Elinor Barker

Elinor Jane Barker (born 7 September 1994) is a Welsh road and track racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Women's Team Uno-X Mobility. As a track cyclist, she is an Olympic champion in the team pursuit and a world champion in the team pursuit, madison, points race, and scratch race disciplines. Her career tally of four Olympic medals (one gold, two silver and one bronze) is a record for a Welsh woman.

Elinor Barker
MBE

Barker in 2020
Personal information
Full name	Elinor Jane Barker
Born	(1994-09-07) 7 September 1994 (age 30) Cardiff, Wales
Height	1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)[1]
Weight	56 kg (123 lb)[1]
Team information
Current team	Uno-X Mobility
Discipline	Road Track
Role	Rider
Rider type	Road: Time trialist Track: Pursuitist
Amateur teams
2005–2007	Maindy Flyers
2008	Kidney Wales For Escentual
2009–2011	Cardiff Ajax
2012	Scott Contessa Epic RT[2]
2020	Tekkerz[3]
Professional teams
2012–2014	Team USN (track)
2013–2014	Wiggle–Honda (road)
2015–2017	Matrix Fitness Pro Cycling
2018	Wiggle High5
2019	Drops[4]
2022–	Uno-X Pro Cycling Team[5]
Medal record Women's track cycling Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team pursuit 2020 Tokyo Team pursuit 2024 Paris Madison 2024 Paris Team pursuit World Championships 2013 Minsk Team pursuit 2014 Cali Team pursuit 2017 Hong Kong Points race 2019 Pruszków Scratch 2020 Berlin Points race 2023 Glasgow Madison 2023 Glasgow Team pursuit 2015 Yvelines Team pursuit 2017 Hong Kong Scratch 2017 Hong Kong Madison 2018 Apeldoorn Team pursuit 2019 Pruszków Team pursuit 2020 Berlin Team pursuit 2016 London Team pursuit European Championships 2013 Apeldoorn Team pursuit 2014 Guadeloupe Team pursuit 2015 Grenchen Team pursuit 2017 Berlin Madison 2018 Glasgow Team pursuit 2019 Apeldoorn Team pursuit 2020 Plovdiv Elimination 2020 Plovdiv Team pursuit 2023 Grenchen Madison 2023 Grenchen Team pursuit 2016 Yvelines Scratch 2017 Berlin Team pursuit 2020 Plovdiv Madison Junior World Championships 2012 Invercargill Individual pursuit 2012 Invercargill Omnium 2012 Invercargill Team pursuit U23 & Junior European Championships 2012 Anadia Junior Individual pursuit 2012 Anadia Junior Team pursuit 2011 Anadia Junior Individual pursuit 2013 Anadia U23 Individual pursuit 2013 Anadia U23 Points race Representing  Wales Commonwealth Games 2018 Gold Coast Points race 2014 Glasgow Points race 2014 Glasgow Scratch Women's road cycling Representing  Great Britain World Championships 2012 Valkenburg Junior Time trial 2011 Copenhagen Junior Time trial

As a junior competitor, Barker was the 2012 Junior Time Trial World Champion in road cycling. She competed at senior level in track cycling for the first time in October 2012, and she made her debut for Great Britain the following month where she was part of the team pursuit side that won gold in the World Cup event in Glasgow. In February 2013, she became senior world champion for the first time, in the team pursuit at the Track Cycling World Championships. Later that year, she won her first European Track Championships gold medal, again in the team pursuit, where Great Britain set a new world record. She helped Britain defend their world team pursuit title in 2014 and in the summer of that year she won a silver and a bronze while representing Wales at the Commonwealth Games. Further World and European Championships medals followed in 2015, and Barker won an Olympic gold medal in the team pursuit at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Great Britain again setting a new world record. In 2017, Barker won her first individual world title in the points race and in 2018 she won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, triumphing in the points race. In 2019, she became scratch race world champion for the first time and she won her second points race world title the following year. Later in 2020, she won gold in the elimination race at the European Track Championships, and at the delayed Summer Olympics she earned a silver in the team pursuit. Barker gave birth to a son in 2022 and missed much of the season, but she returned in 2023 and won two gold medals at both the European and World Track Cycling Championships. At the 2024 Olympics, Barker won a bronze in the team pursuit and a silver in the madison.

