View source for Track cycling

{{Short description|Bicycle racing sport}}
{{Infobox sport
| name       = Track Cycling
| image      = Cycling at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Men's sprint 1-32 finals - 13.jpg
| alt        = 
| imagesize  = 300px
| caption    = A track cycling race at the third round of [[2024 Summer Olympics]] in the [[Vélodrome National]] in Paris, France
| union      = [[Union Cycliste Internationale|UCI]]
| nickname   = 
| first      = 
| firstlabel = 
| region     = Worldwide
| registered = 
| clubs      = 
| contact    = No, although occasionally unavoidable
| team       = Individuals and team
| mgender    = No
| type       = [[Cycle sport]]
| equipment  = [[Track bicycle]]
| venue      = [[Velodrome]]
| olympic    = Yes, men's since [[1896 Summer Olympics|1896]] and women's since [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984]] (with restrictions until 2012)
| world      = 
| paralympic = Yes, men's and women's since [[1996 Summer Paralympics|1996]]
| obsolete   = 
}}
[[File:Cycling (track) pictogram.svg|right|200px|thumb|Pictogram for [[Cycling at the Summer Olympics]]]]
'''Track cycling''' is a [[Cycle sport|bicycle racing]] [[sport]] usually held on specially built banked tracks or [[velodrome]]s using purpose-designed [[track bicycle]]s.

==History==

[[File:Paris2.jpg|thumb|An outdoor track race in Paris in 1908 featuring [[Major Taylor]], the first African-American cyclist to become world champion]]
[[File:Aero special, racing bicycle, c 1910, Bike Museum, Balassagyarmat.jpg|thumb|Aero Special track bicycle, original, c. 1910]]
Track cycling has been around since at least 1870. When track cycling was in its infancy, it was held on velodromes similar to the ones used today.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.olympic.org/cycling-track-equipment-and-history|title=Cycling Track Equipment and History - Olympic Sport History|date=15 May 2018|website=International Olympic Committee|language=en|access-date=19 January 2019}}</ref> These velodromes consisted of two straights and slightly banked turns, though they varied more in length and material than the modern 250 m track.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/get_involved/4261854.stm|title=History of track cycling|date=13 December 2005|access-date=6 November 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/cycling|title=Cycling {{!}} sport|website=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en|access-date=6 November 2019}}</ref>

One appeal of indoor track racing was that spectators could be easily controlled, and hence an entrance fee could be charged, making track racing a lucrative sport. Early track races attracted crowds of up to 2,000 people. Indoor tracks also enabled year-round cycling for the first time. The main early centers for track racing in Britain were Birmingham, Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester and London.

The most noticeable changes in over a century of track cycling have concerned the bikes themselves, engineered to be lighter and more aerodynamic to enable ever-faster times.

Track cycling has been featured in every [[modern Olympic Games]] except the [[1912 Olympics|1912 Games]]. Women's track cycling events were first included in the modern Olympics in 1988.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stillmed.olympic.org/AssetsDocs/OSC%20Section/pdf/QR_sports_summer/Sports_olympiques_cyclisme_sur_piste_eng.pdf|title=Cycling: The History of Track Cycling at the Olympic Games|date=March 2015|website=Olympic Studies Centre|access-date=6 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926125930/https://stillmed.olympic.org/AssetsDocs/OSC%20Section/pdf/QR_sports_summer/Sports_olympiques_cyclisme_sur_piste_eng.pdf|archive-date=26 September 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> The sport was moved indoors since [[2000 Summer Olympics]] in [[Sydney]], Australia, mainly because of the hot weather.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.olympic.org/cycling-track-equipment-and-history|title=Cycling Track Equipment and History - Olympic Sport History|date=15 May 2018|website=International Olympic Committee|language=en|access-date=19 January 2019}}</ref>

Along the decades, track lengths have been gradually reduced. Early velodromes varied in length between 130 and 500 metres long. By the 1960s to 1989, a standard length of {{convert|333.333|m|ftin|3}} length was commonly used for international competitions. Since 1990, international velodromes are built with a length of {{convert|250|m|yd|3}}, though tracks of many lengths are still in use.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.velodrome.shop/velodrome|title=Track Cycling Guides - Velodrome|website=Velodrome Shop|access-date=6 November 2019}}</ref>

==Main centres==

[[File:Indoor cycling on the velodrome of Alkmaar, Netherlands. W. Gopro hero3 black.webm|thumb|Indoor cycling at the [[Sportpaleis Alkmaar]], Netherlands]]
Track cycling is particularly popular in Europe, notably Belgium, France, Germany and the United Kingdom where it is often used as off-season training by road racers who can frequently be seen at professional [[six-day racing|six-day events]] (races entered by two-rider teams.)

