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Track World Championships: Lorena Wiebes triumphs again in scratch race, Taylor Phinney returns with USA team pursuit squad

The 2026 UCI Track World Championships kicked off in Shanghai with three decisive races, including a dramatic women’s scratch race where Dutch cyclist Lorena Wiebes secured her third consecutive title in the event. Wiebes edged out Irish rider Lara Gillespie by centimeters in a tightly contested final sprint, with Portuguese athlete Maria Martins claiming bronze.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands dominated the team sprint events, winning both the men’s and women’s titles for the third straight year, while the home nation of China also claimed victory in the women’s team sprint. Over in the men’s team pursuit, American cyclist Taylor Phinney made his competitive return, leading the USA squad to a sixth-place finish—a notable improvement over past performances, though they fell short of the medal round after a close matchup with France.

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