10 great Aussie world championship moments

Australia has had no shortage of world champions on the bike over the years.

On the track Anna Meares dominated throughout her career with 11 world titles, while para-cyclist Carol Cooke is a nine-time world champion in road and individual time trial disciplines.

And who could forget the GOAT, Sam Hill who has three elite and two junior world titles.

On the eve of the 2023 Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, we take a look back at 10 of Australia’s great world championship moments in recent history.

Anna Meares - 2015

It’s hard to pick just one great world championship moment from Australia’s queen of the track Anna Meares, with so many to choose from.

But perhaps the greatest was her 11th in 2015, which the legend herself says was also the hardest. Meares’ win in the keirin that year saw her become the most decorated female track cyclist in history.

Cadel Evans – 2009

Cadel Evans rode into the history books in 2009 in Switzerland, to become the first Australian to win the world title in the road race.

While others have since come close, including Michael Matthews with both silver and bronze, Evans remains the only Aussie to clinch the world title on the road.

Sam Hill – 2008

While Sam Hill has an incredible three elite world titles to his name, it’s his third place at Val di Sole in 2008 that is one of the most memorable moments in downhill mountain biking history.

Hill was on the ride of life, on his way to potentially winning his third consecutive rainbow jersey. But before he reached the finish line, he slid out on a corner. His speed was so blistering, he got back on his bike and still managed third place.

Rebecca Henderson - 2019

Canberran Rebecca Henderson showed true grit and determination to win her first world championship bronze at Mont-Sainte-Anne in Canada in 2019.

That saw her become the first elite Aussie to podium in the cross country Olympic at a world champs. She was on track for silver the very next year in Leogang, Austria before being pipped on the line in a sprint finish.

Rohan Dennis – 2019

No doubt there is something incredible special about winning a world title, but when you make it back-to-back, that is the cherry on the cake. Just ask Rohan Dennis who made it consecutive rainbows in the individual time trial in 2018 and 2019.

Sam Willoughby - 2012

He had been knocking on the door, and in 2012 Sam Willoughby smashed that door down when he won the BMX Racing world championships. It was something he had dreamed of since he was six. His celebration after he crossed the finish line says it all.

Men’s Team Sprint - 2022

It had been a long time between world titles for Australia’s in the men’s team sprint – 10 years in fact.

But in 2022 Leigh Hoffman, Matthew Richardson, Matthew Glaetzer and Thomas Cornish broke the decade-long drought to become team sprint world champions in 2022. They dethroned the Netherlands to win the rainbows.

Caroline Buchanan and Lauren Reynolds - 2013

After disappointment at the 2012 London Olympics, Caroline Buchanan showed why she is a true champion coming back in 2013 to claim her first BMX racing world title. Lauren Reynolds won the silver medal making it an Aussie double.

For Buchanan, it would not be the only discipline she would dominate that year by also taking home the Four Cross world title.

Amanda Spratt – 2019

After winning silver in 2018, Amanda Spratt left it all out on the course when she rode to the bronze medal in the road race the following year in Yorkshire, UK.

Her Aussie teammates were waiting for Spratt at the finish line to congratulate her and celebrate the hard-fought bronze. Watch below.

Carol Cooke – 2019

With a second in 2018, para-cyclist Carole Cooke was hungry to win back the rainbow jersey in both the road race and time trial. And in 2019 she did just that, going on to become dual world champion, and bringing the number of her world titles to nine.

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