In the United States, track racing reached a peak of popularity in the 1930s when six-day races were held in [[Madison Square Garden (1925)|Madison Square Garden]] in New York. The word "[[Madison (cycling)|Madison]]" is still used as the name for a type of race.

In Japan, the [[keirin]] race format is a very popular betting sport. The sport is well-regarded, and riders are extensively trained through the Japanese Keirin School.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.unmissablejapan.com/events/keirin|title=Keirin – Japan's Olympic Sport|website=www.unmissablejapan.com|access-date=22 November 2019}}</ref>

==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.

===Bicycles===
{{Main|Track bicycle}}
The bicycles used are optimized for track racing; they are fixed-gear bicycles without freewheel or brakes, with narrow tires inflated to high pressure. Frame and other components are designed for rigidity and lightness, to give maximum speed over the distance of the race (sprint or longer).

=== Sprint ===

Sprint races are generally between 3 and 8 laps in length and focus on raw sprinting power and race tactics over a small number of laps to defeat opponents.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.velodrome.shop/faqevents-sprint|title=Track Cycling Sprint Events|website=www.velodrome.shop|access-date=18 November 2019}}</ref> Sprint riders train specifically to compete in races of this length, and do not generally compete in endurance events.

The main sprint events are:
{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}
*[[Sprint (cycling)|Sprint]]
*[[Team sprint]]
*[[Keirin]]
*[[Track time trial]]
{{div col end}}

=== Endurance ===
Endurance races are held over longer distances. These races test the riders' endurance capacity, as well as tactics and speed. The length of track endurance events varies by race type, whether it is a part of the [[Omnium]] or not, and the gender of the competitors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.velodrome.shop/faqevents-endurance|title=Track Cycling Endurance Events|website=www.velodrome.shop|access-date=18 November 2019}}</ref> Many track endurance riders also compete in [[road bicycle racing|road cycling]] events.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/using-track-cycling-training-methods-to-prepare-for-the-road/|title=How to use Track Cycling Workouts to Increase Performance on the Road|website=www.trainingpeaks.com|date=26 May 2015|access-date=18 November 2019}}</ref>

The main endurance events are:
{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}
*[[Individual pursuit]]
*[[Team pursuit]]
*[[Scratch race]]
*[[Points race]]
*[[Elimination race]]
*[[Madison (cycling)|Madison]]
*[[Omnium]]
{{div col end}}

== Major competitive events ==

=== Olympic Games ===

There were six events in [[track cycling at the Olympics]] in 2024: [[team sprint]], [[Sprint (track cycling)|match sprint]], [[keirin]], [[omnium]], [[team pursuit]], and [[Madison (cycling)|Madison]].<ref name=uci2020>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.uci.org/docs/default-source/official-documents/tokyo-2020---olympic-games/calculation-of-olympic-rankings-track-final-en-as-of-13.12.19.pdf|title=UCI OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION RANKINGS – TOKYO 2020|publisher=Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)|date=13 December 2019|quote=Nation ranking per gender established for each of the Olympic events (Team Sprint, Sprint, Keirin, Team Pursuit, Madison, Omnium)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927122814/https://archive.uci.org/docs/default-source/official-documents/tokyo-2020---olympic-games/calculation-of-olympic-rankings-track-final-en-as-of-13.12.19.pdf|archive-date=27 September 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> The Madison was added in the [[2020 Summer Olympics|Tokyo 2020 Olympics]] held in 2021;<ref>{{Cite web |title=Madison: Everything you need to know about the new event in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics |last=Bonville-Ginn |first=Tim |work=cyclingweekly.com |date=27 July 2021 |url= https://www.cyclingweekly.com/olympics-track-cycling-madison}}</ref> the other races had been held in previous Games. There are separate races of each type for men and women;<ref name=uci2020/> until the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] there were fewer events for women.

