Ellesse Andrews returns to track at UCI World Cup in Perth this weekend
One of New Zealand’s most successful Olympians is returning to the track after a lengthy absence.
Ellesse Andrews, who won two golds at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and is the most successful cyclist in New Zealand’s Olympic history, returns to top-level cycling in the opening round of the 2026 UCI Track World Cup in Perth this weekend. The event signals the start of the qualifying process for the 2028 Olympics.
She will be joined by fellow Cycling New Zealand performance squad rider Olivia King.
Ellesse took a significant break after the Paris games and has slowly returned to training, mostly away from the track.
Jon Andrews, Cycling New Zealand head sprint coach and Ellesse’s father, said this will be a “low-key” start to a busy year of international racing.
“The focus this weekend is mostly on the technical and tactical execution both in sprint and keirin,” he said.
“We have not done any specific tapering or physical preparation for this competition.
“It is an opportunity for a UCI World Cup relatively close to home to kickstart our year.”
The two-time Olympic gold medallist will compete in sprint qualifying and keirin racing while in Perth and is due to take part in UCI World Cup competitions in Hong Kong and Malaysia in late April, plus another international event in Japan afterwards.
Ellesse won her two golds in keirin and sprint, also winning silver in the team sprint.
Her first Olympic medal was a silver at the Tokyo 2020 Games in the keirin.
Ellesse’s all-time medal haul is surpassed only by kayakers Ian Ferguson and Paul MacDonald, equestrian Mark Todd and snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott with five each, but all trail behind kayaker Lisa Carrington who has nine medals, including eight golds.
Dame Valerie Adams and Blyth Tait have four Olympic medals each.
Ellesse started competitive cycling at 14, moving to track cycling after initially favouring mountain biking.
She won the keirin world title in 2023 and was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2025.