Katie Archibald
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Katie Archibald (born 12 March 1994) is an elite racing cyclist, specialising in endurance track cycling events in which she represents Great Britain and Scotland.
A member of the Great Britain 2016 Olympic champion and 2020 Olympic silver medallists team in women's team pursuit, she is a champion in the same event at both the World (2014, 2023, 2024) and European (2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2026) championships and current world record holder. She won her second Olympic gold medal in the inaugural women's Madison race at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo with her partner, Laura Kenny.
Individually, Archibald has been European champion in the elimination race in 2015, four times in the omnium in 2016, 2017, 2021 and 2023, in the scratch race in 2021, the women's Madison twice in 2021 and 2023 and a four time European champion in the individual pursuit between 2014 and 2017. In 2017 she secured her first individual global title, winning the Omnium at the 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships and won a third world championship the following year when partnering Emily Nelson to win the Madison at the 2018 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. In 2021 she won her second individual world title, with a second world Omnium title.
Archibald's 21 gold medals in European elite track championships is an all-time record for that championships.
Her brother, John, is also an elite cyclist who has represented Great Britain and Scotland. Both won medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games representing Scotland; Katie won gold in the women's individual pursuit and John silver in the men's.
Early life and career
Archibald was privately educated at The Glasgow Academy. She has a sporting background in swimming and took up cycling relatively late, taking it up competitively in 2011 on the grass track and in 2012 on hard track.
After spending 2012–2013 working in the family business (Archers Sleepcentre) as a telesales operator, she was recruited into British Cycling's Olympic Development Academy in November 2013.
Track
Archibald made her Great Britain debut at the 2013 European Track Championships. Alongside Laura Trott, Dani King and Elinor Barker, she won the gold medal and broke the world record twice in the team pursuit.
At the 2013–14 Track World Cup first round in Manchester, while riding for the Scottish Braveheart team, Archibald claimed silver in the scratch race and bronze in the points race. Recalled to the Great Britain team for the 2013–14 Track World Cup second round in Aguascalientes, Archibald was part of the quartet that won gold and broke the world record again in the team pursuit competition.
She then became Scotland's first female track cycling world champion, when she was part of the team that won the team pursuit title at the 2014 World Track Championships. Archibald won the gold medal in the same event, and another in the individual pursuit, at the 2014 European Track Championships. Archibald represented Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, 2014, as she claimed a bronze medal in the points race.
At the 2015 European Track Championships, Archibald became a triple European champion, retaining the team pursuit and individual pursuit titles she won in 2014, while adding the elimination race title.
Archibald returned to competition at the European Championships winning the omnium and for the third year in a row the pursuit and claimed the silver medal in the elimination race. At the Six days of London event, Archibald won eight of the ten races to secure the women's omnium title with 15 points. Archibald then returned to Glasgow for the World Cup event, where she partnered Manon Lloyd to win the Madison event, but broke her wrist in an early fall whilst changing with Lloyd. Archibald returned from injury to finish second at the Six Days of Berlin, and followed it up by winning four titles at the national championships. At the final of the Six Day series in Mallorca, Archibald finished runner up to her team pursuit teammate Elinor Barker. Archibald then capped her track season by winning her first individual world title in the Omnium.
Archibald retained her Individual Pursuit and Omnium titles at the European Championships and was also part of the team that took the silver medal in the team pursuit.
Archibald was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to cycling.
Archibald was chosen to be part of the UK's cycling squad at the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics where she was joined by Elinor Barker, Neah Evans, Laura Kenny and Josie Knight for the endurance races. She returned with a silver medal in the Women's team pursuit, but shared the inaugural gold medal in Women's Madison with Laura Kenny. In October 2021 Archibald was selected for the European Track cycling championships, winning her 15th and 16th gold medals in the Scratch race and Omnium to become the elite events most successful ever competitor. In June 2024, Archibald was ruled out of the upcoming Olympics in Paris. Archibald broke two bones in her leg and tore ligaments off the bone after falling over a step in her garden in a “freak accident.” She made her return to the track in October at the 2024 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Denmark.
At the 2025 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Archibald finished second in the elimination race. She then won the world madison title alongside Maddie Leech.
At the 2026 European Championships in Konya, Archibald was a member of the British line-up who won the gold medal in the final of the team pursuit. The team consisting of Archibald, Morris, Knight and Millie Couzens also set a new world record of 4:02.808 in the final against Germany. Later in the championships. she also won a silver medal in the madison with Morris.
Road
Her road cycling team Podium Ambition, formerly Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International, turned professional for the start of the 2016 UCI Women's World Tour. She, along with team-mates Sarah Storey and Joanna Rowsell, were the first riders to be named in the new line-up. Archibald joined Sheffield based Team WNT Pro Cycling for the 2017 season. During the 2017 season, Archibald finished third on stage three and four of the Semana Ciclista Valenciana. In the domestic Matrix Fitness Grand Prix Series, Archibald won round 2 in Stoke-on-Trent and finished second in the opening event in Redditch. Archibald finished second in the national road race championship and third in the British time trial championships on the Isle of Man, before taking the circuit racing championship in Sheffield.
