Track Racing - Frequently Asked Questions

The Track

A velodrome is a bicycle racing track where the fastest events in cycling are held. The tracks are oval shaped with banked turns that allow spectators an incredible view of the speed and colour of the sport. Velodromes can range from less than 200 metres (with very steep banking) to over 450 metres on outdoor, concrete tracks. However Olympic-standard velodromes need to be 250 metres in length, completely covered and made of wood. The Manukau Velodrome is a 285m concrete oval with 42 degree banked turns. It was originally built in 1989, in preparation for the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games. In addition to the Games, the Manukau Velodrome has held several national championships & in 2004 hosted the NZ Track Cycling Championships. The Manukau Velodrome has produced more international track cyclists in its time than any other NZ velodrome.

What are the markings on the velodrome?

The apron of the track is a flat paved area, adjacent to the racing surface of the velodrome. It is used as a transition for getting on and off the track. It is also used as a safety buffer during races, giving the riders a place to exit the track if they have a mishap, such as a flat tire.

The track markings from the bottom of the track..

The cote d'azur or blue band is located at the transition area between the apron and the banking. This blue area is out-of-bounds & represents the inside edge of the track for normal racing. During the timed events, sponges are placed on the blue band to help ensure that riders do not try and cut the distance by riding too low on the track.

The next line up the track is black & is the line used to measure the track. Although sometimes called the pole line the racing surface actually extends (20cm) down to the blue band. This line is also called the pursuiting line because riders in this event will try to follow this line as it is the shortest distance around the track.

The next line up the track is the sprinter's line. It is a red line 90cm above the black pole line. It is used to define the sprinter's lane. The lane is the area between the black and red lines, and is used to help ensure safe sprinting on the track. There are a whole series of track racing rules dealing with the lane. Generally speaking, when a group of riders start a sprint, the first rider into the lane is given possession of the lane. No rider can try to pass underneath on the inside of this rider & any rider trying to pass on the outside has to stay out of the lane to do it. Once the lead rider is in the lane they cannot come out of the lane if someone is adjacent to them.

3m above the blue band is a blue line called the stayers line. This line was originally used during motor-paced races, where the riders were obliged to stay behind their motorcycles, that were called stayers. The lead stayer was obliged to drive on the stayers line. During warm-up and training events, slower riders are expected to stay above this line, leaving the lower part of the track for fast training.

Each track has four lines perpendicular to the track.

The finish line for massed start events (points race, sprints, scratch, madison, elimination) is on the home straight just before the first corner. In the middle of each straight is a red starting line, normally used for timed events. The Kilo TT, Pursuits, and team events (Team Pursuit and Olympic sprint) all use these lines. The 500m TT start line is the small white line extending from the bottom of the track at turn 2. The fourth line is the red 200m mark that is used in the timing of sprints. This line is 200m from the finish line & is at the beginning of the back straight.

The Bikes

Track bikes are minimalist, strong & built for speed. There are no brakes, no gears and no freewheel. If the back wheel is turning, so are the pedals. Speed is controlled by pedalling and by pushing back on the moving pedals. Match Sprint and Points Race bikes are usually made of simple steel or aluminium tubes & are strong and generally cheap. Disc wheels are sometimes used for aerodynamic reasons even though they are heavier, weaker and far more expensive than wire spoked wheels. Riders are firmly attached to the bikes using step-in pedal systems, or standard pedals with two sets of straps. It's vital that riders can't accidentally pull out of the pedals, and that power transfer is as efficient as possible, so riders use shoes with extremely stiff soles.

The Riders

Riders generally fall into 2 categories.

Endurance racers need excellent fitness, usually expressed as a high VO2 Max measurement that indicates the rider's ability to use oxygen efficiently.

A Sprinter needs lots of fast-twitch muscle fibres & will train specifically to go like a nutter over 200-1000m.

Those lucky riders with both attributes tend to make good Points Race riders & are favoured to win the longer events in the case of a sprint finish.

. Unless otherwise noted, all Cycling NZ rules apply during all races
. Helmets must be worn at all times when riding (motorbikes included) and securely fastened
. The tunnel must be used at all times to enter the track infield
. Tubular tyres must be securely glued to rims. Any rider who rolls a tubular tyre while racing at Manukau Velodrome will be fined $50. For a second offence, the rider will be fined $50 and be barred from racing at Manukau Velodrome for three weeks. In the event that a rider's tubular tyre is rolled from his or her wheel by an official at any Manukau Velodrome race meeting or training sessions, the rider shall be given a verbal warning. The rider will be excluded from the meeting until they can produce a replacement wheel which passes a safety check by the meeting officials. Should that rider's tubulars fail any subsequent safety check , the rider shall be fined $50."
. No offensive language
. Designated training squads have priority during allocated times
. Hands on handlebars at all times
. Do not walk in hired cycling shoes
. No watches or jewellery to be worn whilst riding
. Be responsible for the safety of the bike you are riding (all bolts tightened & tyres glued securely)
. Only enter & exit the track using the entry & exit chutes
. Always be observant & considerate of others using the track

Injury Policy

Any registered competitor who has received hospital treatment shall be required to produce a certificate of clearance before competing in further events.

