Rob's Unsettling Guide to Road, Criterium and Track Racing...Or From E Grade to B Grade in however long it takes. Maybe even A grade...part 3 - track tips!
An Unsettling and Disturbing Guide to Road, Criterium and Track Racing in Australia... Track (Velodrome) tips!
Firstly, my credentials!
I raced on the track from 1985 until about 2001. I started on the steep banks of Camperdown velodrome (250m concrete) and finished (well, maybe not finished) at a state open race in early 2000 at the Dunc Gray velodrome (a board track). I was 6th in the pursuit (in a field of six!) at the Sydney Metro Champs in 1987 and was timed for the first kilometre at 1min 14.5s, my best ever kilo. (My 4km time was pathetic in comparison). I usually did a kilo in 1:16 when super-fit, 1:19 or 1:20 at all other times, irrespective of fitness! I was hand-timed at just under 12 secs for 200m once (hard to believe) but usually did repeatable 12.5 sec sprints (hand timing sucks and can't be trusted, though). As a vet I have done 39sec 500m efforts in training. Actually I have raced since the Dunc Gray outing at Adcock Park, Gosford - a virtual flat track, a bowl, with very little banking. I raced state A grade at least once that I recall (and B or C grade many times), winning the A-grade sprint event (just once!) at Tempe velodrome (a steep concrete track, 330m). I also competed in club level A-grade
track and crit events for many years at Randwick Botany, Dulwich Hill and
Bankstown club races. I can't say that what I know will suit everyone,
only that it worked for me, or didn't! My interest in all this started when I was about 9 year sold. I grew up in Marrickville, NSW, Australia,
near Henson Park. The Dulwich Hill cycling club was based there and they
had an enormous velodrome around the football field (until they moved to
steep-banked Camperdown in the 1970s). My primary school held a race around
that velodrome and I wondered what the lights and strange numbers and markings
meant...in my dad's day (let's say the late 1930s and early 40s) that velodrome
would've been filled with 30,000 spectators on a Saturday night.
In the pic on the left that's me on the front at Camperdown velodrome,
being harrassed by Shaun Ballesty
Some Track (Velodrome)tips!
Get a track bike that fits you. One size smaller than your road bike is usually OK.
Get lots of road miles in your legs as a base (I mean 150-200/km a week, as a minimum, for 2-3 months - any less and you'll find the going very much harder)
Start general, try everything, to see where your strengths lie and then specialise
Start with smaller gears (84-88 inches) and work up to bigger ones (90-100
inches).
The events and how to race 'em!
OK, I was hopeless at some of these events, but I did get close a few times!
The Scratch race - usually a graded race (A, B, C grades etc, graded by someone who usually know a bit about your current fitness level and recent race results), so all levels are catered for, within limits. It's important to train in a bunch on the track and get confident with sitting close on a wheel and swapping turns at speed. With a track bike you have no brakes and can only slow by putting less pressure, or just a bit of reverse pressure, on the pedals. It's an art. Move forward in the bunch by going under a rider who moves up the track after their turn. Before going up, look behind in case someone's attacking. Scratch races can be any length, but expect
10 laps of a 330m track as a minimum. 100 lap races are not uncommon!
Tactics? The early break can work, if you are fit. Most races start from the fence, so get to the fence early and get up close to the head of the bunch. Start hard when it's not expected, get away and stay away. 10 laps x 330m isn't that far after all.
Gearing should allow for the track type (lower on steep tracks, higher on flat tracks) but will usually be 88-92 inches (in old measurements!)
Sit in and wait. Count your laps and make note of when turns are taken (every half-lap or each lap?) and predict by that knowledge when you'll do your turn. If it looks like you'll be in a bad position for the last lap move forward or go up the track and and back. Keep track of your position at all times. On the last lap you should be no more than 6 riders back and no closer than position 3.
Mid-race or late-race attack - or wait? If the bunch slows you may be able to launch an attack. Attacks help to whittle the field down - a small bunch sprint is more 'winnable' than a large one. On a small track the last lap attack may work. The bunch will often slow just before the bell, just a slight
hesitation before the sprint is started (usually from 250-300m out). If
you wind up from the back of the bunch out of the last corner and get some
height, speed and surprise advantage you may get enough of a gap to win. Watch out for riders about to peel off and
go high after their turn! One lap can feel very long, though. Get inside as soon as you can and accelerate hard on the straights. Ease a fraction in the corners - keep the momentum, but save your kick for the final straight. Boot it out of the final turn!
The sprint. You need to be in the first 3, no further back than 6 and on a good wheel.
You need to be aware of riders coming over the top and under you. It is
easy to get boxed in from here, so wind it up and keep close but to one
side of the wheel in front. And jump if someone is coming fast. Don't get
boxed in! You must maintain your line over the last 200m, but that doesn't
stop you from positioning yourself on the inside and your rival on your
hip. Make them go around you, ie up the track - it's a lot more effort (they have to go further and faster, after all) and you'll have the advantage when it straightens out. Keep your real kick for the straight.
Take the inside line (shortest path) and block 'inside runners' whilst staying as high as you dare without crossing the sprinter's line (so your rivals will have a hard time going around, especially if your elbows splay out to make you and your bike as wide as possible). Gently altering your course is usually acceptable but a savage or obvious sudden 'flick' or drift up the track is considered a breach of the 'maintain line last
200m' rule.
Launch a sprint from up high on bank if possible to use gravity to advantage
If someone is blocking your path call out 'stay down' or 'go up' immediately and clearly.