For the 2018 season Archibald decided to join Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling.
Personal life
Archibald's partner, Scottish racing cyclist Rab Wardell, died on 23 August 2022; she revealed she had unsuccessfully tried to save his life as he entered cardiac arrest in bed beside her.
She is a cousin of Leyton Orient player Theo Archibald.
Major results
Source:
Road
2014
1st Milk Race
Matrix Fitness Grand Prix Series 1st Stages 1 & 3
2nd Time trial, National Road Championships
3rd Overall British Cycling Women's Road Series 1st Cheshire Classic 1st Curlew Cup
Commonwealth Games 5th Time trial 7th Road race
2015
1st London Nocturne
1st Stage 2 Matrix Fitness Grand Prix Series
2017
National Road Championships 1st Criterium 2nd Road race 3rd Time trial
2018
3rd Overall BeNe Ladies Tour 1st Prologue
4th Time trial, Commonwealth Games
2022
4th Overall Bloeizone Fryslân Tour
Track
2012
National Junior Championships 1st Individual pursuit 2nd Points race
2013
1st Team pursuit, UEC European Championships
International Belgian Open 1st Points race 2nd Individual pursuit
National Championships 2nd Madison (with Charline Joiner) 3rd Individual pursuit
UCI World Cup 1st Team pursuit, Aguascalientes 2nd Scratch, Manchester 3rd Individual pursuit, Manchester
2014
1st Team pursuit, UCI World Championships
UEC European Championships 1st Team pursuit 1st Individual pursuit
National Championships 1st Individual pursuit 2nd Team pursuit
1st Team pursuit, UCI World Cup, London
Revolution 1st Points race, Manchester 2nd Omnium, London 2nd Points race, Manchester 3rd Omnium, London
2nd Omnium, Fenioux Piste International
3rd Points race, Commonwealth Games
2015
UEC European Championships 1st Team pursuit 1st Individual pursuit 1st Elimination
National Championships 1st Team pursuit 2nd Individual pursuit 2nd Scratch 2nd Points race
1st Omnium, Internationale Radsport Meeting
Revolution 1st Scratch, Derby 2nd Points race, Manchester 2nd Points race, London 2nd Scratch, Glasgow 3rd Points race, Manchester 3rd Points race, Glasgow 3rd Scratch, London
2nd Team pursuit, UCI World Championships
2nd Individual pursuit, UEC European Under-23 Championships
3rd Team pursuit, UCI World Cup, Cali
2016
1st Team pursuit, Olympic Games
UEC European Championships 1st Individual pursuit 1st Omnium 2nd Elimination
1st Madison, UCI World Cup, Glasgow (with Manon Lloyd)
1st Omnium, Six Days of London
2nd Omnium, Fenioux Piste International
2nd Points race, Revolution, Glasgow
2017
1st Omnium, UCI World Championships
UEC European Championships 1st Individual pursuit 1st Omnium 2nd Team pursuit
National Championships 1st Individual pursuit 1st Points race 1st Scratch 1st Omnium 2nd Keirin
UCI World Cup 1st Madison, Manchester (with Elinor Barker) 1st Madison, Milton (with Ellie Dickinson) 1st Points race, Milton 1st Team pursuit, Manchester 2nd Omnium, Manchester
International Cycling Meeting 1st Madison (with Ellie Dickinson) 1st Omnium
Six Days of Fiorenzuola 1st Madison (with Emily Nelson) 1st Omnium 1st Points race 1st Scratch
1st Overall Six Days of London 1st Omnium 2nd Madison (with Lydia Boylan) 3rd Scratch
Round 1, Revolution Series Champions League 1st Points race 1st Scratch
2nd Omnium, Six Days of Berlin
2nd Omnium, Six Day Final, Mallorca
2018
UCI World Championships 1st Madison (with Emily Nelson) 2nd Team pursuit
Commonwealth Games 1st Individual pursuit 2nd Points race
UEC European Championships 1st Team pursuit 2nd Individual pursuit 2nd Omnium
UCI World Cup 1st Madison, Milton (with Elinor Barker) 1st Team pursuit, Milton 1st Omnium, Berlin 1st Team pursuit, Berlin 1st Madison, London (with Laura Kenny) 1st Team pursuit, London
National Championships 1st Individual pursuit 1st Scratch 1st Points race 1st Madison (with Elinor Barker) 3rd Sprint
Round 3, Revolution Series Champions League 1st Scratch 2nd Points race
2019
UEC European Championships 1st Team pursuit 2nd Madison (with Laura Kenny) 3rd Individual pursuit
National Championships 1st Individual pursuit 3rd Points race 3rd Scratch 3rd Sprint
UCI World Cup, Glasgow 1st Team pursuit 2nd Madison (with Elinor Barker)
Six Day Manchester 1st Madison (with Neah Evans) 1st Omnium
1st Omnium, Six Day Finals – Brisbane
6 Giorni delle Rose – Fiorenzuola 1st Madison 2nd Omnium
Orlen Grand Prix 1st Madison (with Neah Evans) 1st Points race
Six Day London 1st Madison (with Neah Evans) 1st Omnium 2nd Scratch
2nd Team pursuit, UCI World Championships
2020
UEC European Championships 1st Points race 1st Team pursuit
