Emma Finucane: Can cycling’s new star be beaten?
Emma Finucane's dominant performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, where the 23-year-old Welsh track cyclist won four gold medals, has prompted coaches and rivals to describe her as a "generational talent" who could dominate the sport through to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Her success is attributed not just to raw speed but to meticulous preparation and an unusually smooth, efficient riding style, with several experts saying her technique is exceptionally difficult to replicate or teach.
Those who worked with Finucane in Glasgow, including Team Wales sprint coach Rachel Draper and coach Rob Partridge, praised her methodical, disciplined approach off the bike as the foundation for her on-track dominance. Fellow riders, including Katherine Bates and Jenny Holl, highlighted her remarkable stability and fluidity on the bike, noting she barely moves even at maximum power, and pointed to her win in the women's 1km time trial using conventional handlebars, rather than specialist equipment, as evidence of her ability. Holl also suggested that near-misses at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where Finucane took bronze in the individual sprint and keirin, have further fuelled her motivation heading towards Los Angeles 2028.
- Emma Finucane won four golds at Glasgow Commonwealth Games
- Coaches and rivals call her a "generational talent" in cycling
- Experts credit her preparation, smooth technique and rising motivation