The pride, the pressure, the place on the line: Will Roberts targets Glasgow 2026
Less than six months out from Glasgow 2026, Will Roberts is chasing selection for Team Wales and another chance to wear the red skinsuit that means more to him than anything else in the sport.
Ask any athlete, from any sport, to put into words what it means to represent their country, and they may struggle – the overarching pride, passion, and responsibility something only the minority will experience, the honour often the pinnacle of their career.
It’s huge, it’s very hard to describe. I could probably send you a couple of thousand words on it,
“It’s huge, it’s very hard to describe. I could probably send you a couple of thousand words on it,” offers Will Roberts, the 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist pausing for thought when asked what it means to represent Wales, chatting to The British Continental from the National Track Championships in Manchester.
Roberts is speaking with less than six months to go until the 2026 Games in Glasgow, confirming that the four days of competition in the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome is his main aim for this season.
Image: Milan Josy
“I have to be selected first,” he is careful to point out, however, competition for places in Team Wales is high with emerging talents such as Sam Fisher, Ben Marsh and Will Salter vying for spots with the likes of Roberts and eight-time national champion Will Perrett, who revealed his ambition to represent the country to The British Continental last month.
“Unless a crazy opportunity comes up, it’s one of the last main goals I’ve got. It’s been a year or two in the making now,” he explains, the closure of his Saint Piran team in 2024 leaving him at a crossroads.
I had a contract for 2025, so it was like, do I quit now?
“I had a contract for 2025, so it was like, do I quit now?” he asks, the answer clear for all to see as the 27-year-old, sporting a dragon-emblazoned polo shirt, sets up his equipment ahead of that morning’s elimination race heats.
“I managed to find Dolan who helped with bikes and kit and facilitated some racing, so that was pretty helpful, but this year now, it’s all about the Commonwealth Games, so fingers crossed I get selected,” he repeats. “There’s a lot of hard work to do to get there.”
Roberts did his chances no harm with a silver medal in the previous evening’s scratch race, turning the selectors’ heads by attacking a strong field halfway through the 10km race with eventual winner Matt Bostock.
“It’s important for selection, it’s important to put in a good showing, but this isn’t a peak. This is on the way to a peak, hopefully,” he replies when asked if he had arrived in Manchester close to his best with a place at the Games on the line.
Image: Will Roberts
“Maybe with a bit of old age it’s getting hard to get some good form,” the 27-year-old continues, raising a wry smile. “All winter long, the last few months haven’t been going that well. I’ve been going slow, and suffering, up until about a week ago. I’m starting to get some speed and I’m going alright now, fingers crossed.”
Roberts has formed part of a Team Wales squad which have claimed the Team Pursuit national title for the past three years, something to boost his confidence as he looks to avenge a heart-wrenching fourth place at the Birmingham Games four years ago.
“That was the most emotion I’ve ever had in a race, and not really a good one,” he explains, demonstrating just what it means to represent his country on the biggest stage.
“Realistically we were never going to get bronze, we were going up against Australia who a year later broke the world record then won the Olympics, so that’s a pretty ridiculous thing to hope for. But in the hours before I really believed in it, and I couldn’t control…”
Roberts pauses to try and find the right words, this time a couple of thousand not required. “Almost tears,” he settles on. “It sounds a bit fluffy, but it was a bit ridiculous.
It’s not on the same level as representing Wales and what it means – I wouldn’t end up crying from coming fourth in a Cairo Nations Cup
“After the last commies I had the chance to represent GB, which was amazing, it was brilliant, but I only did a couple of World Cups, which is really, really good, but it’s not on the same level as representing Wales and what it means – I wouldn’t end up crying from coming fourth in a Cairo Nations Cup.”
Away from the track, Roberts has demonstrated this immense pride in his Welsh identity through being part of the Team Wales Athletes Commission for the upcoming Games.
“It’s not just for Welsh cyclists, it’s for Team Wales in general, so all sports, and it’s basically a voice between the athletes and some of the higher-up staff to make decisions, so it’s a much more athlete-centred team now as a result of that,” he explains.
Image: Will Roberts
“The things we can get involved in – there would be a team from the athletes commission that would go along to have an input into the kit design, the way we do things like travel to the Games, the way we’re engaging with younger people going out to schools and stuff – I’ve been to a few myself with some other athletes, just to show them a bike and other equipment.”
One thing the athletes commission has discussed, Roberts says, is the broadcast partnership between the Games and TNT Sports, putting the action, like the vast majority of cycling, behind a paywall, with the BBC still in negotiations about showing “as much as possible.”
For my nan at home, yeah, that’s quite important, so hopefully it’ll be easy to access
“For my nan at home, yeah, that’s quite important, so hopefully it’ll be easy to access,” he says, the broadcast deal a symptom of the battle to keep the Games alive with planned hosts of both the 2022 and 2026 editions, Durban and the state of Victoria, pulling out at short notice, replacement Glasgow running a reduced programme of sports with road cycling among those axed as part of cost-cutting measures.
“The 2030 Games are announced in India, for the 100th anniversary, so that’s locked in. After that it might be difficult,” muses Roberts, pondering the future of the Games which mean so much to him, and to Welsh sport.
“There’s enough people who want to make it happen, it just might look different in the future.
“It is hard, it’s a difficult thing. The President of the Commonwealth Games, Chris Jenkins, is Welsh, and he is doing a PhD in sustainable games, so he’s the right man for the job to try and make it happen.”
