Sam Welsford
Sam Welsford (AU)
Biography
Sam Welsford's journey into professional cycling started at the tender age of seven, inspired by his father’s early morning rides. What began as father-son bonding quickly evolved into a passion for cycling, propelling Sam onto the world stage.
Early in his career, Sam demonstrated immense promise, capturing back-to-back junior world titles in team pursuit in 2013 and 2014. This success set the stage for his participation in the 2016 World Championships, where he helped Australia clinch the team pursuit title, earning him a spot at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
At Rio, Sam and his pursuit squad rode to a silver medal, pushing themselves to their limits against Great Britain, who set a new world record in the process. This taste of Olympic success further motivated Sam, leading to a series of record-breaking performances.
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Sam and his team broke the three-minute fifty-second barrier in the team pursuit, a historic feat. His streak of excellence continued into the 2019 World Championships, where he was part of the team that shattered their own world record. Not one to rest on his laurels, Sam bagged two gold medals within a half-hour span, one of them in the scratch race.
Transitioning seamlessly between track and road racing, Sam claimed dual gold in the omnium and madison at the 2020 World Cup and Oceania Championships. Despite a challenging campaign at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he faced setbacks including a high-speed crash, Sam helped his team secure a bronze medal with an Olympic record time.
In 2022, Sam made a significant switch to road racing and quickly found success. His debut professional win came at the Tour of Turkey, followed by a landmark overall victory at the GP Criquielion in 2023. Competing in the 2023 Tour de France and later joining the Bora-Hansgrohe team, Sam showcased his sprinting prowess at the 2024 Tour Down Under, winning three stages in just four days.
Sam Welsford's career is a testament to resilience and adaptability, marking him as one of Australia's premier cyclists with a promising future ahead.