Barker is an Olympic champion, a three-time world champion and seven-time European champion in the team pursuit, as well as a two-time world champion in the points race, a world champion in both the madison and scratch race, a two-time European madison champion, and one-time European elimination race champion. She is also a Commonwealth Games gold medalist in the points race. Barker has largely focused on track cycling during her career and has to date been unable to replicate her track cycling success into her road racing career. Her best ever finish in a UCI event is seventh place at the Gent-Wevelgem in 2023. At national level she has twice finished third at the British National Time Trial Championships.

Life and Career

Early life

Elinor Jane Barker from Heath, Cardiff, is the daughter of Graham Barker, who was deputy headteacher at St Julian's Comprehensive School in Newport.^[6] She attended Llanishen High School.^[6] Her younger sister, Megan, is also a racing cyclist.^[7]

Junior career

Barker took up cycling with the Maindy Flyers at the age of 10, as a way of getting out of swimming classes.^[6][8] She was recruited into British Cycling's Olympic Development Academy,^[9] but remained based in Wales until she completed her A-levels in 2013, after which she moved to Manchester to train full-time at Manchester Velodrome.^[10]

In 2011, Barker claimed silver in the time-trial at the UCI Junior Road World Championships in Copenhagen.^[11][12] In 2012, she competed at the UEC U23/Junior European Track Championship in Portugal where she won gold medals in both the individual pursuit, and the team pursuit in the junior category.^[13] In August, Barker won silver medals in both the individual pursuit, and the omnium, as well as a bronze in the team pursuit at the UCI Junior Track World Championships.^[14]

On the road, she became the Junior Time Trial world champion in 2012, completing the 15.6-kilometre (9.7-mile) course in Valkenburg, Netherlands in 22:26.29, beating Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig of Denmark by 35.87 seconds.^[15] Subsequently, Barker was named Carwyn James Junior Sportswoman of the Year at the BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year awards in 2012.^[16]

Professional career

2012‍–‍2016

Barker made her senior level UCI Track Cycling World Cup debut in October 2012, in Cali, Colombia. Competing for Team SWI Welsh Cycling, she won a silver medal in the team pursuit and then finished eighth in the omnium.^[17][18] The following month, Barker made her debut for Great Britain at the Track Cycling World Cup in Glasgow, Scotland, as a replacement after Joanna Rowsell was taken ill. Competing alongside Laura Trott and Dani King in the team pursuit, the trio triumphed over Australia in the final.^[19][20]

In February 2013, Barker became a senior world champion for the first time, as a member of Great Britain's team pursuit squad at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Minsk, Belarus. Barker, Trott and King rode to victory against Australia in the final, with Barker saying "It's a big shock. It hasn't really sunk in yet."^[21] She had been studying for her A-levels during the competition.^[20] The women's team pursuit was then increased to four riders cycling a total of 4km, the same as the men.^[22]

Barker finished with two silver medals in the under-23 category in both the individual pursuit and the points race at the 2013 Junior/U23 European Track Championships in Portugal. Her international teammate Trott beat her to gold in both disciplines.^[23] Barker then moved to Manchester in September to enable her to train full-time with the British squad.^[20] She was then part of the British team that won team pursuit gold in the 2013 UEC European Track Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Britain also set a new world record time of 4:26.556.^[24]

In November, Great Britain twice broke the world record for the team pursuit in the Track Cycling World Cup in Manchester. Barker, Trott, King and Rowsell won the event by beating Canada in the final with a time of 4:19.604.^[22] The following month in Aguascalientes, Mexico, at the next leg of the Track Cycling World Cup, Great Britain broke their own record twice more during the event as they again triumphed over Canada in the final. The team consisting of Barker, Rowsell, King and Katie Archibald beat their own record set in Manchester by three seconds, posting a time of 4:16.552, helped by the high altitude conditions in Mexico.^[25][26]

At the 2014 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Cali, Barker, Trott, Rowsell and Archibald led Great Britain to victory in the team pursuit over Canada in the gold medal race.^[27] Barker represented Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She secured silver in the 25km points race, losing narrowly to Trott in the final sprint, and bronze in the 10km scratch race.^[28] Barker won gold in the team pursuit at the 2014 UEC European Track Championships in Guadeloupe, after Great Britain beat Russia by nearly seven seconds in the gold medal race.^[29]

