This article was written by Michael Dennis. Michael was the resident coach at Manchester Velodrome.

WELCOME TO VELODROME RACING!

This exciting form of cycle sport has been almost forgotten, hut now we have the best Velodrome in the World at Manchester, we can start all over again. Let me tell you something about it.

Look at the track first. It is made from Baltic pine and supported on its own foundations in the building.

The riders roll out before the start, and slow down after a race on the level green part. This green section is not for racing on, as riders can't go fast on it around the bends.

The light blue strip between the level green part and the wooden track is called the "cote d'azure." It is slightly banked so that riders can in an emergency during a bunch race get round the bends without falling. It is not part of the racing surface, so in races where riders compete alone, foam rubber blocks are laid across it. Riding over one of the blocks (called "sandbags") slows the bike down, and so the riders must stay on the track and not take shortcuts to produce a winning time.

The black line at the bottom of the main track is called the "datum line." All the track measurements are taken on this line, and you can see the intermediate distances from the white start/finish line in the home straight, marked along it. The lap is 250 metres round the black line, four laps to the kilometre.

The red line, the next one up the track, is called the "sprinters line" and is for safety in the last 200 metres of a sprint race. When two riders are racing shoulder to shoulder at perhaps 40mph, if one of them moved sideways into the other's path it would be very dangerous. The rider inside the red line must stay inside, and the rider outside must stay outside. Corner judges are watching to make sure this safety rule is obeyed.

The blue line, the highest one on the track, is called the "stayers line." It marks the inside of the track area used for high-speed motorbike-paced cycle racing. Also, in Madison racing (where riders race in teams of two or three) the rider who is racing uses the shortest part of the track, the inside, whilst the resting partners ride slowly around above the blue line out of the way. When one of the resting partners is to be relayed into the race, he drops below the blue line links hands with the racing partner to transfer speed and carries on racing flat-out. The partner who was racing rolls up above the blue line to recover.

WHY IS THE TRACK BANKED ON THE BENDS?
When you ride your bike round a corner, you lean over, don't you? The faster you ride the further you lean to keep your balance. Eventually, you have to slow down or your bike will slip out sideways from under you.

When riding round the bends on the track the riders lean over and the faster they go, the more they lean. Because the track is banked steeply the angle they lean is met by the angle of the track banking. This makes the riders feel that they are riding on a straight road. They don't have to slow down at all.

LOOK AT THE BIKES.
They have no brakes or gears. Nothing at all to stop the riders going as fast as they can pedal. They can race very close to each other, as they know the rider in front cannot stop suddenly.

SLIPSTREAMING
Slipstreaming is an important part of track racing. Most of the effort of cycling goes into making a hole in the air to ride through! Think how hard it is to ride into a strong headwind. By tucking themselves close in behind the person in front, riders can save a lot of energy by using that person's slipstream. They do, in fact ride through the hole in the air the leading rider has made.

When riders are working together on the track, they share the lead, doing perhaps half a lap each at the front of the line before swinging high on the banking to let the others overtake on the inside of them. They then tuck into the group's slipstream until they reach the front to pace make again.

In other races, riders do not want their opponents to ride in their slipstream, and so they resort to tactical riding to try to gain an advantage.

TYPES OF RACES

SPRINT
These are contested over 3 or 4 laps, first-over-the line races between two or three riders. They draw lots to see who must lead the first lap, and then try to outsmart each other to prevent an opponent getting that all important slipstream advantage. One rider may even come to a standstill if he is in the lead, in order to force their opponents to the front. During this tactical manoeuvring each rider is waiting for what he considers to be the best moment to "jump" and sprint away from the others without offering them a slipstream advantage. Then it is pell-mell for the line as fast, as is possible. In order to produce this explosive power, sprinters work hard building their muscles. The energy they use is stored in their muscles, and so they are not really suited to longer distance racing. Their muscle energy burns away within a minute, and they then need a recovery period.

PURSUIT
Pursuit racing on the other hand requires a steady fast effort over several minutes. The racers in these events tend to be less bulky, and train hard to improve their heart and lungs, which have to work very hard during their racing efforts. Riders start on opposite sides of the track, and are individually timed. They "pursue" each other until the end of the race. The fastest time will qualify or win. If one rider (or team) catches the other in the final they automatically win.

TEAM PURSUIT
Team pursuits normally have four riders taking part, and the time is taken on the third rider to finish. In this way, a rider can "sacrifice" himself if their team is behind, and put in a hard "sprint" type effort, towing his team mates along in his slipstream. This effort may bring his team back into the lead, but leave the rider so tired that he is unable to get back into the slipstream of his team after this effort. The team's time, however, is taken on the third man home, and so he can drop out without, jeopardising his team's chance of winning.

ITALIAN PURSUIT RACES
Larger teams contest these races. Each rider does only one lap in the lead, and then pulls up above the blue line out of the way, leaving his team to carry on without him. Each time a rider finishes his lap the team becomes smaller until it is a one-to-one pursuit on the final lap.

OLYMPIC SPRINT
Olympic sprints are similar, but teams of only three take part. Each rider does his lap flat out in the lead before pulling up. Specialist sprinters make up the team, as the race calls for a short, explosive effort, and so speeds are high. Despite the standing start, an average speed of about 35mph can be expected.

