Four questions about the 2026 European track cycling championships in Turkey
The European Track Cycling Championships are just around the corner. From Sunday, February 1 to Thursday, February 5, the Turkish city of Konya will host the European Championships, where many big names will compete against each other. WielerFlits prepares you for the upcoming European Championships through five key questions.
Where is the European Championships being held?
The 2026 European Track Cycling Championships will be held at the Konya Velodrome in the Turkish city of Konya. This indoor cycling track opened in August 2022 and features a 250-meter wooden track. The 2026 European Championships will be the first major championship held there and, in fact, the first European Track Championships ever hosted in Turkey. In 2025, Konya already hosted a round of the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup.
Which well-known riders are competing in the men's events?
Let’s first take a closer look at the Dutch and Belgian squads. As far as the Dutch team is concerned, there are few surprises among the men. Jeffrey Hoogland will not be competing in Turkey, but the big man Harrie Lavreysen is definitely participating. He will compete in the Keirin, the individual Sprint, and (together with Roy van den Berg and Loris Leneman) the team sprint. In the endurance events, the Netherlands is represented by Yanne Dorenbos, Philip Heijnen, Vincent Hoppezak, and Youri Havik.
For Belgium, the endurance riders are especially worth watching. Among others, Jasper De Buyst, Tuur Dens, and Jules Hesters are traveling to Turkey. Lindsay De Vylder and Fabio Van den Bossche, the world champions in the team pursuit, will not participate. They are focusing completely on the road season in the coming months with Alpecin–Premier Tech and Soudal Quick-Step respectively, and are skipping the European Championships.
Looking at other countries, even more big names appear on the start list. Lavreysen will have to face Matthew Richardson, who now competes for Great Britain, in the sprints. Among the British team, keep an eye on endurance rider Ben Wiggins, the 20-year-old son of Sir Bradley Wiggins. Other notable names include Benjamin Thomas, Tim Torn Teutenberg, and Filippo Ganna.
Which well-known riders are competing in the women's events?
Notably, the Netherlands will compete with a pursuit team among the women in Konya. This is part of the preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games. Mischa Bredewold, Lisa van Belle, Sofie van Rooijen, and Yuli van der Molen are part of this selection. Bredewold will also compete in the individual pursuit at the European Championships, while Van Belle will ride the omnium, Van der Molen the points race, and Van Belle and Van der Molen the Madison.
For Belgium, Lotte Kopecky is the biggest standout. Additionally, endurance riders such as Shari Bossuyt and Hélène Hesters will compete, while Nicky Degrendele and Zita Gheysens will try to uphold Belgian honor in the sprint events.
In the sprint disciplines, we will see top riders like Lea Friedrich (Germany), Mathilde Gros (France), and Emma Finucane (Great Britain) in action. Among the endurance riders, alongside Kopecky of course, riders such as Katie Archibald and Elisa Balsamo stand out.
