Track cycling in a velodrome.
Track cycling is a type of bicycle racing that is usually held on purpose built banked tracks or velodromes.
Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights.
Riders use bicycles designed for track cycling in velodromes. Unlike road bikes they do not have gears or brakes and are fixed wheel. Competition bikes are light weight and made from high-tech materials such as carbon fibre.
The bicycles are designed to minimise aerodynamic drag caused by the bike and the rider. This can mean the use of bicycle handlebars that allow the rider to get their arms and their body as horizontal as possible.
Track cycling is heavily influenced by aerodynamics. A rider who closely follows, draft or slipstreams behind another has to do less work because the leading rider pushes air around themselves. This knowledge has lead to a great many tactics for riders and teams to gain advantage over their rivals.
Some of the most common velodrome track cycling race formats include:
Individual Pursuit
Team Pursuit
Sprint
Time Trial
Points Race
Madison
Keirin