On the road in 2014, Barker finished fourth at the British National Time Trial Championships, just over a minute behind Emma Pooley in first position.^[30] In September, it was announced that Barker would follow in the footsteps of international teammate Trott and join the Matrix Fitness Pro Cycling team for 2015.^[31] Barker finished her year by claiming back-to-back gold medals in the team pursuit at the Track Cycling World Cup, triumphing in the events held in Guadalajara, and London.^[32][33]

At the 2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, Barker, Trott, Rowsell and Archibald won silver after suffering a defeat to Australia in the final of the team pursuit. Australia also broke Great Britain's world record time in the event.^[34] Barker was part of the British team that finished first in the team pursuit at the 2015 UEC European Track Championships in Grenchen, Switzerland. Britain beat Russia in the final.^[35]

Great Britain celebrating gold in the team pursuit at the 2016 Summer Olympics (Barker is second from the left)

At the 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in London, Barker was part of the team pursuit along with Ciara Horne, Rowsell Shand and Trott. After a 'disappointing' qualifying ride, they fought back and eventually beat New Zealand to claim bronze.^[36] At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Barker along with Archibald, Rowsell Shand and Trott secured the gold medal in the team pursuit in a world record time of 4:10.236 seconds, defeating USA in the final. The quartet had broken the world record in qualifying, only to see USA then better the record in their qualifying ride. The British team then broke it again in the final and Barker said afterwards "What do people say at a time like this? It is incredible".^[37][38] After the Olympics, Barker said she would likely focus on individual events in 2017, such as the points race and the scratch race, rather than the team pursuit.^[39]

Returning to the track after the Olympics, Barker won a silver medal in the scratch race at the European Championships in Paris.^[40] She followed this by winning the points race at the Track Cycling World Cup in Apeldoorn.^[41] Barker then claimed the title at the Six Days of Amsterdam, which included a win in the elimination race on the final day.^[42] She closed 2016 with first place in the British National Madison Championships alongside Kenny (nee Trott).^[43]

2017‍–‍2020

Barker (right) celebrating a gold medal in the madison at the 2017 European Track Championships with Ellie Dickinson

Barker finished third in the scratch race at the Track Cycling World Cup event in Los Angeles. She also finished fifth in the madison with Ellie Dickinson.^[44] In the Six Days series in Mallorca, Barker won the title after three top-four finishes during the competition.^[45] At the 2017 World Championships in Hong Kong, she claimed two silver medals, one in the scratch race (behind Rachele Barbieri) and the other in the madison alongside Emily Nelson.^[46][47] Barker then went on to win her first individual world title in the points race. She finished with fifty nine points, eight ahead of Sarah Hammer in silver.^[48] At the 2017 UEC European Track Championships in Berlin, Germany, Barker won silver as Great Britain were defeated by Italy in the final of the team pursuit.^[49] She then claimed gold in the madison with teammate Dickinson.^[50] In November, Barker won gold in both the team pursuit (beating Italy in the final), and the madison (partnering Archibald) at the Track Cycling World Cup in Manchester.^[51]

For the 2018 road cycling season, Barker joined Wiggle High5.^[52] On the track, she won a silver medal in the team pursuit at the 2018 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Apeldoorn. Great Britain were defeated by USA in the final.^[53] At the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia, Barker secured gold in the points race for Wales, ahead of Scots Archibald and Neah Evans. Barker's win was the first Commonwealth Games title for a Welsh track cyclist since 1990. Barker said "I consider this to be one of my best events" and added "It's really special and to hear the Welsh national anthem on the podium is something that doesn't happen very often."^[54] Later that year, she was part of the British squad that took gold in the team pursuit at the European Track Championships in Glasgow,^[55] and she then secured two gold medals at the Track Cycling World Cup event in Milton, Canada. There, she was part of the British team that won the team pursuit, and she then triumphed in the madison with Archibald.^[56]

