UCI world champions Kento Yamasaki and Mina Sato have both turned down the opportunity to compete in the UCI’s Track Champions League.
Information posted on websites tracking the Japanese keirin circuit suggested that both had committed to major events in their home country during November and December, building to the lucrative year-end Grand Prix races.
The TCL’s sprint lineup has now been published, confirming that Yamasaki and Sato will be absent from an otherwise extra-strong field. It will include Ellesse Andrews and Harrie Lavreysen, both of whom followed up victory in last year’s Track Champions League with gold medals in both sprint and keirin at the Olympics.
The world champions’ decision once again casts a harsh light on the economics of track cycling: with prizes in Japan worth tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, compared to relatively modest prize pots for UCI competition – just €1000 (US$ 1075) for an individual race win at Track Champions League, and an average total TCL earnings of €7000 (US$ 7500) per participant per season – it’s little wonder that the Japanese stars would turn down the UCI’s invitation in favour of staying at home.
The series will see the first competitive appearances by Matthew Richardson in Great Britain colours, following his shock switch of allegiance to the land of his birth.
A rekindling of his rivalry with Lavreysen will undoubtedly be a highlight of the competition: UCI rules meant Richo had to miss the Ballerup world championships.
Also looking forward to the noisy finale at London’s Lee Valley, in front of a sellout home crowd, will be Ballerup finalist Harry Ledingham-Horn, and the team sprint trio of Emma Finucane, Sophie Capewell and Katy Marchant.
In fact, Yamasaki is the only one of the six men from Ballerup’s keirin final not to participate. As well as Ledingham-Horn, Messrs Yakovlev, Quintero, Rudyk and Hoogland are all signed up for the five-round series which starts on November 23.
Malaysian fans will be especially excited to see Shah Firdaus Sahrom on the start list, as they get used to life after Azizulhasni Awang.
On the women’s side, the Netherlands will be represented by Olympic keirin finalists Hetty van de Wouw and Steffie van der Peet. Alessa-Catriona Pröpster will be Germany’s sole participant, with both Emma Hinze and Lea Sophie Friedrich opting out. 2022’s overall winner Mathilde Gros is back after missing 2023. Martha Bayona, Daniela Gaxiola and Miriam Vece also return for 2024.
The competition this year takes place across three weekends, with one evening in Paris followed by double-headers in Apeldoorn and London.
Sprinters compete in match sprint and keirin races each evening, with prize money and UCI points on offer in every race, and for overall finishing position. Riders wear skinsuits in the colours of their nations, but compete as individuals.
The endurance lineup was published earlier this week: last year’s series winners Katie Archibald and Dylan Bibic return for 2024, as do last year’s runners-up Anita Stenberg and Will Tidball.
But Japan’s third world champion of 2024, scratch winner Kazushige Kuboki also opts to give the Champions League a miss.
UCI Track Champions League is a partnership between the events division of Warner Bros Discovery Sports and the UCI. It will be broadcast live via platforms including Max, Discovery+ and Eurosport, and other national networks including Japan’s keirin specialist SPEED Channel.