With the future of the Commonwealth Games remaining uncertain, Roberts’ own participation in Glasgow runs parallel to that. Finishing the interview by stating, once again, that he hopes he is selected, one thing is for certain – Roberts will be brimming with pride if he does get to pull on the red skinsuit again.
Ask any athlete, from any sport, to put into words what it means to represent their country, and they may struggle – the overarching pride, passion, and responsibility something only the minority will experience, the honour often the pinnacle of their career.
“It’s huge, it’s very hard to describe. I could probably send you a couple of thousand words on it,” offers Will Roberts, the 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist pausing for thought when asked what it means to represent Wales, chatting to The British Continental from the National Track Championships in Manchester.
Roberts is speaking with less than six months to go until the 2026 Games in Glasgow, confirming that the four days of competition in the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome is his main aim for this season.
“I have to be selected first,” he is careful to point out, however, competition for places in Team Wales is high with emerging talents such as Sam Fisher, Ben Marsh and Will Salter vying for spots with the likes of Roberts and eight-time national champion Will Perrett, who revealed his ambition to represent the country to The British Continental last month.
“Unless a crazy opportunity comes up, it’s one of the last main goals I’ve got. It’s been a year or two in the making now,” he explains, the closure of his Saint Piran team in 2024 leaving him at a crossroads.
“I had a contract for 2025, so it was like, do I quit now?” he asks, the answer clear for all to see as the 27-year-old, sporting a dragon-emblazoned polo shirt, sets up his equipment ahead of that morning’s elimination race heats.
“I managed to find Dolan who helped with bikes and kit and facilitated some racing, so that was pretty helpful, but this year now, it’s all about the Commonwealth Games, so fingers crossed I get selected,” he repeats. “There’s a lot of hard work to do to get there.”
Roberts did his chances no harm with a silver medal in the previous evening’s scratch race, turning the selectors’ heads by attacking a strong field halfway through the 10km race with eventual winner Matt Bostock.
“It’s important for selection, it’s important to put in a good showing, but this isn’t a peak. This is on the way to a peak, hopefully,” he replies when asked if he had arrived in Manchester close to his best with a place at the Games on the line.
“Maybe with a bit of old age it’s getting hard to get some good form,” the 27-year-old continues, raising a wry smile. “All winter long, the last few months haven’t been going that well. I’ve been going slow, and suffering, up until about a week ago. I’m starting to get some speed and I’m going alright now, fingers crossed.”
Roberts has formed part of a Team Wales squad which have claimed the Team Pursuit national title for the past three years, something to boost his confidence as he looks to avenge a heart-wrenching fourth place at the Birmingham Games four years ago.
“That was the most emotion I’ve ever had in a race, and not really a good one,” he explains, demonstrating just what it means to represent his country on the biggest stage.
“Realistically we were never going to get bronze, we were going up against Australia who a year later broke the world record then won the Olympics, so that’s a pretty ridiculous thing to hope for. But in the hours before I really believed in it, and I couldn’t control…”
Roberts pauses to try and find the right words, this time a couple of thousand not required. “Almost tears,” he settles on. “It sounds a bit fluffy, but it was a bit ridiculous.
“After the last commies I had the chance to represent GB, which was amazing, it was brilliant, but I only did a couple of World Cups, which is really, really good, but it’s not on the same level as representing Wales and what it means – I wouldn’t end up crying from coming fourth in a Cairo Nations Cup.”
Away from the track, Roberts has demonstrated this immense pride in his Welsh identity through being part of the Team Wales Athletes Commission for the upcoming Games.
“It’s not just for Welsh cyclists, it’s for Team Wales in general, so all sports, and it’s basically a voice between the athletes and some of the higher-up staff to make decisions, so it’s a much more athlete-centred team now as a result of that,” he explains.
“The things we can get involved in – there would be a team from the athletes commission that would go along to have an input into the kit design, the way we do things like travel to the Games, the way we’re engaging with younger people going out to schools and stuff – I’ve been to a few myself with some other athletes, just to show them a bike and other equipment.”
One thing the athletes commission has discussed, Roberts says, is the broadcast partnership between the Games and TNT Sports, putting the action, like the vast majority of cycling, behind a paywall, with the BBC still in negotiations about showing “as much as possible.”
“For my nan at home, yeah, that’s quite important, so hopefully it’ll be easy to access,” he says, the broadcast deal a symptom of the battle to keep the Games alive with planned hosts of both the 2022 and 2026 editions, Durban and the state of Victoria, pulling out at short notice, replacement Glasgow running a reduced programme of sports with road cycling among those axed as part of cost-cutting measures.
“The 2030 Games are announced in India, for the 100th anniversary, so that’s locked in. After that it might be difficult,” muses Roberts, pondering the future of the Games which mean so much to him, and to Welsh sport.
“There’s enough people who want to make it happen, it just might look different in the future.
“It is hard, it’s a difficult thing. The President of the Commonwealth Games, Chris Jenkins, is Welsh, and he is doing a PhD in sustainable games, so he’s the right man for the job to try and make it happen.”
With the future of the Commonwealth Games remaining uncertain, Roberts’ own participation in Glasgow runs parallel to that. Finishing the interview by stating, once again, that he hopes he is selected, one thing is for certain – Roberts will be brimming with pride if he does get to pull on the red skinsuit again.
Share this:
Discover more from The British Continental
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.