Track Cycling at the Paris Olympics 2024
Cycling has been a cornerstone of the Olympic Games since the inception of the modern Olympics in 1896. Over the years, the sport has evolved, encompassing various disciplines that test speed, endurance, strategy, and technical skills. The Paris 2024 Olympics continue this rich tradition, and this guide delves into track cycling and its history but you can read more road cycling or BMX and Mountain biking events in our other blogposts.
What are the Track Cycling Olympic events at Paris 2024?
There are 6 different track cycling events at the Olympics which include sprints and endurance. They are individual and team sprint, the keirin, the madison, omnium and team pursuit.
Track cycling at the Olympics takes place on a 250m round track that is shaped like a bowl and called a velodrome.
The Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome will be used for the Paris Olympics 2024, which was built in 2014 and has hosted the World and European Championships.
Track bikes are different to road bikes in that they are fixed gear and have no brakes which means the pedals don’t stop moving even if your legs want a rest!
What is the Individual Sprint?
The individual sprint is a tactical 3-lap race. Two riders compete head-to-head, and although its about pure speed, the riders often begin with a standing start in a bid to lure the other rider to the front for the chase in the initial laps. The tactic can lead to an advantage if played well. From the quarter finals, the races are best-of-three heats.
What is the Team Sprint?
In the team sprint, teams of three riders complete in a time trial over 3 laps. Two teams line up at the opposite sides fo the tracksEach rider must lead for one lap before peeling off out of the race. The clock for each team stops when their last rider crosses the line The fastest team wins, highlighting teamwork and coordination.
What is the Keirin?
The keirin is a paced race involving a motorised pacer called the derny, that gradually increases speed before pulling away, leaving riders to sprint for victory.
Typically, six riders compete per race, with the derny pacing them for 750m gradually increasing spped from 30-50km per hour. The position of the riders behind the derny is decided before they begin. The race is then a 3 lap sprint to the finish.
What is the Team Pursuit?
The team pursuit features teams of four riders racing over 4 km against the clock, starting on opposite sides of the track. Teams aim to catch their opponents or record the fastest time, with the time taken when the third rider crosses the finish line. The fourth rider doesn’t need to finish.
What is the Omnium?
The omnium is a multi-race event where riders accumulate points across four different races: scratch race, tempo race, elimination race and points race. Points are awarded based on finishing positions in each race, and the rider with the most points at the end wins.
What is the Madison?
The Madison is a team event with two riders per team, in a relay race, taking turns to race over a set distance taking points with an intermediary sprint every 10 laps.
One rider usually rests at the top of the track at the highest point, while the other is racing. When they’re ready to swap places, they use hand slings to transfer momentum back into the race.
With double points awarded for the final sprint, the team with the most points at the end of the race wins.
History of Olympic Track Cycling
Track cycling has been included in the Olympics since 1896, with women's events added progressively since 1988. The sport has seen numerous changes, including the introduction of new events like the omnium in 2012, reflecting its dynamic nature and growing popularity.
Olympic Track cycling and NUVE Paris Gold bicycle covers
Track cycling gave inspiration to our design team at NUVE to create the new Paris Gold collection of bicycle covers. The gold elements within the print represent the cyclist tracks and the speed in which they compete, fading as they take the lead to the podium. The gold represents not only the top position and medal ranking but also the art deco and majestuous style of Paris. The collection comprises of the NX2 Paris Gold for indoor bike protection and NX3 Paris Gold full bicycle cover for outdoor storage and protection.