2nd Team pursuit, UCI World Championships
2021
Olympic Games 1st Madison (with Laura Kenny) 2nd Team pursuit
UCI World Championships 1st Omnium 2nd Points race 3rd Team pursuit 3rd Madison (with Neah Evans)
UEC European Championships 1st Omnium 1st Madison (with Neah Evans) 1st Scratch race
1st Overall Endurance, UCI Champions League 1st Elimination, Palma 1st Scratch, Panevėžys 1st Elimination, Panevėžys 1st Elimination, London I 1st Elimination, London II 2nd Scratch, London II 3rd Scratch, London I
2022
2nd Team pursuit, UCI World Championships
2nd Team pursuit, UCI Nations Cup, Glasgow
2nd Overall Endurance, UCI Champions League 1st Scratch, Palma 1st Scratch, Berlin 1st Elimination, Berlin 1st Elimination, Paris 1st Elimination, London II 2nd Scratch, Paris 2nd Scratch, London I 3rd Scratch, London II
2023
1st Team pursuit, UCI World Championships
UEC European Championships 1st Omnium 1st Team pursuit 1st Madison (with Elinor Barker)
UCI Nations Cup, Milton 1st Omnium 1st Team pursuit 2nd Madison (with Neah Evans)
1st Overall Endurance, UCI Champions League 1st Elimination, Palma 1st Elimination, Berlin 1st Elimination, Paris 1st Elimination, London I 2nd Scratch, Palma 3rd Scratch, Paris 3rd Elimination, London II
2024
UCI World Championships 1st Team pursuit 3rd Madison (with Neah Evans)
UCI Nations Cup 1st Madison, Adelaide (with Elinor Barker) 1st Madison, Milton (with Neah Evans) 1st Omnium, Milton 1st Team pursuit, Milton 2nd Omnium, Adelaide 2nd Team pursuit, Adelaide
1st Overall Endurance, UCI Champions League 1st Scratch, Paris 1st Elimination, Paris 1st Elimination, Apeldoorn II 1st Scratch, London II 2nd Scratch, Apeldoorn I 2nd Elimination, Apeldoorn I 2nd Scratch, London I 2nd Elimination, London II
2025
UCI World Championships 1st Madison (with Maddie Leech) 2nd Elimination
National Championships 1st Points race 2nd Scratch
2026
UEC European Championships 1st Team pursuit 2nd Madison (with Anna Morris)
Championships timeline
| Event | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold medal Olympic Games | Madison | Not held | — | Not held | 1 | Not held | — | NH | |||||||
| Team pursuit | 1 | 2 | — | ||||||||||||
| Rainbow jersey World Championships | Individual pursuit | — | — | 5 | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Madison | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | — | 3 | — | — | 3 | |||
| Omnium | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 7 | — | 1 | — | 4 | — | |||
| Points race | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | |||
| Scratch | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| Team pursuit | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| European Championships | Elimination race | Not held | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Individual pursuit | NH | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Madison | Not held | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | ||||
| Omnium | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | ||
| Points race | 15 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Scratch | NH | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | ||
| Team pursuit | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | |
| Commonwealth Games | Individual pursuit | NH | 4 | Not held | 1 | Not held | — | Not held | |||||||
| Points race | 3 | 2 | — | ||||||||||||
| Scratch | 5 | 4 | — | ||||||||||||
| National Championships | Individual pursuit | 3 | 1 | 2 | NH | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | NH | — | — | — | — | |
| Keirin | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Madison | 2 | Not held | — | — | 1 | — | Not held | — | — | — | |||||
| Omnium | Race did not exist | 1 | — | — | Not held | — | — | — | |||||||
| Points race | — | — | 2 | NH | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | NH | — | — | — | 1 | ||
| Scratch | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 2 | ||||
| Sprint | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Team pursuit | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| — | Did not compete |
| DNF | Did not finish |
| NH | Not held |
| IP | In progress |
External links
- at UCI
- at Cycling Archives
- at ProCyclingStats
- at Cycling Quotient
- at CycleBase
- at Olympics.com
- at Team GB
- at Olympedia
- at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
- at InterSportStats
- at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (archived)
- at British Cycling