Championships concluded this Sunday (19) on a high note—both on and off the track. While the athletes gave their all in the first year of the new cycle, the top-notch facilities provided to the cyclists further cemented Brazil’s reputation for hosting major international sporting events.

“It’s always a pleasure to come back here; I have great memories of this Velodrome. It was at the Rio 2016 Games that I won my first Paralympic medal—my first gold. I’m very grateful to the organizers for all the structure and support offered to us during these days,” said Dutch cyclist Daniel Abraham, 40, who was born in Ethiopia and moved to Europe 25 years ago.

In his farewell to the World Championships, Abraham comfortably claimed his second world title in the Scratch race (C5). After breaking away in the second half of the race, the Dutchman was never caught again, even lapping a large part of the field.

“It was an incredible victory. I’m very proud to be world champion again in the Scratch. I have to thank my team, who designed a great strategy and controlled the race for me. My plan was to attack, of course, but I didn’t expect my rivals not to follow me. What the team did for me was amazing,” said the three-time Paralympic champion.

Another highlight of the final day was the victory of one of the most talented young riders on the circuit, France’s Gatien Le Rousseau. At just 22, he claimed his first world title in the Elimination race (C4).

“It was quite difficult to motivate myself again after yesterday’s ‘defeat,’ when I finished second (in the Scratch). I had to find a new tactic to win this time and adapt to the race,” said Le Rousseau, who also reached the podium twice at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Although Le Rousseau and Abraham belong to different generations and have completely different backgrounds, both will leave Brazil with great memories—and the prospect of returning soon. That’s because Rio de Janeiro will host another Track World Championships in three years, while Brasília will welcome the Road World Championships shortly after—precisely the disciplines in which the two athletes compete.

“I’m very pleased that we’ve successfully hosted another edition of the Para-cycling Track World Championships. Welcoming an event of this magnitude again in Brazil is a source of pride and recognition for the work that has been carried out over recent years. I thank the UCI for its trust in awarding us another edition, and we can now confirm that the Track World Championships will return to Brazil in 2028, and the Road World Championships in 2029, further strengthening Brazil’s prestige and contribution to the international scene,” said Edilson Rocha “Tubiba”, Para-cycling Coordinator at the Brazilian Cycling Confederation (CBC).

Australia topped the final medal table with 16 golds, 4 silvers, and 5 bronzes. Great Britain finished second with 9 golds, 8 silvers, and 6 bronzes, while Italy ranked third with 4 golds, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze. With the world record broken by Canada’s Mel Pemble (C3) this Sunday in the Sprint (12.757 seconds), a total of nine world records were set during the competition.

All results from the 2025 Para-cycling Track World Championships are available at https://2025uciparatrack.com.

About the 2025 UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships – Rio de Janeiro