Track cycling is a racing discipline in the sport of cycling and is usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using purpose-designed track bicycles.
History
Records from 1870 show track cycling has been around since at least this time if not earlier and events were held in velodromes similar to the ones used today consisting of 2 straights and slightly banked turns. Indoor tracks enabled year-round cycling for the first time. The most obvious evolutions throughout the history of track cycling have concerned the bikes themselves, which have been engineered to be lighter and more aerodynamic to enable faster times. Track cycling has been featured in every modern Olympic Games except the 1912 Games. Women's track cycling events were first included in the modern Olympics in 1988.
Track cycling is particularly popular in Europe where it is often used as off-season training by road racers who regularly compete at 6-day events. These races were held in Madison Square Garden in New York as early as the 1930s and the word "Madison" is still used as the name for a type of race. In Japan, the keirin race format is a very popular betting sport.
Format & Scoring
Fixed-gear bicycles without freewheel or brakes and with very narrow high-pressure tires are used for track cycling. All components including the frame are designed to be lightweight to give maximum speed. Since 1990, international velodromes are built at a length of 250 metres, though tracks of other lengths are still in use. The angle of the banks of a velodrome track varies too.
Track cycling events are divided into 2 main categories: sprint races and endurance races. Riders will typically specialise in one or the other.
- Sprint - generally between 3 and 8 laps in length focusing on sprinting power and race tactics to defeat opponents. Sprint riders train specifically to compete in races of this length and do not generally compete in endurance events. The main sprint events are: sprint, team sprint, keirin, track time trial
- Endurance - held over longer distances. These races test the rider's endurance as well as tactics and speed. The length of the events varies by race type, whether it is a part of the Omnium or not, and the gender of the competitors. Many track endurance riders also compete in road cycling events. The main endurance events are: individual pursuit, team pursuit, scratch race, points race, Madison, Omnium
