Tandem Cycling: James Ball Partners With Aaron Pope for Dutch Championship
The Welsh rider swaps rivals for teammates three months after their Glasgow encounter.
By Pedro Tanaka ·
James Ball will race alongside Aaron Pope starting Thursday at the World Para Track Cycling Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. This marks the beginning of a new partnership for the 35-year-old Welsh cyclist, who is looking to retain the world titles he secured in 2025.
The pairing represents a shift from recent competition. Three months ago, Ball and Pope were rivals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Pope piloted Neil Fachie to two gold medals, while Ball and Matt Rotherham finished second in the men's tandem B 1,000m time trial and the men's sprint. Now, the former opponents have become teammates.
Ball describes the change as a professional reset. He noted that working with a new pilot feels similar to his experience with Steffan Lloyd ahead of the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Ball said, "It's like when I had Steff Lloyd for Paris [Paralympics 2024]. It was a whole new exciting time to be on the bike together. We're looking forward to seeing what we can do now."
The competition in Apeldoorn serves as a performance check before the 2026 World Championships in Paris. Ball stated that the Dutch event is a place to gauge the team's standing against global rivals. He added, "We've got the big one next year in Paris to sort of solidify our place for LA [Paralympics 2028]." The current championship runs from 29 October to 1 November at the Omnisport Apeldoorn Velodrome.
Ball has competed at nine previous world championships, collecting eight golds, six silvers, and four bronzes. He also holds two gold medals from the 2024 Paris Paralympics. With his long-time rival Neil Fachie retiring at age 42, Ball sees an opportunity to extend his career. He aims to defend his Paris sprint title in Los Angeles in 2028, though the 1km time trial has been removed from that program.
The start list for the Dutch championships includes multiple strong tandem teams. Ball observed an increase in competitors, noting the presence of two Australian bikes, two German bikes, and a French team. He believes the increased competition will help the sport grow as athletes set benchmarks for the next two years.
Source: Casualty