=== World Championships ===
[[File:Manchester Velodrome 2011.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The [[Manchester Velodrome]], a banked [[Siberian Pine]]-surfaced track, which has hosted the [[UCI World Championships]] on three occasions and home to [[British Cycling]].]]
The [[UCI Track Cycling World Championships]] are held every year, usually in March or April at the end of the winter track season. There are currently (2024) 22 events in the World Championships, 11 for men and 11 for women. Qualification places are determined by different countries performance during the World Cup Classic series held through the season.

=== World Cup ===

The [[UCI Track Cycling World Cup]] series consists of six meetings, held in different countries beginning annually in October, and finishing in January.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uci.org/news/2019/a-new-structure-to-strengthen-the-appeal-of-track-cycling|title=A new structure to strengthen the appeal of track cycling|website=UCI|language=en|access-date=24 October 2019}}</ref> These meetings include 17 of the 19 events (excluding the omnium for men and women) that take place in a World Championship over three days.

Events won and points scored by the riders throughout this series count towards qualification places individually and for their nation in the [[UCI World Championships|World Championships]] at the end of the season. The overall leader in each event may wear a white points leaders jersey at each race, with the overall winner at the end of the season may keep the jersey and wear it at the World Championships.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.trackworldcup.hk/|title=Cycling lovers - UCI Track Cycling World Cups and Championships|website=UCI Track Cycling World Cup|language=en-US|access-date=18 November 2019}}</ref> Riders compete for either national teams or trade teams, though the future of trade teams is unknown after controversial decisions by the UCI to eliminate World Cup events, and replace them with Nation's Cup events.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.velonews.com/2019/07/commentary/the-outer-line-the-ucis-new-track-cycling-model-is-a-step-backwards_495513|title=The Outer Line: The UCI's new track cycling model is a step backwards|date=1 July 2019|website=VeloNews.com|language=en-US|access-date=18 November 2019}}</ref>

=== Ranking ===

The [[UCI Track Cycling World Ranking]] is based upon the results in all [[Union Cycliste Internationale|UCI]]-sanctioned races over a twelve-month period. The ranking includes an individual and a nations ranking and includes the disciplines: [[individual pursuit]], [[points race]], [[scratch race|scratch]], [[sprint (cycling)|sprint]], [[time trial]], [[keirin]], [[omnium]], [[team pursuit]], [[team sprint]] and [[Madison (cycling)|madison]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uci.org/track/rankings|title=Rankings|website=UCI|language=en|access-date=22 November 2019}}</ref>

== Gender in track cycling ==
Women's track cycling was only introduced as an Olympic sport in 1988, and women were not permitted to compete in the same number of events as men until 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stillmed.olympic.org/AssetsDocs/OSC%20Section/pdf/QR_sports_summer/Sports_olympiques_cyclisme_sur_piste_eng.pdf|title=CYCLING: History of Cycling Track at the Olympic Games|date=March 2015|website=Olympic Studies Centre|access-date=5 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926125930/https://stillmed.olympic.org/AssetsDocs/OSC%20Section/pdf/QR_sports_summer/Sports_olympiques_cyclisme_sur_piste_eng.pdf|archive-date=26 September 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Though men and women currently compete in the same number of events, there are still significant differences between men's and women's races of the same type. For example, in the [[team sprint]], men race three riders over three laps, whereas women race two riders over two laps, and men's [[individual pursuit]] is a 4&nbsp;km race and women only race 3&nbsp;km.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uci.org/olympic-games/track-cycling|title=Track Cycling|website=UCI|language=en|access-date=6 November 2019}}</ref> It is also the case that women race shorter distances than men in [[mass start]] events such as stand-alone [[Scratch race|scratch]] and [[points race]]s, and [[omnium]] events.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/35685126|title=World Track Cycling Championships 2017: The events explained|date=10 April 2017|access-date=6 November 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref>