At the 2019 Track Cycling World Championships in Pruszków, Poland, Barker won the rainbow jersey in the scratch race, her first world title in that discipline. She revealed afterwards that she had almost quit professional cycling six months prior, and acknowledged the help that her psychologist had given her to help her refind her love for the sport.^[57][58] Barker also won a silver in the team pursuit after Great Britain were defeated by Australia in the final.^[59] On the road, Barker broke her collarbone in August during the RideLondon Classique. She returned to racing later in the year, however, and won two medals at the Track Cycling World Cup event in Glasgow. She was part of the British team that won Gold in the team pursuit and she then claimed a silver medal in the madison alongside Archibald.^[60]

At the 2020 Track Cycling World Championships in Berlin, Germany, Barker won gold in the points race on the final day of the championships, taking Great Britain's only title of the meeting. It was her second triumph in the event after first winning the title in 2017.^[61] She was also part of the team that took silver in the team pursuit.^[62] Later that year, Barker won two titles at the European Track Championships, one as part of the team pursuit squad, and an individual gold in the elimination race.^[63] She concluded the competition with a bronze medal in the madison, partnering Kenny.^[64]

2021‍–‍2024

In 2021, Barker was part of the British squad that won silver in the team pursuit at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Barker competed in the qualifying round but was then replaced by Evans in the line-up. Germany beat Great Britain's world record in the final which Barker didn't take part in.^[65][66] Barker later revealed that she was pregnant while competing in Tokyo.^[67] She took inspiration from other professional cyclists that had become mothers, adding "I’d like to say a sincere and heartfelt thank you to Lizzie Deignan, Laura Kenny and Sarah Storey,"..."Because of these women (and many more) I didn’t doubt the future of my career for one second".^[68] During the Games she signed a two-year deal to join the Uno-X team from 2022. Barker said Uno-X's response to her pregnancy reveal had been "reassuring."^[69]

After giving birth in March 2022, Barker took maternity leave from cycling,^[70] however she was selected by Wales for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, where she competed in the road-race.^[71][9] In 2023, Barker chose to focus more on road cycling for the first time in her career,^[70] and she returned to cycling with Uno-X with a 15th place finish at the Vuelta CV Feminas.^[72] Barker then switched back to the track and she won two gold medals for Great Britain at the 2023 UEC European Track Championships in Grenchen. The event was her first major track cycling competition since becoming a mother. She was a member of the quartet that triumphed in the team pursuit, and she then celebrated victory in the madison partnering Archibald.^[73][74]

Back on the road, Barker finished seventh in the Gent–Wevelgem, her best ever finish in a UCI road race.^[70] She then finished 16th at the Fleche Wallone, and in April 2023, Barker extended her contract with Uno-X until 2027.^[72] Barker also competed in the 2023 Giro Donne (Giro d'Italia Women) where she finished 58th, marking her first ever appearance at a grand tour,^[75][9] and she also finished third in the elite time-trial at the British National Championships.^[76] In August, at the 2023 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, Barker won a gold medal in the team pursuit alongside Archibald, Josie Knight and Anna Morris, after they defeated New Zealand in the final. It was the first time that Great Britain had won the event since 2014.^[77] Barker then won a second gold medal while partnering Evans in the madison.^[78]

At the 2024 UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup in Adelaide, Australia, Barker won a silver medal in the team pursuit, and then secured a gold medal in the madison with Archibald.^[79][80] Back on the road, Barker finished third in the elite time-trial at the British National Championships, just over a minute behind winner Anna Henderson.^[81] At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Barker won bronze in the team pursuit alongside Knight, Morris and Jess Roberts. She then became the first Welsh women to win four Olympic medals by securing a silver in the madison with Evans.^[82][83] As a reigning world champion, Barker expressed disappointment not to come away with gold in the madison, saying "We really, really wanted gold" but she also reflected "There are plenty of world champions this week that haven't medalled. I think every single medal is a huge achievement."^[84]

Personal life

Barker is married to Danish cyclist Casper von Folsach.^[85] She revealed in 2019 that she was suffering from endometriosis, which nearly caused her to retire, as well as potentially affecting her chances of having a child.^[86] In October 2021, Barker announced that she was pregnant, and had been so when she competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics.^[87] The couple's son was born in March 2022.^[88] In June 2025, Barker revealed that she and her husband were expecting their second child together.^[89]

