Pic: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Four Carmarthenshire riders are gearing up for this summer’s Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Across four days of track cycling action, and with 26 medals on offer at the Chris Hoy Velodrome, local riders Emma Finucane, Jess Roberts, Rory Gravelle and Steffan Lloyd will all represent Wales.
Emma Finucane is certainly a headline rider for Wales. Winning gold and two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics as well as two bronze medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, she is a favourite in the Sprint, Keirin and Team Sprint.
Jess Roberts, meanwhile, is a key figure in the women’s endurance squad. The Olympic bronze medallist will feature in the Team Pursuit. She will be looking to build on a fourth place finish four years ago at Birmingham 2022.
But she certainly remembers where it all started:
“I’m very proud to be Welsh and my cycling career started on the outdoor velodrome in Carmarthen. So getting to pull the Welsh jersey on gives me fond memories of why I fell in love with cycling all those years ago when I was a little girl starting out, and that feels special.”
And look out for Rory Gravelle who, at just 19 years old, will be making his Commonwealth Games debut. He brings a strong track record having won silver in the Team Pursuit at the Junior World Championships:
“Representing Wales means a lot to me as it reflects where I’ve come from and the people who have always supported me along the way. I’ve always taken a lot of pride in pulling on the Welsh jersey.”
Another local name to note is sprint expert Steffan Lloyd from Llandysul. He teamed up with Para-cyclist James Ball at the Paris Paralympics to win gold but he will be racing the Glasgow 2026 boards in his own right.
Finucane, Roberts and Gravelle all came through local club, Towy Riders.
Beicio Cymru Director of Sport Darren Tudor says:
“Wales may be a small nation, but, year after year, Welsh riders are performing and excelling on the world stage. The riders selected for Glasgow 2026 are a mix of incredibly talented and established athletes as well as some very exciting rising stars including five teenagers.
“We’re extremely proud that the majority of these riders have been supported by Beicio Cymru’s talent and performance pathway. This squad also demonstrates the powerful contribution of grassroots clubs like Towy Riders who have helped support and nurture riders to become world-beaters, as well as the support of the National Lottery which not only helps power our elite athletes but grassroots programmes across Wales.”
The four riders will represent Team Wales as part of a 114-strong Welsh squad across 10 sports.
Beicio Cymru is well known for developing an incredibly strong crop of talented athletes. In Birmingham, Welsh riders won seven medals which was the nation’s strongest ever return in Commonwealth Games cycling events – and testament to the strong club network across Wales as well as Beicio Cymru’s well established talent pathway programmes.
