Track Cycling

Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes (but many events are held at older velodromes where the track banking is relatively shallow) using track bicycles.

Race formats
Track cycling events fit into two broad categories: sprint races and endurance races. Riders will typically fall into one category and not compete in the other. Riders with good all round ability in the junior ranks will decide to focus on one area or another before moving up to the senior ranks.

Sprint
Sprint races are generally between 8 and 10 laps in length and focus on raw sprinting power and race tactics over a small number of laps to defeat opponents. Sprint riders will train specifically to compete in races of this length and will not compete in longer endurance races.

The main sprint events are:

• Sprint
• Team sprint
• Keirin
• Track time trial

Endurance
Endurance races are held over much longer distances. While these primarily test the riders endurance abilities, the ability to sprint effectively is also required in the Madison, points race and scratch race. The length of these races varies from 12–16 laps for the individual and team pursuit races, up to 120 laps for a full length Madison race in World Championships or Olympic Games.

The main endurance events are:

• Individual pursuit
• Team pursuit
• Scratch race
• Points race
• Madison
• Omnium
• Handicap or Hare and Hounds
• Miss and Out, eliminationor “Devil Take the Hindmost”