2013 UCI Track World Championships

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World Track Chmapionships, Minsk, Belarus 2013

In the heart of Belarus, Minsk Arena, will be host  to the World Track Championships for 2013. With snow laying thick on the ground, the 34 countries taking part, will experience drastic climatic changes between the 28 degrees in the stadium and the -12 outside.  According to the an estimate from the UCI, about 150 million people will watch the championships held in Minsk on mainstream television and online.

With only 80 women on the start list, there are a number of nations who have chosen this post Olympic year to reduce the number of women attending this year's World Track Championships. What a number of nations have done, however is to send a number of younger riders and aspirants to experience the Championships for the first time. Notably the Netherlands have only two riders on the start list and the USA only one. However this may not diminish either nations' chances. The Dutch have Amy Pieters and Kirsten Wild (the later is in great form and arrives in Minsk fresh from her overall win in Qatar). The USA have, Sarah Hammer, who is scheduled to compete in her pet events the Individual Pursuit and Omnium.

Olympic medallists and former World Champions will be in attendance. The Australians will be looking to Olympic bronze medallist Annette Edmondson to challenge for a medal in the Omnium and potentially in the Team Pursuit. They also have former World Champion Ashlee Ankudinoff back in the team for the Team Pursuit. The sprint team is missing Anna Meares, therefore Kaarle McCulloch will step up as leader with new team mate Stephanie Morton.

The British team will be pinning their hopes for medals Laura Trott. She will compete with Dani King and Elinor Barker in the Team Pursuit. Trott will also ride the Omnium. The French will be missing Clara Sanchez for the first time for many years. They do however have sprinters, Virginie Cueff and Sandie Clair. Canada have a relatively young team albeit containing two Olympians, Jasmin Glaesser and Gillian Carleton in the Team Pursuit line up. Germany have a young squad and mix of experience. Olympic team sprint winners Kristina Vogel and Miriam Welte return to the track to defend their World title. Italy has a young team, supported by the experienced former World Champion, Giorgia Bronzini. They will be looking to Bronzini for the medals while the youngsters gain valuable experience. Despite being the sole Irish competitor, which was the same last year, Caroline Ryan will be hoping to gain success after winning the first ever medal for Ireland in 2012 achieving a bronze in the Points race. The Belarus home team will be hoping for a medal but it is unlikely with  former medalist Tatsiana Sharakova not on the start list.

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