Four years after cycling fans thrilled to the competition of the 2012 Olympic Games at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London, Great Britain, the world’s top riders are returning to the venue for the 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships on 2-6 March. In addition to being the World Championships, the event is the final qualification opportunity for Olympic quotas for the 2016 Rio Games, so it holds even more importance than usual.

The organisers announced that over 50,000 tickets have already been snapped up and that 9 of the 12 sessions are sold out.

Great Britain dominated on this track at the 2012 Olympics, winning seven of ten gold medals. However, Event Director Jonny Clay admits that the 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships are unlikely to see such supremacy by one nation. "I think the [Great Britain] team is reasonably confident, but not expecting that level of dominance. In terms of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships, this may be the one leading into the Olympics, but all the teams treat it as just as important as any World Championships in terms of competition."

The racing starts on 2 March with qualifying for the team pursuit for Men, the team sprints for Men and Women, and the Women's individual pursuit. Four titles will be awarded on the first day - both the team sprints, the Women's individual pursuit and the Men's scratch race.

On day two, four more titles will be determined over two sessions, with the finals for the Men's team pursuit and kilometre time trial, plus the Women's scratch race and keirin.

Friday, 4 March, will be the first of two days offering three sessions of competition, and four more titles will be decided. Rainbow jerseys will be awarded in the Women's 500m time trial and team pursuit as well as in the Men's individual pursuit and points race. Friday will also see the start of the Men's sprint and Omnium competitions.

Saturday features the busiest schedule of the Championships, with three titles awarded – in the Men's Omnium and sprint, plus the Women's points race. In addition, the Women's sprint and Omnium get under way.

The World Championships conclude on Sunday with four titles contested: the Women's sprint and Omnium plus the Men's keirin and the traditional closer to the Championships, the Men's Madison.