The 2020–21 UCI Track Cycling season denotes the series of international track‑cycling competitions that were organized under the auspices of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) for the 2020–2021 competitive year. The season is part of the UCI's annual calendar of track events, which traditionally includes the UCI Track Cycling World Cup (later renamed the Nations Cup) and various championships.
Structure and schedule
- The season was intended to comprise multiple World Cup rounds held at different venues worldwide, with each round featuring standard track‑cycling disciplines such as sprint, keirin, team sprint, team pursuit, omnium, madison, and others.
- Due to the COVID‑19 pandemic, the original schedule was significantly altered. Of the planned rounds, only two events were successfully staged:
- Cali, Colombia – held in November 2020.
- Glasgow, United Kingdom – held in December 2020.
- Remaining rounds that had been scheduled for 2021 (including events in Milton Keynes, United States, and Saint‑Quentin‑en‑Yvelines, France) were cancelled or postponed in response to travel restrictions and health concerns.
Points and rankings
- Results from the completed rounds contributed to individual and national UCI ranking points, which affect qualification for subsequent major championships such as the World Championships and the Olympic Games.
- The reduced number of events resulted in a smaller pool of points available compared with a typical full season, impacting the overall rankings for athletes and nations.
Impact of the pandemic
- The pandemic imposed strict health protocols, including regular testing, limited spectator attendance, and, in some cases, competitions conducted without a public audience.
- National federations faced logistical challenges in fielding teams, leading to variations in participation levels across the two held rounds.
Subsequent developments
- Following the truncated 2020–21 season, the UCI introduced a rebranded series known as the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup beginning with the 2021‑22 season, aiming to provide a more stable and long‑term competition structure.
References
- Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) official communications and event calendars for the 2020–21 track cycling season.
- Event reports and results published by the organizers of the Cali and Glasgow World Cup rounds.
