Thirteen athletes will represent the ARA Australian Cycling Team at the 2026 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships next week.
Six riders selected by the AusCycling National Selection Panel will be joined by seven Australians who qualified through the public qualifiers.
AusCycling national champions Matilda Field and Joshua Harris return to the team one year after contesting the 2025 final, finishing 19th and 14th respectively.
National championship silver medallists Katie Banerjee and Mitchell Stewart have also been selected after strong performances earlier this year.
The women’s team also features Tasmania’s Kate Trdin, who was the Australian champion in 2024. Trdin brings the experience of competing at the last two UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. The women's squad is rounded out by Brianna Samuhel, Brooke Samuhel, Amy Loxley, Liz Smithson and Nina Dowling, who qualified through the qualification system.
On the men’s side, Victoria’s Connor Vickers has earned selection. The 27-year-old road rider has shown promise in his first forays into cycling esports and will make his World Championship debut. Qualifiers Fergus Kininmonth and Marc Gates complete the squad.
These 13 riders will contest the semi-final on October 2 remotely on MyWhoosh. In a twist on the format, the grand final will be held on December 12 across multiple venues: one in North America and one in Europe.
Both the semi-final and final will take the format of a two-stage points race, ultimately deciding the winner of the rainbow jersey.
ARA Australian Cycling Team | 2026 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships
Elite Women
- Katie Banerjee (Harlequin, NSW)
- Nina Dowling (Dubbo CC, NSW)
- Matilda Field (You Yangs MTB Club, VIC)
- Amy Loxley (Sutherland Shire CC, NSW)
- Brianna Samuhel (Parklife CC, NSW)
- Brooke Samuhel (ADF Cycling Club, VIC)
- Liz Smithson (Penrith CC, NSW)
- Kate Trdin (Launceston City CC, TAS)
Elite Men
- Marc Gates (Launceston City CC, TAS)
- Joshua Harris (Launceston City CC, TAS)
- Fergus Kininmonth (St Kilda CC, VIC)
- Mitchell Stewart (Balmoral CC, QLD)
- Connor Vickers (Team Mount Beauty, VIC)
This article was originally published on 31 August. It has been updated to include the riders who qualified through the public qualification pathway.
Photos: SWpix.com