In many cycling sports, women raced shorter distances, are paid less, and receive less air-time.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/100-tours-100-tales/2014/mar/06/equal-pay-womens-sport-cycling-koppenbergcross|title=The long, hard road to equal pay for women's cycling and sport as a whole|last=Clemitson|first=Suze|date=6 March 2014|work=The Guardian|access-date=26 November 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bicycling.com/racing/a28414741/gender-inequality-cycling/|title=Female Pro Cyclists Deserve Equal Pay, Opportunities, and Support. It's About Time They Got It.|last=Diaz|first=Lucy|date=17 July 2019|website=Bicycling|language=en-US|access-date=26 November 2019}}</ref> It was not until 2018 that the [[Union Cycliste Internationale|UCI]] mandated minimum wages for women's cycling at all.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/exclusive-womens-minimum-salary-will-equal-mens-pro-continental-level-by-2023/|title=Exclusive: Women's minimum salary will equal men's Pro Continental level by 2023|last=Frattini|first=Kirsten|website=cyclingnews.com|date=October 2018|language=en|access-date=28 November 2019}}</ref> It is unclear how this will impact female track cyclists, as track cycling is generally not an athlete's primary source of income (rather they are road cyclists selected for specific events by their national team). There is no talk of changing race distances to create gender parity in time for the 2020 Olympics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bicycling.com/racing/a29848228/uci-women-olympic-spots/|title=Hey UCI: Your Sexism Is Showing|last=Bertine|first=Kathryn|date=22 November 2019|website=Bicycling|language=en-US|access-date=28 November 2019}}</ref>

In 2018, [[Veronica Ivy]] (then known as Rachel McKinnon) became the first transgender World Champion in any sport, with a victory in the Masters Women Age 35–44 age category.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.velonews.com/2018/10/news/qa-dr-rachel-mckinnon-masters-track-champion-and-transgender-athlete_480206|title=Q&A: Dr. Rachel McKinnon, masters track champion and transgender athlete|date=15 October 2018|website=VeloNews.com|language=en-US|access-date=6 November 2019}}</ref> In 2019, Ivy became a repeat champion in the same discipline. Though met with some criticism, Ivy holds her title as transgender athletes are permitted to compete as per the [[International Olympic Committee]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bicycling.com/news/a29578581/rachel-mckinnon-world-championship-masters-win-transgender-sport-debate/|title=Transgender Cyclist Rachel McKinnon Wins Second-Straight World Masters Title|last=Reza|first=Rebecca|date=24 October 2019|website=Bicycling|language=en-US|access-date=6 November 2019}}</ref>

==Riding position==

[[File:Jamie Staff - Kilo Time Trial.jpg|thumb|[[Jamie Staff]] riding a 1&nbsp;km [[Track time trial|time trial]]]]
[[Aerodynamic drag]] is a significant factor in both road and track racing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.trackcyclingacademy.com/blog/ride-faster-with-cycling-aerodynamics|title=Ride Faster with Cycling Aerodynamics|website=www.trackcyclingacademy.com|language=en|access-date=17 November 2019}}</ref>  Frames are often constructed of moulded [[carbon fiber]], for a lightweight design.  More recently, track bikes have employed [[airfoil]] designs on the tubes of the frame to reduce aerodynamic drag.

Given the importance of aerodynamics, the riders' sitting position becomes extremely important. The riding position is similar to the road racing position, but is ultimately dependent on the frame geometry of the bicycle and the handlebars used. [[Bicycle handlebar|Handlebars]] on track bikes used for longer events such as the points race are similar to the drop bars found on road bicycles. However, 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. [[Carbon fibers|Carbon fiber]] bars of many shapes, as opposed to lighter [[alloy]]s, are used by many riders for their higher stiffness and durability.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.velouk.net/2012/12/19/buyers-guide-handlebars-for-the-track/|title=Buyers Guide: Handlebars for the Track|work=velouk.net|access-date=22 November 2019}}</ref>

