No road racing at Glasgow Commonwealth Games as organisers look to cut costs

Road cycling and mountain biking will not be a part of the 2026 Commonwealth Games schedule, it was announced on Tuesday, as part of cost-cutting measures.

Track cycling will still take place at the streamlined Games, which will take place in Glasgow after Victoria, Australia, withdrew from hosting duties at late-notice last year. As a result, Glasgow, the host of the the 2014 Games, stepped in. They will take place between 23 July and 2 August 2026.

There will just be ten sports across four venues due to the cuts, with athletics and para-athletics, swimming and para-swimming, artistic gymnastics, netball, weightlifting and para-powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and para-bowls, and 3x3 basketball and wheelchair basketball joining the track cycling action.

This means no place for road racing. The men's road race has taken place at every Games since 1994, with winners including Stuart O'Grady (Australia) and Geraint Thomas (Wales), while the women's equivalent has happened at every event since 1990, with winners including Lizzie Deignan (England) and Chloe Hosking (Australia). Their history stretches back further, though, with men's road racing happening at the 1958 Games in Cardiff. The time trials have also been a fixture, with the 2022 editions won by Rohan Dennis and Grace Brown (both Australia).

The track cycling will take place at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, which was built for the 2014 Games, and has hosted European and World Championships since.

At the Commonwealths, the UK competes in the separate nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Collectively, they won 30 medals, including four golds, at the 2022 Games.

Other sports lost in 2026 include rugby sevens, hockey and cricket.

"On behalf of the entire Commonwealth Sport Movement, we are delighted to officially confirm that the 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place in the host city of Glasgow," Katie Sadleir, the CEO of the Commonwealth Games, said in a statement. "The Games promise to be a truly immersive festival of sport and celebration of culture and diversity that inspires athletes and sports – with a fan experience more accessible than ever before.

"With the Commonwealth Games held in such high esteem by athletes, sports and nations across the Commonwealth, we have been working tirelessly with our fellow stakeholders to ensure a high-quality Games will take place in 2026 – securing this vital milestone in the career pathway for thousands of athletes."

“"t’s fantastic that track cycling fans and people new to the sport will be able to experience the electrifying roar of the velodrome during the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games," a spokesperson for British Cycling said. "Whilst we would love to be able to showcase the full breath of our wonderful sport, we appreciate the unique circumstances under which the hosts and the Commonwealth Games Federation are operating, and the fact that many sports have not been selected."