Track cycling is a
bicycle racingBicycle racing is a sport encompassing many forms in which bicycles are used for competition. This racing includes road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX racing and bike trials and cycle speedway.-History:...
sportSport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determinant of the outcome , but the term is also used to include activities such as...
usually held on specially-built banked tracks or
velodromeA velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
s (but many events are held at older velodromes where the track banking is relatively shallow) using
track bicycleA track bicycle or track bike is a bicycle optimized for racing at a velodrome or outdoor track. Unlike road bicycles, the track bike is a fixed-gear bicycle and so has a single gear and neither freewheel nor brakes. Tires are narrow and inflated to high pressure to reduce rolling resistance....
s.
Track racing is also done on grass tracks marked out on flat sportsfields. Such events are particularly common during the summer in
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
at
Highland GamesHighland games are events held throughout the year in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain aspects of the games are so well known as to have become emblematic of Scotland, such as the...
gatherings, but there are also regular summer events in
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Riding position
Aerodynamic dragAerodynamic drag is the retarding force that acts on moving aerodynamic body in the direction of the freestream flow. From the body's perspective , the drag comes from forces due to pressure distributions over the body surface, symbolized , and forces due to skin friction, which is a result of...
is a significant factor in both road and track racing. Frames are often one-piece molded
carbon fiberCarbon fiber is a material consisting of extremely thin fibers about 0.005–0.010 mm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in microscopic crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
affairs which allows a lightweight and aerodynamically "slippery" design. More traditional bikes might employ
airfoilAn airfoil or aerofoil is the shape of a wing or blade or sail as seen in cross-section....
cross sectional shapes in the
frameA frame is a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction.Frame may also refer to:-Engineering & construction:* Framing , a building term known as light frame construction...
tubes and ever greater attention is being paid to
aerodynamicsAerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
in component group design.
Given the importance of aerodynamics, the riders' sitting position comes extremely into play.
HandlebarHandlebars usually refer to the steering mechanism for bicycles, motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles and personal watercraft; the equivalent of a steering wheel. Besides acting as a steering mechanism, handlebars also may support a portion of the rider's weight, depending on his or her riding position....
s on track bikes used for longer events such as the points race are similar to the drop bars found on road bicycles. The riding position is also similar to the road racing position.
In the sprint event the rider's position is more extreme compared with a road rider. The bars are lower and the saddle is higher and more forward. Bars are often narrower with a deeper drop.
SteelSteel is an alloy consisting mostly of iron, with a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most cost-effective alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
bars, as opposed to lighter
alloyAn alloy is a partial or complete solid solution of one or more elements in a metallic matrix. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may be homogeneous in distribution depending on thermal history...
s or carbon fiber, are still used by many
sprinterSprinter can refer to:in sport:* a person who participates in Sprint * a cycling sprinter* Open-wheeled Sprint car racingmotor vehicles:* the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van...
s for their higher rigidity and durability.
In timed events such as the
pursuitThe individual pursuit is a track cycling event where two cyclists begin the race from a stationary position on opposite sides of the track.The event is held over 4km for men and 3km for women. The two riders start at the same time and set off to complete the race distance in the fastest time. They...
and the
kiloIn the track time trial, a track cycling event, cyclists compete individually against the clock to record the fastest time over the specified distance from a standing start.-The bike:...
, riders often use aerobars or 'triathlon bars' similar to those found on road time trial bicycles, allowing the rider to position the arms closer together in front of the body. This results in a more horizontal back and presents the minimum frontal area to reduce drag. Aerobars can be separate bars that are attached to time trial or bull horn bars, or they can be part of a one-piece
monocoqueMonocoque, from Greek for single and French for shell , is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin. Monocoque construction was first widely used in...
design. Use of aerobars is permitted only in pursuit and time trial events.
Formats of track cycle races are also heavily influenced by aerodynamics. If one rider closely follows, they
draftDrafting or slipstreaming is a technique where two vehicles or objects align in a close group reducing the overall effect of drag due to exploiting the lead object's slipstream...
or
slipstreamA slipstream is a region behind a moving object in which a wake of fluid is moving at velocities comparable to the moving object . The term slipstream also applies to the similar region adjacent to an object with a fluid moving around it...
another, because the leading rider pushes air around themselves; any rider closely following has to push out less air than the lead rider and thus can travel at the same speed while expending less effort. This fact has led to a variety of racing styles that allow clever riders or teams to exploit this tactical advantage, as well as formats that simply test strength, speed and endurance.
