European Track Championships

The European Track Cycling Championships are a set of elite level competition events held annually for the various disciplines and distances in track cycling, exclusively for European cyclists, and regulated by the European Cycling Union (UEC). They were first held in their current format in 2010, when elite level cyclists competed for the first time following an overhaul of European track cycling.

The UEC agreed with the governing bodies of six other major European sports from 2018 to integrate its four Olympic-class events, including track cycling, into the new European Championships event on a quadrennial basis. Beginning with 2018, every fourth edition of the competition will form part of the multi-sport event.

While track cycling also forms part of the 2019 European Games in Minsk, these events are not regarded as European Championships but as the Cycling programme of the European Games, and the UEC event will also be held later in the same year. Conversely, the events held in Glasgow in 2018, and Munich in 2022 as part of the multi-sport European Championships are treated as official UEA championships

In line with cycling tradition, winners of an event at the championships are presented with, in addition to the gold medal, a special, identifiable jersey. This UEC European Champion jersey is a white and blue jersey with gold stars. Gold stars on a blue background have been an identifiably European symbol since the adoption of the Flag of Europe by the Council of Europe.

The most successful nation since the inauguration of the elite event is Great Britain, the event's genesis coinciding with Britain's rise to dominance in world track cycling. The most successful individual rider in the history of the Elite event is Katie Archibald of Great Britain, who has won, as of the 2021 UEC European Track Championships, 17 European titles. Among nations in the championships, aside from Great Britain itself, only Russia, Germany, Netherlands and France have won more gold medals than Archibald.

Pre-History

The first European Track Championships were held in Berlin in 1886 and featured only 5 km and 10 km men's scratch races.

Age group championships

Prior to 2010, championship events were run under the same name, but solely for junior and under-23 cyclists, and the 2010 event is recognised as the first elite level senior championships. Since 2010, separate annual European championships for under-23 and junior riders have continued, described explicitly as such.

European Track Cycling Championships have been held for junior and under-23 athletes for a long time, though records in earlier editions are incomplete. They provided useful experience for young riders with winners automatically qualifying to compete at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in which no age limit applied, and the world's best track cyclists competed.

A European Masters Track Championships also exists for riders over 35 years old.

Derny, Madison and Omnium championships

Men's European Track Championships for the " motor-paced" or "derny" track cycling discipline have been held since 1896. A separate European Madison championship event was also run for men.

Separate elite European Omnium Championships have been held since 1959, which were later incorporated into the senior European Track Championships on their introduction in 2010.

Founding of the modern Elite Championships

In 2010 the UEC instigated a significant overhaul of how cyclists qualify for the Olympic Games. As a result, the European Championships was also introduced for elite level European cyclists. The first elite championships thereafter took place at the beginning of November 2010. It followed the same ten event schedule for the 2012 Olympics but also included the Madison "due to popular demand".

The Under 23 and Junior championships thereafter were run as an annual separate event.

Competitions

Elite

All-time medal table (2010–2022)

Juniors and U23's and Open Omnium

Exclude Men's Open Madison events from 2001 to 2009 and include Open Omnium events from 2001 to 2009.

All-time medal table (2001-2020)

Exclude Men's Open Madison events from 2001 to 2009 and include Open Omnium events from 2001 to 2009.

* 2008,2014,2015 have share medals.

Disciplines

* UEC European Track Championships (under-23 & junior)
* UEC European Track Championships – Men's omnium
* UEC European Track Championships – Men's madison
* UEC European Track Championships – Men's sprint
* UEC European Track Championships – Men's team sprint
* UEC European Track Championships – Derny
* UEC European Track Championships – Stayer
* UEC European Track Championships – Women's omnium
* UEC European Track Championships – Women's madison
* UEC European Track Championships – Women's sprint
* UEC European Track Championships – Women's team pursuit

Notes

References

External links

Official website of the 2010 European Track Cycling Championships

{{International cycling

European cycling championships
European Track Championships