Belgium faces early setbacks at Track Cycling World Championships

The Belgian delegation experienced a difficult start at the Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai. Both the men’s and women’s teams failed to qualify for the next stages of the team pursuit event.

The women’s team, consisting of Shari Bossuyt, Katrijn De Clercq, Hélène Hesters, and Luca Vierstraete, finished in tenth place during qualifications. This result marks a significant decline from their fourth-place finish at last year’s championships. The qualifying session was led by Great Britain, followed by Germany and Italy.

The men’s team, composed of Witse Bertels, Tuur Dens, Gianluca Pollefliet, and Noah Vandenbranden, also failed to secure a spot among the top eight. This outcome impacts their progress toward Olympic qualification for Los Angeles 2028.

Despite these setbacks, several Belgian athletes are scheduled to compete in other disciplines in the coming days, including Lotte Kopecky in the elimination race, omnium, and Madison.