
It's and it's time to ride!
No brakes, no gears, explosive sprinting and tightly packed riders on short banked tracks - this is Track Racing! Stadium Cycling Track racing takes place on short (between 150m and 550m) tracks consisting of two tight, banked corners joined by two short straights.
Olympic and World Championships are generally held on 250m wooden tracks. The atmosphere is electric in a packed velodrome as riders flash by under the noses of spectators at anything up to 40mph. Short and Fast – Long and Tough Track events can be split into two main types – sprint events, which generally last for less than two minutes and Endurance events which can be up to 40km in length. Sprint racing specialities include the “Kilo”, a straigh 1000m against the clock – Britain’s Jason Queally is Olympic Kilo Champion - and the “Kierin” (Japanese for ‘fight’) where riders battle to stay behind a pacing motorcycle for a series of very fast laps, before sprinting for the line when the pacer pulls off. Endurance races include the “Pursuit” where races pit teams of four or individual riders against each other.
The simple aim is to catch or gain time on your opponents who start on the opposite side of the track. Britain specialises in the Team Pursuit, winning bronze at the sydney olympics and the 2000 and 2001 World Championships. Something for Everyone
Whatever your cycling talents, Track Racing has something to offer you. Apart from being a great sport in itself, Track Racing is also an excellent way for all cyclists to work on their skills and fitness.
The Manchester Velodrome hosted the world Championships in 1996 and 2000, as well as the 2002 Commonwealth Games. However, it is also open to the public on a daily basis.
Why not ride this world-class venue this winter?
Britain has one of the best indoor facilities in the world, a magnificent 250m wooden tack at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester, which hosted the 1996 and 2000 World Championships.
Although now an indoor sport at the highest level, Track Racing still take place on numerous outdoor tracks around the country on summer evenings. Some events are even held on grass. Many tracks offer programmes of activities for beginners and hire out bikes. Track bikes have a single fixed gear – so there is no gear changing and no freewheel mechanism like other bikes, so you have to remember to keep pedalling at all times.