainbow jersey of the week, but only just, as she prevailed for the third year in a row at the scratch race. At the line, Wiebes edged out Lara Gillespie by centimetres to hang on and win as the Irishwoman launched from behind to take silver.

The 40-lap race saw a host of riders sweep to the front and up the pace as Wiebes' rivals sought to throw her off her stride ahead of the final. She lay in wait further back, comfortable in her position as she waited for the closing sprint.

After 10 minutes of racing, the riders reached the final 10 laps, with no big move at the front. With seven laps to go, France's Valentine Fortin leapt first as Wiebes jumped from the group to chase.

A regrouping followed as Wiebes dropped back again, and Belgium's Hélène Hesters led it into the final four laps. Wiebes came back, though, coming around the outside to hit the front again with two laps to go.

Gillespie was on her wheel, taking Portugal's Maria Martins with her as the lead trio opened up a gap on the rest on the final lap. Wiebes led around the final bend, but faded in the final metres before the line. Gillespie closed in but just missed out on passing the Dutchwoman, while Martins finished just behind the pair to take bronze.

"I think it's quite crazy. Of course you always go for the win, but it's always harder and harder to repeat it. Today was also really close. Lara came really close, but it was enough to win, and that's all I need," Wiebes said after her triumph.

"I think at the end, I needed to start my sprint a bit too early, but you also need to adapt to that situation, and I tried as good as possible. Lara was also really fast today, but I'm happy it was enough. That's the thing with scratch racing; it's also about positioning and tactics, not only the speed in the legs."

Men's Team Sprint

The Netherlands (Jeffrey Hoogland, Harrie Lavreysen, Roy van den Berg), reigning world champions and unbeaten in this event since 2023, re-established themselves as favourites in the qualifying and first rounds, going quickest at both to sweep into the final round.

Great Britain did not make the final, being knocked out in the first round by Australia after their star sprinter, Matthew Richardson, was sent home under investigation for misconduct.

Australia (Daniel Barber, Ryan Elliott, Leigh Hoffman) ran them close, though, heading into the gold medal race with a mere 0.115-second deficit after improving on their qualifying run.

China (Zhiheng Jin, Zhiwei Li, Qi Liu) and Japan (Yoshitaku Nagasako, Minato Nakaishi, Kaiya Ota), second and third in the qualifying round, completed the top four in the first round, both coming through with a near-0.2-second gap to fifth-placed Trinidad and Tobago.

In the final, China and Japan battled for bronze, and the home nation had the upper hand early on. They passed the 250-metre mark 0.035 seconds up on Japan, who looked less organised from the start, with a rider dropping behind. China duly capitalised on that error to race to a 0.947-second advantage after 625 metres, and they finished it off to win bronze, 1.255 seconds ahead of Japan.

In the gold medal race, it was reigning world champions, the Netherlands, versus last year's bronze medallists, Australia. The Dutch slipped behind early on, though, losing 0.219 seconds in the opening 250 metres, but they closed it to almost a dead heat over the next 250, starting the final run just 0.005 seconds off their rivals. A tense closing 250 metres saw the Dutch turn it around to win the rainbow jersey once again, finishing the race 0.516 seconds quicker than silver medallists Australia.

"It's an amazing feeling. I've got seven world titles, and they've got eight. It means a lot. We've been training very hard the last year, and when everything comes together at the most important race, it's amazing," said Van den Berg, before Hoogland described the final push in the race.

"I was just mad going into the final, so I gave it my all in the last lap. I threw everything I knew out of the window and just started pushing the pedals," he said.

Lavreysen said he was happy to win again after a long drought for the team, saying, "I'm very happy we can start the [Olympic] qualification with a win. We didn't win any races since last World Championships, so I'm really happy we can keep the jersey and show it this year."

Women's Team Sprint

There were few surprises in the qualifying round of the women's team sprint as the major nations progressed, with Great Britain (Sophie Capewell, Emma Finucane, Rhianna Parris-Smith) and China (Yulu Jiang, Mengqi Tong, Liying Yuan) leading the way at each stage.

The two nations made it through the first round, with China on top by 0.280 seconds as Germany (Lea Friedrich, Pauline Grabosch, Clara Schneider) and the Individual Neutral Athletes (Iana Burlakova, Ekaterina Evlanova, Alina Lysenko) finished with the third- and fourth-best times to make the battle for bronze.

One major surprise in the first round came as the reigning champions, the Netherlands (Kimberley Kalee, Hetty van de Wouw, Steffie van der Peet), missed out on the final, finishing fifth, 0.048 seconds off fourth place.

In the bronze medal race, Germany started slow, losing 0.310 seconds to the Individual Neutral Athletes in the first 250 metres. They gradually turned things around, though, closing to 0.172 seconds down after 500 metres as the final riders faced off. It was Germany who prevailed, however, riding a big final leg to turn that deficit into a 0.436-second advantage at the finish line to take the medal.

Great Britain and China faced off in the gold medal race, and it was the British who landed the first blow, completing the opening 250 metres 0.172 seconds quicker.

China fought back, though, with the pendulum swinging to 0.347 seconds in their favour after 500 metres. They duly held the advantage over the closing leg to win the rainbow jerseys with a 0.355-second gap over Great Britain, who finished with a silver medal for the second year in a row.

Qualifying rounds

The women's and men's team pursuit competitions are spread over the first two days of competition, with the opening day hosting both qualifying rounds ahead of Thursday's first rounds and finals.

In the women's competition, there was a clear demarcation between the top eight qualifying nations and the rest, as the big favourites, including last year's medallists (Italy, Germany, and Great Britain), all advanced.

In a reversal of last year's final podium, Great Britain (Erin Boothman, Anna Morris, Millie Couzens, Josie Knight) topped the timesheets, finishing with a time of 4:08.055, 1.923 seconds quicker than Germany (Messane Bräutigam, Franziska Brausse, Lisa Klein, Mieke Kröger).

Italy (Elisa Balsamo, Martina Alzini, Martina Fidanza, Vittoria Guazzini) were third at 2.220 seconds down, while the fourth-placed Dutch squad (Nienke Veenhoven, Lorena Wiebes, Lisa van Belle, Sofie van Rooijen) lay a further 3.568 seconds adrift.

Australia, China, New Zealand, and France also qualified, though the USA (Stephanie Lawrence, Emma Jimenez Palos, Kristen Faulkner, Bethany Ingram) missed out, finishing ninth, 3.3 seconds off the final spot.

There was no surprise in the men's qualifying as reigning champions Denmark (Tobias Hansen, Carl-Frederik Bévort, Frederik Madsen, Rasmus Pedersen) took the top spot, finishing 2.163 seconds clear of Great Britain (Noah Hobbs, Henry Hobbs, Matthew Bostock, Ethan Vernon).

Italy (Filippo Ganna, Jonathan Milan, Francesco Lamon, Alessio Magagnotti) were next best, just 0.118 seconds off Great Britain. Australia, New Zealand, Germany, the USA, and France also qualified for the next round, while China missed out by 0.554 seconds.

In the first round, Denmark once again topped the standings to qualify for the final in a matchup against Italy. The Italian quartet improved on their qualifying time to finish second, albeit still 1.289 seconds slower than the Danish gold medal favourites.

Great Britain will face off against France (Valentin Tabellion, Oscar Nilsson Julien, Mathieu Dupe, Benjamin Thomas) for the bronze medal. The French team just snuck in with the fourth-quickest time, finishing 0.015 seconds up on Australia, who came undone in their matchup against Denmark and so miss the final.