Barker was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to cycling.^[90][91]

Major results

Track

2011

National Junior Championships

1st Individual pursuit

2nd Scratch

2nd Individual pursuit, UEC European Junior Championships

2012

UEC European Junior Championships

1st Individual pursuit

1st Team pursuit

UCI World Cup

2nd Team pursuit, Cali

1st Team pursuit, Glasgow

UCI World Junior Championships

2nd Omnium

2nd Individual pursuit

3rd Team pursuit

2013

1st Team pursuit, UCI World Championships

1st Team pursuit, UEC European Championships

UEC European Under-23 Championships

2nd Individual pursuit

2nd Points race

UCI World Cup

1st Team pursuit, Manchester

1st Team pursuit, Aguascalientes

2014

1st Team pursuit, UCI World Championships

1st Team pursuit, UEC European Championships

1st Team pursuit, National Championships

UCI World Cup

1st Team pursuit, Guadalajara

1st Team pursuit, London

3rd Points race, London

Commonwealth Games

2nd Points race

3rd Scratch

2015

1st Team pursuit, UEC European Championships

2nd Team pursuit, UCI World Championships

3rd Team pursuit, UCI World Cup, Cali

2016

1st Team pursuit, Olympic Games

1st Madison, National Championships (with Laura Kenny)

UCI World Cup

1st Points race, Apeldoorn

2nd Team pursuit, Hong Kong

1st Omnium, Six Days of Amsterdam^[42]

2nd Scratch, UEC European Championships

3rd Team pursuit, UCI World Championships

2017

3rd Scratch, UCI World Cup, Los Angeles

UCI World Championships

1st Points race

2nd Scratch

2nd Madison (with Emily Nelson)

UEC European Championships

1st Madison (with Ellie Dickinson)

2nd Team pursuit

UCI World Cup

1st Madison, Manchester

1st Team Pursuit, Manchester

2nd Madison, Pruszków (with Emily Nelson)

1st Omnium, Six Day Final, Mallorca

National Championships

2nd Omnium

3rd Scratch

2018

1st Team pursuit, UEC European Championships

1st Points race, Commonwealth Games

1st Madison, National Championships (with Katie Archibald)

UCI World Cup

1st Team pursuit, Milton

1st Madison, Milton (with Katie Archibald)

2nd, Team pursuit, 2018 UCI Track Cycling World Championships

2019

2019 UCI Track Cycling World Championships

1st Scratch,

2nd, Team pursuit

UCI World Cup

1st, Team pursuit, Glasgow

2nd, Madison, Glasgow (with Katie Archibald)

2020

UCI World Championships

1st Points race,

2nd, Team pursuit

UEC European Championships

1st Elimination

1st Team pursuit

3rd Madison (with Laura Kenny)

2021

2nd Team pursuit, Olympic Games

2023

UEC European Championships

1st Team pursuit,

1st Madison, with (Neah Evans)

UCI World Championships

1st Team Pursuit,

1st Madison, (with Katie Archibald)

2024

UCI Nations Cup

2nd Team pursuit, Adelaide

1st Madison, Adelaide with (Katie Archibald)

Olympic Games

3rd Team pursuit,

2nd Madison, (with Neah Evans)

Road

2011^[92]

1st Stratford-upon-Avon Team Series

1st Stage 1 Essex Giro

2nd Time trial, UCI World Junior Championships

2012

1st Time trial, UCI World Junior Championships

1st Jubilee Road Race

1st Duncan Murray Wines Road Race

2nd Hillingdon Grand Prix

2nd Overall 2 Days of Bedford

1st Stage 4

2013

1st Otley Grand Prix

2014

4th Time trial, National Championships

2017

1st Overall Rás na mBan

1st Queen of the Hills classification^[93]

1st Stages 3^[94] & 4^[95]

3rd Ljubljana–Domžale–Ljubljana TT

National Championships

4th Road race

5th Time trial

7th Overall BeNe Ladies Tour

1st Stage 2a

2023

National Championships

3rd Time trial

4th Road race

7th Gent–Wevelgem

9th Time trial, UEC European Championships

2024

3rd Time trial, National Championships