City cyclist Harshveer Singh Sekhon achieved yet another historic milestone as he qualified for the omnium event at the UCI World Track Cycling Championships.The tournament will be held at Denmark from October 16 to October 20.The omnium is a combined competition in which riders must compete in four races — scratch, tempo, elimination and points — in that order.With the latest qualification, Sekhon will now represent India in two disciplines — the elimination race and the omnium — at the world’s biggest annual track cycling event.Sekhon is the first Indian cyclist to qualify for the elimination race at the World Championships. His entry into the omnium further underlines his growing stature in international track cycling and marks another landmark moment for the discipline in India.The omnium is regarded as one of the most demanding events in track cycling, comprising races that test a rider’s endurance, tactical awareness, speed and consistency. Earning qualification in the discipline reflects Sekhon’s impressive UCI ranking built through consistent performances in international competitions over the past two seasons.He has steadily accumulated valuable ranking points by competing in UCI-sanctioned events across Asia and Europe, besides delivering podium finishes in continental competitions.A former national champion in the omnium, Sekhon has been among India’s most consistent endurance riders. He won the national omnium title and has also claimed medals at the Asia Cup. Most recently, he represented India at the Asian Games and participated in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. His performances earned him a place among India’s top-ranked endurance cyclists, leading to his selection for elite European training and competition camps by the Cycling Federation of India (CFI).Sekhon’s sporting journey has been equally inspiring. A former international roller skater and Asian medallist, he switched to cycling in search of greater opportunities and quickly established himself as one of the nation’s finest endurance cyclists.A resident of Citizen Enclave, Barewal Road, Ludhiana, and an alumnus of DAV Public School, BRS Nagar, and Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, he has largely built his career while attending international preparation camps in Europe ahead of major competitions. According to Sekhon, he often trained independently and significantly increased his workload before major championships to meet world-class standards.For the world championships, Sekhon has been part of the national endurance programme under the guidance of Joginder, chief endurance coach, at the National Centre of Excellence, Patiala. He also benefitted from exposure during European training camps organised by the CFI.The UCI World Track Cycling Championships will feature the world’s finest cyclists competing for coveted jerseys. Sekhon’s participation in two events is being viewed as a watershed moment for Indian track cycling, highlighting the country’s growing competitiveness in endurance events.Members of the cycling fraternity hailed the double qualification as one of the biggest achievements by an Indian track cyclist in recent years. They expressed confidence that Sekhon’s performances in Denmark will inspire a new generation of cyclists and strengthen India’s prospects on the international stage.Cycling enthusiasts in the city believe the development could be a turning point for the sport locally. “His qualification has brought the spotlight on Ludhiana’s cycling talent and the potential of state’s youngsters to make their mark on the international stage,” a local sports promoter said.Rupinder Saluja, president, Cycling Association of Ludhiana District (CALD); Satinder Singh, alias Vicky, secretary; and Mandeep Singh Kalsi, treasurer, congratulated Sekhon on his qualification and wished him the best for his campaign in Denmark. They expressed hope that he will put up an impressive performance against the world’s best cyclists and bring laurels to the country.“For Sekhon, the challenge is to convert the historic qualification into a memorable performance when he takes on the worlds’ best under the spotlight in Denmark,” they said.