Emma Jimenez Palos Earns Silver in Individual Pursuit Finals at the 2026 UCI Junior Track World Championships

On the penultimate day of the 2026 UCI Junior Track World Championships, Emma Jimenez Palos (Miami, Fla.; City Bikes Miami Racing) earned silver in the Individual Pursuit and her third medal of the championships. 

Jimenez Palos opened the Individual Pursuit with a blistering fast time in qualifying, stopping the clock in 3:29.181 to set a new World Record. The mark would stand for only a short time, until France’s Zoe Bihan beat the time by 0.1 seconds with a 3:29.043 ride. 

The two fastest riders advanced to the gold-medal final, setting up a head-to-head battle between Jimenez Palos and Bihan. Jimenez Palos got off to a strong start and held the advantage at the first split, but after a demanding effort in yesterday’s Omnium, she was unable to maintain the pace through the final kilometers. Bihan took the win, while Jimenez Palos secured the silver medal. The result gives Jimenez Palos her third medal of the championships, adding to her silver medal in the Omnium, and her gold medal in the Scratch Race. 

Later in the evening, Rue Tomko (Bellevue, Wash.; Jerry Baker Juniors) lined up for the Junior Women’s Points Race. She scored in Sprints 5 and 7, collecting four points throughout the race to finish 12th overall. 

Tomorrow, Tomko and Jimenez Palos will team up for their final event of the World Championships, the Madison. 

USA Cycling’s participation in the World Championships is made possible through the support of dedicated donors and partners. To support the USA Cycling National Team, members can donate to the USA Cycling Foundation here.