200 METRE FLYING-START TIME TRIAL
This is the way seedings are worked out for sprint races. (The slowest riders race against the fastest) Each rider's time is taken from the black strip in the middle of the north banking to the finish line (5O metres short of one lap). Watch how the riders use the height of the banking to accelerate to the highest speeds. 15 seconds is equal to 30mph.

ONE KILOMETRE TIME TRIAL
One of the hardest races a track sprinter competes in. From a standing start (usually from an automatic starting gate) they have to sprint hard for four laps. The effort takes a few seconds more than one minute, and the race is both against the clock and against the moment when the stored fuel in their muscles is used up. The powerfully muscled sprinters sometimes break handlebars or wheels during these races because of the huge efforts they are making. Sometimes they will seem likely to win after a storming first three laps, and yet be unable to complete the last lap due to exhaustion.

HANDICAP RACES
These are short distance races where the strongest riders give a lead to the less strong. A national register of all riders' handicap "marks" is kept, and is regularly updated. The riders' distances in front of the "scratch man" are marked on the datum line. The handicapper is trying to make all the riders cross the finish line together in a "blanket finish". Lasting only three or four laps as a rule, the riders desperately struggle to catch up with the "long markers" who are given the greatest head start.

THE SYDNEY HANDICAP
Riders' positions for the finishing handicap race are determined by a series of sprint race heats.

THE KEIRIN
The Keirin is the last of the races for pure sprinters. Run off over six or eight laps, a pacer dictates the speed for most of the race. The pacer can be a cyclist, but in Britain it is more usual to use a "derny" or pacing moped. The word "Keirin" is Japanese for "fight" and, in Japan (where this form of race was invented) it is a major national sport with huge sums of money being wagered on the outcome. The first lap of the race sees the riders follow in the order in which they have been drawn, but after this the "fight" starts. They are not allowed to overtake the pacer, but jostle each other to gain the most favourable position for the finishing sprint. Some riders prefer to be in the slipstream of the pacer, and others like to be ready to surprise the other riders by attacking from the top of the banking. With nearly two laps left to race, the pacer pulls off the track, and the riders sprint for the line.

MOTOR PACED RACING
Motor paced races can be over a known distance or over a period of time. The riders follow in the slipstream of pacing motor bikes or "dernys" at high speed. The noise and speed make for an exciting distance race. The driver of the pacing machine must be an excellent rider, and be able to help his cyclist by sensing when to attack, and when the rider needs a rest. The only way for the partnership to win is to cross the line first.

SCRATCH RACES
Often a scratch race finishes a programme of racing, and is held over a longer distance. Rider's hoping to win must make the best use of other riders slipstreams, and be ready to break away from the other riders if the opportunity presents itself. If riders can break away in a group, they will take turns at pace making to build as big a lead as possible. The riders left behind will also take turns in each other's slipstreams whilst chasing. If riders who have broken away have teammates in the main group, watch out for them trying to get to the front of the chasing group and slowing down!

POINTS RACE
These are another event for the longer distance racer. Finish line points are awarded (usually 3; 2; 1 for the first three riders) at regular intervals, perhaps every tenth lap, and the sprints are signalled by a whistle on the preceding lap. The riders try to keep track of the points as they accumulate, and are aware that the double points awarded to the winner of the last lap can completely alter the result. The winner is the rider who has accumulated the most points during the race, not necessarily the first over the finish line. A rider may also try to gain a whole lap on the rest of the field, which further adds to the confusion.

COURSE DES PRIMES
These are races where there is a prize for the first rider over the line each lap. The pace will be fast and furious from the start as rider after rider tries to leave the bunch behind to cross the line first.

DEVIL-TAKE-THE-HINDMOST
These are events in which the last rider over the line each lap is called out of the race. Watch the struggle at the back of the bunch as the riders try to avoid elimination. When only three riders remain, the bell is sounded for the final lap, and the remaining riders sprint for first place next time round.

MADISON
Madison races are distance races where teams of two or three riders race over a given number of laps or, for a given length of time. One rider from each team must be in the race constantly, but their partners are able to rest by riding slowly around the top of the track. The racing partner is able to ride flat-out, knowing that he can relay his resting partner to replace him the next time he catches him up around the track. Watch the skilful way the racing partner grips the hand of the resting partner and catapults him into the race. Having given up all his speed to his partner, the rider can roll up to the top of the track to ride around for a well-earned break. The ambition of all Madison riders is to gain one or more laps over their opponents, but the winner is often decided by intermediate sprints when points are awarded to the leading teams.

OTHER POINTS TO NOTE

PRIMES
Primes are special prizes awarded for lap sprints during longer races. Spectators often offer prizes for a particular lap, and the sprint for such a "prime" will be keenly contested.

OMNIUM
An Omnium is when points are awarded for several races during a meeting, and the rider with most points wins. A very fit all rounder stands the best chance.

TRACK LEAGUES
A track league is a series of race meetings where points are won by riders for winning or a placing in the different races during each meeting. Follow your favourite riders through to the end of the series of meetings, and see how they fare.

ENJOY THE RACING!

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