OTTAWA, ON (October 7, 2026) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the 2026 roster for the UCI Tissot Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai, China.
Racing at this year’s championships kicks off October 14th at the Shanghai Velodrome, with Canada participating in Sprint and Endurance races across the event.
The 2026 World Championships will mark the return of Tokyo 2020 Gold medalist Kelsey Mitchell to competition after participating in the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Games in Bobsleigh. She’ll be joined by Laurianne Genest in the Sprint and Keirin events, alongside a strong Canadian men’s squad that will be hunting for medals in the Team Sprint, Sprint and Keirin events.
Team Canada Sprint Athletes
- Lauriane Genest – Lévis, QC (SP + KE)
- Kelsey Mitchell – Sherwood Park, AB (SP + KE)
- James Hedgcock – Ancaster, ON (TS + TT)
- Cole Demptster – Milton, ON (TS)
- Tyler Rorke – Baden, ON (TS)
The World Championships in Shanghai mark much more than the start of a new season. As the first qualifying event on the road to LA 2028, the stakes are incredibly high for our entire team. For the men, both in Team Sprint and the individual events, this is an opportunity to establish themselves in the emerging world hierarchy. We are especially excited to see Kelsey Mitchell return to World Championship competition following her successful bobsleigh campaign. Across the program, an enormous amount of work has gone into improving key performance areas, and we are eager to see those efforts translate on one of the sport’s biggest stages. — Franck Durivaux, National Team Coach (Track Sprint Lead)
On the endurance side, Canada will take on the pursuit events with a group focused on making a run towards the 2028 LA Games. Matthias Guillemette returns to the squad after spending the spring and summer on the road with Tudor Pro Cycling. Matthias brings his experience from the Paris 2024 Games to the team and will be a welcome addition to the group in Shanghai.
Team Canada Endurance Athletes
- Matthias Guillemette – Trois-Rivières, QC (TP)
- Chris Ernst – Kitchener, ON (TP + IP)
- Campbell Parish – Vancouver, BC (TT + TP)
- Jonathan Hinse – Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC (TP)
- Carson Mattern – Ancaster, ON (IP)
The World Championships in Shanghai are the start of our quest for qualification to the L.A. 2028 Olympic Games. The team has spent the past few weeks in Milton training and preparing for the event. The event is incredibly important to the men’s endurance team, and we look forward to competing in the Team Pursuit against the best in the world. — Phil Abbot (Director of Endurance & National Team Coach)
Cycling Canada wishes all athletes representing Canada the best of luck at the 2026 Tissot UCI Track World Championships in Shanghai, China. For complete schedules and broadcast details, please visit the UCI website.
SP = Sprint, KE = Keirin, TS = Team Sprint, TT = Time Trial, TP = Team Pursuit, IP = Individual Pursuit