During the early 1990s in individual pursuit events, some riders, most notably
Graeme ObreeGraeme Obree is a Scottish racing cyclist who twice broke the world hour record, in July 1993 and April 1994, and was the individual pursuit world champion in 1993 and 1995. He was known for his unusual riding positions and for a bicycle he built which included parts from a washing machine...
, adopted a straight-armed
SupermanSuperman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective Comics, Inc...
-like position with their arms fully extended horizontally, but this position was subsequently outlawed by the
Union Cycliste InternationaleUnion Cycliste Internationale is a cycling association that oversees competitive cycling events internationally. It is the world governing body for jurisdiction in the sport of cycling. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland...
, the sport's ruling body.
Recumbent bicycleA recumbent bicycle is a bicycle that places the rider in a laid-back reclining position. Most recumbent riders choose this type of design for ergonomic reasons; the rider’s weight is distributed comfortably over several square feet of the back and buttocks....
s can actually be ridden faster, but are banned from UCI competition. The
International Human Powered Vehicle AssociationThe International Human Powered Vehicle Association is dedicated to promoting the design and development of human powered vehicles.- History :...
is a separate organisation that runs recumbent races, including the human-powered speed record.
Main centres
Track cycling is particularly popular in Europe, notably
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
,
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
and the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
where it is often used as off-season training by road racers (professional
six-day 'Madison' eventsA six or six-day is a track cycling race that lasts six days. Six-day races started in Britain, spread to many regions of the world, were brought to their modern style in the United States and are now mainly a European event. Initially, individuals competed alone, the winner being the individual...
were often entered by two-man teams comprising a leading road racer and a track specialist).
The sport also has significant followings in
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
. It is part of the
Summer Olympic GamesThe Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
, and there are UCI Track World Championships as well as circuits of professional events in many areas.
In the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, track racing reached a peak of popularity in the 1930s when six-day races were held in
Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four arenas in New York City. It is also the name of the entity which owns the arena and several of the professional sports franchises which play there. There have been four incarnations of...
in New York. The word "Madison" is still used as the name for this type of race in
six-day racingA six or six-day is a track cycling race that lasts six days. Six-day races started in Britain, spread to many regions of the world, were brought to their modern style in the United States and are now mainly a European event. Initially, individuals competed alone, the winner being the individual...
.
Race Formats
Track cycling events fit into two broad categories, Sprint races and Endurance races. Riders will 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 races are generally between 3 and 8 laps in length and focus on raw sprinting power over a small number of laps and race tactics to defeat opponents. Sprint riders will train specifically to compete in races of this length and will not compete in longer endurance races. Famous Sprint track riders at present include
Chris HoySir Christopher Andrew "Chris" Hoy MBE is a track cyclist representing Great Britain and Scotland. He is a multiple world champion and Olympic Games gold medal winner...
and
Jason KennyJason Francis Kenny MBE is an English track cyclist, specialising in the individual and team sprints. After winning multiple World and European Junior titles in 2006 and achieving medals in the under 23 European championships in 2007, Kenny was selected ahead of Ross Edgar to compete for Great...
of Great Britain and
Theo BosTheo Bos is a Dutch road cyclist and former track cyclist, Olympic silver medalist and five-time world champion. He lives in Alkmaar, Netherlands. Theo Bos is the brother of Olympic medalist in speed skating Jan Bos.-Early life:Theo Bos was born on 22 August 1983 in Hierden, Netherlands...
of The Netherlands.
Main Sprint Events
- Sprint
The sprint is a track cycling event involving a one-on-one match race between opponents who, unlike in the individual pursuit, start next to each other.- Racing style :...
- Team sprint
- Keirin
is a track cycling event in which racing cyclists sprint for victory. Keirin originated in Japan in 1948; the first Olympic competitions in the sport occurred in 2000.- Description :...
- Track time trial
In the track time trial, a track cycling event, cyclists compete individually against the clock to record the fastest time over the specified distance from a standing start.-The bike:...
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 Strach Race. The length of these races varies from 12 - 16 laps for the Individual and Team Pursuit races, right up to 200 laps for a full length Madison race in World Championships or Olympic Games.
Main Endurance Events
- Individual pursuit
The individual pursuit is a track cycling event where two cyclists begin the race from a stationary position on opposite sides of the track.The event is held over 4km for men and 3km for women. The two riders start at the same time and set off to complete the race distance in the fastest time. They...
