Track cycling has been confirmed as one of the 10 sports included in a slimmed-down Commonwealth Games, to be hosted in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2.

The Scottish city stepped in when the Australian state of Victoria withdrew its hosting offer, citing escalating costs. Interest from Malaysia and Singapore came to nothing. That left Glasgow as the only realistic option on the table – although, or perhaps because, it had hosted the event just 12 years earlier.

‘The 2026 Games will be a bridge to the Commonwealth Games of tomorrow,’ according to federation chief Katie Sadleir: ‘an exciting first step in our journey to reset and redefine the Games as a truly collaborative, flexible and sustainable model for the future that minimises costs, reduces the environmental footprint, and enhances social impact – in doing so increasing the scope of countries capable of hosting.’

In practice, that has meant a reduction in the number of sports to just 10, down from 15-20 in recent instances; and a reliance on existing and self-contained infrastructure.

With Glasgow already boasting a world-class velodrome – built for the 2014 Games, and used to host the UCI world championships just last year – there seemed little doubt that track cycling would make the cut.

It also did the sport’s chances no harm that track cycling is a sport where Scottish athletes stand excellent chances of success. Stars of the elite GB programme like Jack Carlin, Katie Archibald, Neah Evans and Neil Fachie would all be serious contenders for medals.

There is also a very strong cohort of up-and-coming riders based at the Glasgow track, for whom the Commonwealth Games could be a stepping-stone to success at the very highest level.

Opportunities

Why so much interest in the Commonwealth Games here at Global Keirin? Because so many of the riders who have signed up for DerbyWheel’s proposed keirin league come from Commonwealth nations.

Global Keirin understands that around half of the riders who participated in the Melbourne and Manchester induction sessions came from Australia and the UK respectively.

Most of them were from outside the respective national Olympic programmes: meaning, the Commonwealth Games might be their most realistic chance of international representative competition.

That’s partly because federations often send younger or second-string athletes to the Commies; but also because of the greater number of places available, especially to athletes with links to the United Kingdom.

Rather than competing as Great Britain, there are separate teams for England, Scotland and Wales – not to mention the likes of the Isle of Man and Jersey, both of whom were represented in the velodrome last time.

Additionally, athletes who would normally compete in the green of Ireland may be eligible to ride as Northern Ireland, by birth or via other family connections.

There are opportunities for riders from, or with connections to African and Caribbean nations, who would not typically make the cut for Olympics or world championships.

Among the 19 nations on track at the 2022 Games were riders from Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Ghana, Grenada, Kenya and the Seychelles – not to mention a large team from India, not often present at world level.

And of course, with the likes of the Netherlands and Japan not eligible, it may be some riders’ best ever chance to bring home a career-defining medal.

Childhood dream

With no reported progress in relations between DerbyWheel and the UCI, riders have been warned they may have to choose between UCI competition, with the chance to represent their country; and the prospect of a lucrative professional career with the Korean start-up.

So the hope of a Commonwealth Games opportunity, less than two years away, may complicate things for some riders. For many, it has been a childhood dream to wear their nation’s colours on the world stage. Will they be prepared to give that up?