Olympic qualifier Track Nations Cup ready to take to the boards at the Adelaide Super-Drome

The Adelaide Super-Drome will host some of the world’s best track cyclists just five months out from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, when the 2024 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup rolls onto the boards on Friday, February 2 to Sunday, February 4.

The event is the first of three qualifying events ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

More than 300 riders from 40 countries will take to the track to compete across multiple disciplines over three days of competition.

Some of track cycling’s biggest names including ARA Australian Cycling Team stars Matthew Richardson, Matthew Glaetzer, Georgia Baker and Alexandra Manly will compete across all six Olympic events, including the team pursuit and team sprint.

In addition to the ARA Australian Cycling Team see international stars such as Italy’s Filippo Ganna, who is an Olympic gold medallist on the track, Olympic gold medallist United States star Jennifer Valente, and Great Britain’s resident queen of track cycling in Katie Archibald, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and five-time world champion.

This is the first home international track cycling event since Brisbane’s Anna Meares Velodrome hosted a round of the 2019/20 UCI Track World Cup. For most of this team, they have never raced in the green and gold in Australia at this level of event.

ARA Australian Cycling Team’s Gene Bates, Head Coach for the Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup was joined by athletes Georgia Baker, Alexandra Manly, Matthew Richardson and Leigh Hoffman at an open media call at the Adelaide Super-Drome today.

Leigh Hoffman and Thomas Cornish training at the Adelaide Super-Drome. Picture: Ride Adelaide/James Raison

Gene Bates, Team Lead, ARA Australian Cycling Team:

“The team train here every day in Adelaide and are really comfortable at looking at putting some runs on the board. This event will give us good indication of how our preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics are going.”

Alexandra Manly:

“Ever since I have been on a bike I have been in South Australia, I am proud to be a South Australian, this is my home. It is super special to compete here as we have never had a Nations Cup at home.

“It is even more special that we can share our home track with the other countries. Everyone competing is world-class."
“We have the best in the world here and it will make for really good racing.”

Leigh Hoffman:

“Form is great, been training all year round. I have been technically training my entire life to prepare for the Olympics. It is a 40-week planning cycle to prepare for this moment.”

“Our greatest rivals are the Dutch and it is a shame they are not here competing, but at the end of the day you are riding against the clock and not the other team.”

South Australia Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison:

“Once again Adelaide is playing host to some of cycling’s biggest stars as they compete at the Adelaide Super-Drome in the opening round of the 2024 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup.”

“Over the next three days, we can expect to see some excellent racing as the world’s best track athletes battle it out for a top spot in what is one of the final qualification events before the 2024 Paris Olympics.”

“This is one of the last chances to see the Aussies on home soil before they head to the 2024 Paris Olympics.”

2024 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup - Adelaide

Location: Adelaide Super-Drome
Dates: 2-4 February, 2024
More information: 2024 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup

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The 2024 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup, Adelaide is proudly supported by the South Australian Tourism Commission.

Photos: Ride Adelaide/James Raison - AusCycling