- Team pursuit
The team pursuit is a track cycling event similar to the individual pursuit, except that two teams, each of up to four riders, compete, start on opposite sides of the velodrome.- Race format :...
- Scratch race
- Points race
A points race is a mass start track cycling event involving large numbers of riders simultaneously on track. It is an Olympic discipline.This race can be one of the more confusing races to watch for less familiar viewers. Put simply this is a race over a long distance, usually 120-160 laps for men...
- Madison
The madison is a team event in track cycling, named after Madison Square Garden in New York, and known as the "American race" in French and in Italian and Spanish as Americana.-History:...
- Omnium
An Omnium is a multiple race event in track cycling in which all contestants compete against each other in five different disciplines. The omnium can be considered the event which determines the best all-round track cyclist as the disciplines feature both sprint events and endurance events. The...
- Handicap
- Miss and Out
Miss and Out, Devil Take the Hindmost or elimination race is a massed start track cycling distance event. It is not a world championship or Olympic discipline but a popular event for spectators and riders at track meetings at a lower level and usually incorporated into Six-Day races.The race is run...
, elimination or 'Devil Take the Hindmost'
World Track Cycling - Major Events
Olympic Games
Held every four years as part of the summer Olympics. There are currently 10 events in the Olympics, less than appear in the World Championship. 7 of these events are for men while only 3 are for women. Competition is held over five days.
As with other Olympic events the winner of each event is Olympic Champion and gold medal winner, while second and third places receive silver and bronze. At the most recent Olympics in China in 2008, Great Britain were the most successful nation in track cycling. They won 7 out of the ten events and also won several silver and bronze medals.
Chris HoySir Christopher Andrew "Chris" Hoy MBE is a track cyclist representing Great Britain and Scotland. He is a multiple world champion and Olympic Games gold medal winner...
won three gold medals while
Bradley WigginsBradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for . He won three medals on the track at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, and a further two at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics...
won two. The next summer Olympics are in London in 2012.
UCI Track World Championships
Held every year, usually in March or April at the end of the winter track season. There are currently 17 events in the World Championships, 9 for men and 8 for women. Qualification places are determined by different countries performance during the World Cup Classic series held through the season (see below).
The winner of each event wins the title of world champion and the gold medal. They are presented with the world champions rainbow jersey. This is a white jersey with rainbow stripes across the centre and can be won with pride by the winner whenever they compete in that event over the coming year. Second and third placed riders win the silver and bronze medals. The most recent World Championship were held in Pruszków in March 2009, the
2009 UCI Track Cycling World ChampionshipsThe 2009 UCI Track Cycling World Championships are the World Championship for track cycling. They took place at the BGŻ Arena in Pruszków, Poland from 25 to 29 March 2009...
. Australia finished as the most successful nation in these championships. They won 4 of the 19 events and also several silver and bronze medals.
Grégory BaugéGrégory Baugé is a French professional racing cyclist specializing in track cycling.-Career highlights:20022003...
and
Alex RasmussenAlex Nicki Rasmussen is a Danish professional racing cyclist. Rasmussen specialises in track cycling, and was the Scratch world champion in 2005...
both took two world titles while Elizabeth Armitstead,
Simona KrupeckaitėSimona Krupeckaite is a Lithuanian professional racing cyclist.-Career highlights:2003200420052006Simona Krupeckaite is a Lithuanian professional racing cyclist....
and
Victoria PendletonVictoria Pendleton MBE is a British Olympic and world champion track cyclist.-Early years:Born in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, her father was a British national grass track cycling champion. She rode her first race, a 400m event on the grass track at Fordham at the age of 9...
won a total of three medals each. The next championships will be held in Ballerup, Denmark in March 2010.
UCI Track Cycling World Cup ClassicsThe UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is the elite men and women's season-long competition in track cycling, which now comprises several rounds, each held in a different country. The 1995 World Cup had six rounds, this was reduced to four in 1998, 1999-2001 compromised of five rounds before...
The World Cup Classics series consists of 5 events for 2008, previously 4, held in different countries throughout the world during the winter track cycling season. These meeting include all of the 17 events that take place in a World Championship and are usually spread over three days.
Events won and points scored by the riders throughout this series count towards qualification places for their nation in the World Championships at the end of the season. The overall leader in each event wears the points leaders jersey at each race, with the overall winner at the end of the season keeping the jersey and wearing it at the World Championships. Riders compete for their own country or as part of a sponsored trade team at these events. Therefore it is possible for a number of teams from one country to compete at each event.