Any competitor who knowingly competes whilst suffering from an injury or medical condition which may impair control of his/her bicycle is liable to exclusion, suspension or disqualification unless a medical certificate, issued by a Doctor qualified in the medical field in which the injury or medical condition falls, certifying that the rider is fit to compete in track cycling, is produced.

Any competitor receiving an injury that requires treatment from a Doctor, Medical Centre or Hospital must produce a medical clearance certificate before competing in that or any subsequent events.

Where a concussion has occurred, an automatic stand down period of 21 days shall apply. Where a competitor has three concussions in one season or when a competitors drivers licence is suspended by LTSA due to head injury, the rider is required to obtain a clearance from a neuro-surgeon or similar medical specialist.

Scratchings

Any riders who scratches from a Final event for which they have previously qualified through heats, should be disqualified from the rest of the meeting, and the subsequent meeting, unless they have a valid reason for doing so.

Racing Events

Track racing offers a wide variety of events.
Races are classified as a mass start event or a time trial event.
The following descriptions of popular events should make watching the races more enjoyable for you.

Time Trials

These are races against the clock. Riders are alone on the track with no one to provide a draft in front of them. For this reason aerodynamics become very important and the use of disc wheels and time trial handlebars is common.
Time trials (TT's) are standard events at Centre, National & World Championships & Olympics. We don't generally include them in the Monday or Friday night races because of the time required to run them.

The Kilometre TT or 'Kilo' is three & a half laps long and is considered by many to be the most painful event in track racing. From a held start, the rider will sprint at full effort for a little over a minute. By the start of the third lap the rider is feeling the pain of lactic acid in his legs as his body has reached its limit. A good Kilo rider will force his body to keep up the speed till the end.

The Pursuit is a time trial where two riders start on opposite sides of the track and try to catch each other as they race around the track. Senior Women typically race 3 km and Senior Men 4 km. The Individual Pursuit is an Olympic event for both men and women. A variation is the Team Pursuit where teams of four riders chase each other around the track. Team Pursuit is an exciting Olympic event involving practice and precision teamwork. There is a team event for the sprinters called the Team Sprint where 3 riders start, the first rider pulling off after 1 lap, the second rider after 2 laps & the third rider finishing -an exciting & often close event.

200m time trials are essentially a sprint with one rider at a time and are used for seeding a match sprint competition. The riders get two laps to accelerate at the top of the track before diving down the banking to the 200m mark. The sprint is timed from the 200m mark to the finish line.

Match Sprint

The sprint is a test of power, speed and above all, tactics. The early stage of this 1km event is typically slow and very tactical as riders jockey for the best position. Exact timing for the final surge towards the finish line can make the difference between winning and losing. Although it is normally a one-on-one event, earlier rounds can feature three or more cyclists on the track at the same time. One rider is designated to lead for the first lap (usually by a coin toss), and can not relinquish it unless those behind take it from him/her. The competitors typically eye each other off for the first 6-700 metres, trying to manoeuvre each other into an unfavourable position, before launching an explosive sprint (up to 70kmh) for the last 200 metres, which is the only part of the event that is timed. Tactics are the key to this race, and many people wonder why it is so slow for the first two laps. The main reason is that unless you can surprise your opponent early, you will waste too much precious energy in starting your sprint from lap one. If the other guy is on your wheel, it's all over. An important rule is that of 'possession' underneath the sprinter's line (red), a line marked 80 cm from the pole (black) line near the base of the track. A rider who positions themselves below this line in the final 200 metres is not allowed to be forced out by another rider eg. pushing in from the inside.

Keirin

Keirin is a race in which riders draft behind a motorcycle for the first 3.5 laps of the 6 lap event. During these early laps, they jockey for position but may not pass the motorcycle. With 6-8 riders on the track at once, they test each other's bike handling skills bumping and jostling. All the time, the motorcycle is gradually accelerating, reaching a top speed of 45kmh. With 2.5 laps remaining the motorcycle pulls off the track releasing the "hounds" for an all out dog fight to the finish line. Anything goes here, it's a test of courage.

Points Race

A mix of sprinting and fast endurance racing. A Points Race may have sprints for points every five laps. A whistle signals a sprint lap. The bell signals the final sprint lap. Points are handed out by finish order across the line (5-3-2-1). Any rider lapping the field gains 10 extra points. The rider with the most points at the end of the race wins.

Scratch Race

This is the simplest type of track cycling event. Racers start in a group, race a set distance and the first rider across the line wins. All riders can be eliminated should 1 rider lap the entire field. If only one rider laps the field, the final rider passed is second, second to last rider passed is third, going back down the field.

Madison

A high speed, two-person continuous points race relay. While one partner is racing the other is resting at the top of the track. The alternating of racing and resting allows speeds to remain very fast. This is the most popular form of track cycling in Europe, but originated at Madison Square Gardens, hence the name the Madison.

Miss and Out

Sometimes called the Elimination race, every lap the last rider across the finish line is pulled out of the race until only three riders remain. The remaining three riders are given a free lap to manoeuvre themselves before the final all out sprint to the finish line. Keep your eyes peeled to the back of the field that's where all the excitement lies in this event.

Handicap Race

Riders are started at various points around the track according to ability. This race is held over various distances. The fastest riders start from the finish line with the slower riders often getting nearly a lap head-start. First rider across the line wins.