Welsh cyclist Hepburn storms to gold in Belgium

Welsh cyclist Ioan Hepburn stormed to gold at the 2026 UCI Junior Track World Championships on Saturday.

The 18-year-old claimed his first individual world title in the men's sprint event in Zolder, Belgium, becoming the first British male to win that category since John Paul triumphed in 2011.

Hepburn, from Cross Ash in Monmouthshire, began the day with a ruthless ride in the semi-finals, beating Korea's Hajin Jeon 2-0 to move into the final.

Up against Italy's Matteo Ghirelli, Hepburn maintained his momentum with two more wins to seal another 2-0 score and gold medal glory.

It was the ideal way for Hepburn to bounce back from Commonwealth Games disappointment this summer.

He was part of the Wales squad that qualified for the bronze race against Trinidad and Tobago in the team sprint, but was forced to pull out prior to the start of the race due to ill health.