# From rivals to team-mates – Ball links up with Pope

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/from-rivals-to-team-mates-ball-links-up-with-pope/
- Published: 2026-10-28T07:04:48+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-28T08:09:30+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC Sport (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/articles/cqwy7j5kr3y1o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Sport

## Key points

- James Ball has partnered with Aaron Pope.
- They will compete at the track world championships in Apeldoorn.
- The duo are building towards the 2028 Paralympics.

## Summary

British para-cyclist James Ball has teamed up with Aaron Pope, who previously piloted rival Neil Fachie, as he prepares for the track world championships. The new partnership will aim to defend Ball’s world titles and build towards the 2028 Paralympics.

The pair raced against each other at the Commonwealth Games three months ago: Pope helped Fachie win two golds for Scotland, while Ball and Matt Rotherham took two silvers for Wales. Ball, 35, is now on his sixth pilot and says each new partnership brings a fresh start; the championships in Apeldoorn will help them gauge their form against a growing field of international tandems.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.