Ellesse Andrews contests a time trial. Photo: Mat Gilfedder / Oceania Cycling Confederation
Olympic double gold medallist Ellesse Andrews headlines a 12-strong New Zealand team for next month's UCI Track World Championships, where she will focus on the individual sprint disciplines.
Cycling New Zealand has named both the Track and Para-cycling Track teams for respective UCI World Championships in South America.
A five-strong team, led by Paris Paralympic medallist Nicole Murray, has been named for the 2025 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Brazil on 16-19 October. The following week the UCI Track World Championships take place in Chile.
The World Championships are the New Zealand teams' first in this Olympic cycle as the squad looks towards next year's Commonwealth Games and the start of their push towards LA 2028.
With Paris Olympic teammates Rebecca Petch (pregnant) and Shaane Fulton (injured), Andrews will focus on her individual sprint disciples at the UCI Track World Championship, as will teammate Sam Dakin.
The men's endurance squad is a mix of experience, led by World Tour rider Campbell Stewart, and the new in young Southland prospect Marshall Erwood.
Versatile rider Ben Oliver is a Commonwealth Games medallist in mountain bike and a successful road cyclist, but now turns his talents to the track, after impressing coaches during the training camp. He forms part of the men's endurance squad.
The women's endurance squad, headed by Olympic medallists Bryony Botha and Ally Wollaston, is all currently based overseas on road racing contracts.
The pair are joined by Paris Olympic reserve Sami Donnelly from Christchurch and Auckland's Prudence Fowler, who was part of the team pursuit quartet that won the silver medal at the Nations Cup earlier in the year.
Foy out of retirement
Emma Foy (left) and Hannah van Kampen at the UCI 2019 Para-Cycling Track World Championships. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
It is the first time the teams have been jointly announced and prepared for respective world championships since Para-cycling moved under the Cycling New Zealand operation.
"Both track programmes have been running side-by-side at the Grassroots Trust Velodrome, and while their coaches are separate, there are joint crossovers with staff and, of course, interaction between the coaches," Cycling New Zealand's High Performance Director Ryan Hollows said.
Nicole Murray, who has recently returned from winning a medal at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Belgium, headlines the Para-cycling campaign in Rio.
Murray has won 10 medals at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, including gold medals in Paris in 2022, and two bronze medals last year at Rio in the C5 500m time trial and scratch race.
She heads a strong team including world championship gold medallist Devon Briggs and Rotorua swimmer-cum-cyclist Siobhan Terry, along with the return out of retirement of six-time Para-cycling track world champion, Emma Foy.
There is considerable interest in return of Foy, who initially retired five years ago. The double Paralympic medallist in Rio has won six Para-cycling track world titles. Foy, who was born with oculocutaneous albinism, will team up on the tandem with retired Tokyo Olympian, Jessie Hodges.
Briggs, 21, won a world championship C3 time trial title last year, along with a silver in the omnium and bronze in the individual pursuit. He was injured in the preparation for the Paralympics, but still competed in Paris, placing fifth in the individual pursuit and seventh in the time trial.
Terry, 25, came to prominence as a Para-swimmer and like Briggs, suffers from bilateral talipes (club foot). She moved to Para-cycling in 2023, finishing on the podium in her first international competition in the C4 500m time trial. The Halberg Regional Advisor will be competing in her first UCI Para-track World Championship.
The Teams:
2025 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 16-19 October
Para Track: Devon Briggs (MC3), Emma Foy (WB - with Pilot Jessie Hodges), Nicole Murray (WC5), Siobhan Terry (WC4).
UCI Track World Championships in Santiago, Chile on 22-26 October
Track - Women's Endurance: Bryony Botha, Sami Donnelly, Prudence Fowler, Ally Wollaston.
Male endurance: Marshall Erwood, Keegan Hornblow, Nick Kergozou, Ben Oliver, Tom Sexton, Campbell Stewart.
Sprint: Ellesse Andrews, Sam Dakin.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