In timed events such as the [[Individual pursuit|pursuit]] and the [[Track time trial|time trial]], riders often use [[Bicycle handlebar#Triathlon or aero|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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.velouk.net/2012/12/19/buyers-guide-handlebars-for-the-track/|title=Buyers Guide: Handlebars for the Track|work=velouk.net|access-date=22 November 2019}}</ref> 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 [[monocoque]] 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 [[drafting (racing)|draft]] or [[slipstream]] 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://performancecondition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Section-2-The-Science-of-Drafting-Easy-Riding-in-the-Slipstream.pdf|title=The Science of Drafting ~ Easy Riding in the Slip Stream|last=Broker|first=Jeffrey|website=Performance Conditioning|access-date=22 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924114115/https://performancecondition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Section-2-The-Science-of-Drafting-Easy-Riding-in-the-Slipstream.pdf|archive-date=24 September 2020|url-status=usurped}}</ref> This fact has led to a variety of racing styles that allow skilled 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, including [[Graeme Obree]], adopted a straight-armed ''[[Superman]]''-like position with their arms fully extended horizontally, but this position was subsequently outlawed by the [[Union Cycliste Internationale]] (UCI), the sport's ruling body.{{cn|date=June 2022}}

== Records ==
{{main|List of world records in track cycling}}

In addition to regular track racing, tracks are also the venue for many speed records. These are over either a fixed distance or for a fixed period of time. Generally, time trial events (200 m, 500 m, 1&nbsp;km, and Individual Pursuit) will be recorded for both gender categories as well as several age categories on each track, for each nation, and for the world.

One of the most heavily contested records is the [[hour record]], which involves simply riding as far as possible in one hour.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cyclingweekly.com/tag/hour-record|title=Hour Record - keep up to date with the most prestigious record in cycling|website=Cycling Weekly|language=en-US|access-date=22 November 2019}}</ref>

The history of the hour record has been attempted by some of the greatest names in cycling from both road and track racing (including, among others, [[Major Taylor]], [[Henri Desgrange]], [[Fausto Coppi]], [[Anna Millward|Anna Wilson]], [[Eddy Merckx]], [[Francesco Moser]], [[Jeannie Longo]] and [[Tony Rominger]]).

Attempts are generally made at velodromes with a reputation for being fast. Recently, these have mostly been at [[high altitude|high-altitude]] locations, such as [[Mexico City|Mexico City, Mexico]] or [[Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes|Aguascalientes, Mexico]], where the thinner air results in lower aerodynamic drag, offsetting 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 Obree]]).

In 2019, the [[List of Pan American Championships|Pan Am Championships]] held at the newly built velodrome in [[Cochabamba, Bolivia]], [[Kelsey Mitchell (cyclist)|Kelsey Mitchell]] and [[Nicholas Paul (cyclist)|Nicholas Paul]] broke the 200 m world records in their respective gender categories. The track proved fast for many other events, with Pan Am records being set in nearly all timed events.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/news/kelsey-mitchell-breaks-200-m-world-record-at-pan-am-track-cycling-championships-in-cochabamba/|title=Kelsey Mitchell breaks 200 m world record at Pan Am track cycling championships in Cochabamba|date=5 September 2019|website=Canadian Cycling Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=25 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://newsday.co.tt/2019/09/06/paul-breaks-flying-200m-world-record/|title=Paul breaks Flying 200 m world record|date=6 September 2019|website=Trinidad and Tobago Newsday|language=en-US|access-date=25 November 2019}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Outline of bicycles]]
* [[Outline of cycling]]
* [[List of cycling tracks and velodromes]]
* [[Icetrack cycling]]
* [[Cycle speedway]]
* [[BMX racing]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Track cycling}}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20111211073300/http://www.uci.ch/templates/UCI/UCI5/layout.asp?MenuId=MTI1ODk&LangId=1 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) - Track]}}
* [http://www.trackcyclingnews.com Track Cycling News]
*{{Cite news |title=Rhik Samadder tries … track cycling: 'It's like being overtaken by lorries on a motorway designed by Escher' |last=Samadder |first=Rhik |newspaper=The Guardian |date=27 September 2021 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/sep/27/rhik-samadder-tries-track-cycling-its-like-being-overtaken-by-lorries-on-a-motorway-designed-by-escher}} A humorous article that gives an idea of the track and riding it.

{{Bicycle racing}}
{{Track cycling}}
{{Records in track cycling}}
{{Summer Olympic sports}}
{{Racing}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Track Cycling}}
[[Category:Track cycling| ]]
[[Category:Cycle racing by discipline]]
[[Category:Summer Olympic disciplines]]
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