As World Championship qualification is at stake, the events do attract a top field of riders. However it is common for top riders not to compete at all the events of the series, with teams/countries often using the events to field younger riders or attempt different line ups at some events. Top riders can still win the series, or obtain good a placing for qualification points for their country, without competing at every event.
The first event of the 2008/2009 season took place in Manchester in October/November 2008. The event, on the back of Britain's recent World Championship and Olympic success, was a complete sell out. Great Britain dominated this meeting, winning 14 of the 17 events.
The first event of the 2009/2010 season will again be in Manchester, from 30 October to 1 November. The event's website is www.trackworldcup.co.uk
Track records
In addition to regular track racing, tracks are also the venue for many cycling records. These are over either a fixed distance or for a fixed period of time. The most famous of these is the
hour recordThe hour record for bicycles is the record for the longest distance cycled in one hour on a bicycle. There are several records. The most famous is for upright bicycles meeting the requirements of the Union Cycliste Internationale . It is one of the most prestigious in cycling...
, which involves simply riding as far as possible in one hour. The history of the hour record is replete with exploits by some of the greatest names in cycling from both road and track racing (including, among others, Major Taylor,
Henri DesgrangeHenri Desgrange was a French bicycle racer and sports journalist. He set 12 world track cycling records, including the hour record of 35.325 kilometres on 11 May 1893. He was the first organiser of the Tour de France....
,
Fausto CoppiAngelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the second world war. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...
,
Jacques AnquetilJacques Anquetil was a French road racing cyclist and the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, in 1957 and from 1961 to 1964...
,
Eddy MerckxEdouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
,
Francesco MoserFrancesco Moser , nicknamed "Lo sceriffo" , is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the dominant riders from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, and won the 1984 Giro d'Italia, the 1977 world road racing championship and six victories in three of the five classics...
,
Miguel Indurainthumb|Miguel Indurain [[1993 Tour de France ]].Miguel Ángel Indurain Larraya is a retired Spanish road racing cyclist. He is best known for winning the Tour de France from 1991 to 1995, becoming only the fourth person to win the event five times, and the first to win five in a row...
and
Tony RomingerTony Rominger is a Swiss former professional road racing cyclist who won the Vuelta a España in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and the Giro d'Italia in 1995.He began cycling late, allegedly spurred by competition with his brother...
). Originally, attempts were made at velodromes with reputations for being fast (such as the
Velodromo VigorelliVelodromo Vigorelli is a velodrome in Milan, Italy. It is currently used mostlyfor American football events. The stadium holds 9,000 people and was built in 1935. It is a significant cycling landmark because it was home to the hour record from 1935 to 1967....
in
MilanMilan in Italy, is the capital of the region of Lombardia and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while the urban area is the fifth largest in the E.U. with an estimated population of 4.3 million...
). More recently, attempts have moved to
high-altitudeHigh altitude are regions on the Earth's surface that are high above mean sea level. The pressure and temperature of the atmosphere at high altitude is substantially different than at sea level. These differences can affect living organisms, including humans...
locations, such as
Mexico CityMexico City is the capital city of Mexico. It is the economic, industrial, and cultural center in the country, and the most populous city, with about 8,836,045 inhabitants in 2008...
, where the thinner air results in lower aerodynamic drag, which more than offsets the added difficulty of breathing. Innovations in equipment and the rider's position on the bike have also led to dramatic improvements in the hour record, but have also been a source of controversy (see
Graeme ObreeGraeme Obree is a Scottish racing cyclist who twice broke the world hour record, in July 1993 and April 1994, and was the individual pursuit world champion in 1993 and 1995. He was known for his unusual riding positions and for a bicycle he built which included parts from a washing machine...
).
See also
- Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is a cycling association that oversees competitive cycling events internationally. It is the world governing body for jurisdiction in the sport of cycling. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland...
- Schuermann
Schuermann Architects of Münster, Germany, is a dynasty of architects specialising in the design of velodromes, cycle tracks and indoor athletics tracks since 1925....
- Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
- List of cycling tracks and velodromes
- Six-day racing
A six or six-day is a track cycling race that lasts six days. Six-day races started in Britain, spread to many regions of the world, were brought to their modern style in the United States and are now mainly a European event. Initially, individuals competed alone, the winner being the individual...
External links