A 13-athlete ARA Australian Cycling Team will race at the 2026 UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships this week in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.
Seven of the record-breaking 2025 team that brought home 16 world championships, 25 medals, six world records, rainbow jerseys in both team sprint events and the number one nation ranking from Rio de Janeiro will be back on show around Omnisport Apeldoorn.
Returning to the Para Track Worlds fold are Paralympians Alistair Donohoe, Darren Hicks and Caitlin Ward, although Ward will race individually as a C5 classified rider after previously piloting Jessica Gallagher on the tandem.
Beau Wootton and his pilot Byron Davies are back at a Para Track Worlds for the first time since 2023 and a call-up for Max Sudholz will see the Canberran make his ARA Australian Cycling Team debut.
A number of withdrawals for medical, illness and injury reasons have decreased the team's size from the original team announcement, however, Para Cycling Head Coach Sheila Galloway said the team's ambitions and belief in its ability to deliver world-class performances remain strong.
"While the composition of our team has changed significantly in recent weeks, our belief in the athletes who will line up in Apeldoorn has not," she said.
"We selected a squad with genuine medal potential across every rider and bike, and that speaks to the extraordinary depth and strength of Australian para cycling.
"Although we won't have the full team we had hoped to bring, those competing have prepared exceptionally well and are ready to challenge the world's best.
"We won't have the opportunity to defend all the world titles we had hoped for, but our ambitions remain high.
"Our focus is on delivering performances we can be proud of, executing under pressure and giving every athlete the opportunity to produce their very best when it matters most."
ARA Australian Cycling Team
Men
- Gordon Allan – C2 (Parklife CC/NSW)
- Korey Boddington – C4 (University of Queensland CC/QLD)
- Alistair Donohoe – C5 (Blackburn CC/VIC)
- Darren Hicks – C2 (Norwood CC/SA)
- Kane Perris (Track Cycling WA/WA) and Luke Zaccaria (Track Cycling WA/WA) [pilot] – B
- Michael Shippley – C4 (Balmoral CC/QLD)
- Maxwell Sudholz – C3 (Vikings CC/ACT)
- Beau Wootton (Port Adelaide CC/SA) and Byron Davies (Balmoral CC/QLD) [pilot] – B
Women
- Tahlia Clayton-Goodie – C1 (Geelong and Surf Coast CC/VIC)
- Tara Neyland – C4 (Brunswick CC/VIC)
- Caitlin Ward – C5 (Blackburn CC/VIC)
How to watch
Night and afternoon (Sunday) sessions will be live streamed on YouTube by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and UCI.
Schedule
Thursday, October 29
Day session: 10:00 CET / 19:00 AEST
Night session: 18:00 CET / 03:00 AEST (+1)
- MC5 1km time trial (qualifying and final)
- WC1 sprint (full event)
- WC5 1km time trial (qualifying and final)
- MC4 1km time trial (qualifying and final)
- MC3 sprint (full event)
- MC2 scratch race (final)
- WC4 scratch race (final)
Friday, October 30
Day session: 11:00 CET / 20:00 AEST
Night session: 18:00 CET / 03:00 AEST (+1)
- MC2 sprint (full event)
- MB 1km time trial (qualifying and final)
- MC3 1km time trial (qualifying and final)
- WC4 1km time trial (qualifying and final)
- MC4 sprint (full event)
- WC5 elimination race (final)
- WC1/2 scratch race (final)
- MC5 elimination race (final)
Saturday, October 31
Day session: 10:00 CET / 19:00 AEST
Night session: 17:00 CET / 02:00 AEST (+1)
- MB sprint (full event)
- WC1 1km TT (final)
- WC4 sprint (full event)
- MC2 1km time trial (qualifying and final)
- MC4 scratch race (final)
- MC3 elimination race (final)
Sunday, November 1
Morning session: 09:00 CET / 18:00 AEST
Afternoon session: 13:00 CET / 22:00 AEST
- C1-5 mixed team sprint (qualifying and final)
- MC5 scratch race (final)
- MC2 elimination race (final)
- WC4 elimination race (final)
- MC3 scratch race (final)
- MC4 elimination race (final)
- WC5 scratch race (final)
- WC1/2 elimination race (final)
Results
Start lists, live timing and official results can be found at RSS Timing.
Characteristics of Omnisport Apeldoorn
- Length: 250 metres
- Width: 7 metres
- Bends: 44 degrees (maximum)
- Straights: 12.8 degrees (minimum)
- Circumference at the fence: 285 metres
- Surface: Accoya wood
How the team fared in 2025
The ARA Australian Cycling Team travelled to Rio de Janeiro for the 2025 UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships and returned as the number one nation after a gold rush four days.
The team won 25 medals, made up of 16 world championships, four silver medals and five bronze medals.
Tahlia Clayton-Goodie and Korey Boddington finished with four rainbow jerseys, followed closely by Emily Petricola and Tara Neyland on three each.
Six world records were also set throughout the four days.
Feature picture: Luke Zaccaria