Wales has produced a procession of top-class track and road cyclists in recent decades, from Olympians Elinor Barker and Owain Doull to legendary Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas.
But now, two more athletes have written their names into the Welsh cycling history books, after scoring impressive wins at the Track Cycling World Championships, which were held in October at the Santiago Velodrome in Chile.
Josh Tarling, who, at 21, was making his debut at the annual competition, took the gold in the men’s points race. The race spans a distance of 40km, with riders earning points for various actions during the contest, including winning specific sprint laps or lapping other riders in the race.
Josh, who hails from the town of Aberaeron in Mid Wales, scored well in the race’s opening stages and held his nerve against experienced riders from the US, France and Japan to finish with the most points and grab the gold medal.
Josh’s gold was the first won by a UK athlete at the 2025 edition of the cycling championships, but it wasn’t long before another Welsh athlete was standing atop a podium, with Anna Morris, from Cardiff, taking the individual pursuit title.
In a close-fought contest, Anna managed to fend off competition from fellow Brit Josie Knight to secure the gold medal, repeating a feat she also managed in the 2024 edition of the championships.
Not content with one medal, Anna went on to win a silver medal in the women's points race, plus a bronze in the female team pursuit discipline.
Anna’s success is particularly noteworthy, having come to the sport relatively late in life. Unlike Josh, who began cycling competitively at the age of 10, Anna did not ride as a youngster and didn’t purchase a road bike until she was almost 20 – when she was at university studying to become a doctor.
Elsewhere, there was also a silver medal for high-flying Welsh cyclist Emma Finucane in the keirin event (a sprint race). Despite being only 22, Emma, from Carmarthen, has already made a name for herself in the sport, winning three medals at the 2024 Olympics – the first British woman to do so at a single games since 1964.
Speaking to the BBC after his success at his debut Track Cycling World Championships, Josh said, ‘I didn't know how [my first World Championships] would be or how it would feel, so not knowing was scary. It felt pretty good. I think it was good that I got those early points in so I knew the legs were there.’
These impressive performances from Welsh athletes at the Track Cycling World Championships came a month after Wales’ most decorated cyclist, and one of the country’s great athletes, Geraint Thomas decided to hang up his racing helmet. Geraint brought the curtain down on his cycling career in his hometown of Cardiff in September, where thousands of fans gathered to cheer on the flying Welshman during the final leg of the Tour of Britain.
Despite one Welsh cycling story coming to an end, thanks to Anna, Emma, Josh, and the next generation of racers, it appears Welsh cycling's success on the international stage isn't in danger of dropping down a gear.
Learn more about how Wales has developed a knack for producing top-class cycling talent.