Commonwealth women's cycling events to match men's

The number of women’s cycling events will match those on offer to men, creating equal medal opportunities in the Commonwealth Games for male and female athletes, for the first time in the sporting event's history.

Three new track events for women, the Keirin, Team Sprint and Team Pursuit, will feature in the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, it was announced last week. 

At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, 2014 British female athletes Laura Trott, Katie Archibald and Jess Varnish won medals on the track. Welsh athletes Becky James, Elinor Barker and Ciara Horne have all won medals in the three events at European, World and Olympic level.

Welsh Cycling female membership grows 57% in two years

3 more women's cycling events in Gold Coast! https://t.co/Uxwdbuuyfx

— Elinor Barker (@elinorbarker) October 7, 2016

Matt Cosgrove, Performance Director at Welsh Cycling said: “The addition of three track cycling events for 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games is a significant step forward. With the further four events in boxing and weightlifting, it brings equality to the medals on offer for both men and women. We thank Chris Jenkins, and Commonwealth Games Wales for their support in getting these events added.

“For Welsh Cycling, this means we have more events to target in the Gold Coast. Wales’ Becky James, Elinor Barker and Ciara Horne have won medals in these events at European, World and Olympic level and it would be great to see this success continue for Wales on the Commonwealth stage in 2018.”

Track events now total 20, with endurance riders competing in team pursuit, individual pursuit, points race and scratch race. Sprinters will compete in the keirin, sprint, time trial and team sprint. There will also be four Para-cycling events.

Gold Coast Chairman, Peter Beattie AC said: “GC2018 will host the largest ever para-sport program, gender-equal medal events across the sport program. We hope this focus on inclusivity will prove to be one of the most outstanding 2018 Games’ legacies.

“This initiative supports the CGF’s vision for greater gender equality and I am confident that the precedent we establish for 2018 will augur well for future multi-sport events to emulate.”

In Glasgow 2014, Wales won 5 medals in cycling events – the best-ever Commonwealth Games for Welsh Cycling.

Ciara Horne’s Cervelo Bigla team came third in the Team Time Trial at the World Championships in Doha yesterday, with Lizzie Deignan’s Boels Dolmans team coming first, and Canyon Sram taking second place.