The Handicap - I hate 'em. Very popular in Australia, unfortunately. Training is optional and in fact the more training you do the harder you'll have to race to overcome the handicap you have earned. On the other hand everyone is suffering, so maybe it doesn't matter! Your grading is converted to a numerical advantage measured in metres. Sometimes the 'limit' riders are so far ahead of the 'scratch markers' that the scratchies have to unwind themselves by a lap just to get a chance at winning. These races are usually blessedly short though - flat out for 2 laps or so.
Tactics? Get a good mark for starters. A 300m advantage on a 330m track sounds pretty good.
Gearing will be 84-90 inches. Lower gears help you start fast but you may be spinning
your life away near the end. It's a compromise.
Go hard from the start or sit in and wait? Before the start, when you are on the fence or held by your marker, look around at who's in or near your mark and assess whether to wait for the bunch behind or go hard and catch the bunch ahead. I usually found myself in between in 'no man's land' instead. Unless you get a bunch together that tows you comfortably and
quickly to the end without being caught, 'sitting-in' just won't work.
Going hard from the start but 'resting' inside an effective working bunch
may be your best bet.
Go high if you run out of gas. Look around and get safely out of the way. The express will come through soon enough
Obey instructions - if you are told to 'stay down', stay down. The express knows what's best
Give instructions. If someone is blocking your path call out 'stay down' or 'go up' immediately and clearly.
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The Kilo.What can I say? 1,000m of pain (or 500m for some). If you find that you
get good enough to actually have tactics, fine - go for it! Consider starting hard (great for momentum) or starting easy (saves some for the end), or perhaps an easy middle (to regain composure). It's only a kilo, just go for it. That spinning, starry-vision and legless feeling is normal.
Training is vital and specific - train for starts and for intervals of up to a minute. Build up from 200m to 1,000 gradually.
Gearing should be high 'cause you wanna go fast - but you need to start, so moderate
it a bit. 88 is OK, 90 inches is good but 92-96 may be better if you can
get it going. Depends on strength.
The Pursuit What can I say? 4,000m of pain?? (or 3,000m for some lucky ages or sexes).
Again if you find that you get good enough to actually have tactics, fine
- go for it! Consider as per the kilo starting hard (great for momentum) or starting easy (saves some for the end), or perhaps an easy middle (to regain composure). Be a bit more moderate in your approach - 4km is a big ask so pace yourself.
Training is specific. Again starts and intervals but longer than the kilo. Good luck. Big road
miles always seemed to help me (as in 500-700km a week in the month or
2 before starting track work)
Gearing should be high 'cause you wanna go fast - but you need to start, so moderate
it a bit. 88 is OK, 90 inches is good, 92-96 may be better. Depends on
strength.
The Devil, or Elimination race. Another hated event of mine. It's called 'Devil take the hindmost' for a reason. Every lap after a neutral period there's a sprint and the last rider
is eliminated. Great. What a concept. BAsically the bunch is whittle away
until there's a 2 or maybe 3-up sprint.
Training. Forget it. Whatever training you do is defeated by animal cunning. OK, do intervals,
short ones. Lots of sprints where you look like you have no hope of winning
yet somehow get it together at the last moment.
Gearing should be lowish 'cause you wanna accelerate - 88 is good, 90 may be OK.
Tactics? Ride from the front? Works well for a while.
Break away? Good idea, but hard work.
Ride at the back? Lots of risky fun!
Watch out for being boxed in. Trust me, everyone will be out to box you
in!
The Italian Pursuit. Basically it's a group pursuit where you start with, say, six riders in each 'team' on opposing sides
of the track. From the start, each lap the lead rider goes hard, but not
so hard as to drop everyone else in the team, before peeling off - job
done. So it continues until there's just one rider remaining on each side.
First rider across the line wins. In Italy it's called the Australian pursuit, by the way.
Not much to say except call out if you are getting dropped. Everyone's going as hard as they can whilst checking out the opposition. It's easy to go too hard and drop your team mates - this does not a happy team make.
Probably a good idea to have a team captain who organises weakest to strongest
(or some other mix - probably look at what the opposition is doing and
match - preferably beat - that)
Last rider must be fast as they may have to catch up. First rider must be a reasonable pace but not too strong - hence the weakest to fastest order.
Use whatever gear you have unless you want to fuss about and pick the right gear for your position in the team.
The Points race. Can be long or medium in length, but basically it's a scratch-style race with primes or sprints for points every second lap after a short neutral start. Last sprint (the finish) is usually double points. A good race for sprinters who can add up in their heads. The catch is that if you breakaway and take a lap you win, irrespective of points. Smaller gears are used as your legs get heavy after a few sprints. 88-92 inches.
Tactical possibilities include being consistent and picking up some points in most sprints
Going for wins, especially the double points at the end
Going for the lap.
The Madison, as in Madison Square Gardens, a popular venue for bike racing in the 1930s and 40s. A hectic race a la the points race but with a spare rider to throw in when you want a rest! So it's a points race with handslings! Or at least gentle hand overs from one rider to another at strategic times. Read 'Points race' and imagine the worst.
The Keirin, as in a Japanese word meaning 'complete pain'. (Not really, but hey. It's very popular in Japan with velodromes on top of buildings and on-course betting.) It's a motor-paced derny race , where a derny is a motorised bicycle or maybe a low-power motor bike with a roller at the back (for your front wheel to nudge). The motor bike gradually increases pace until with a lap to go it peels off and all hell breaks loose. Read about the sprint race tactics above and imagine going 60kmh when
the sprint starts... madness.
The 6-Day, as in '6 days of pain'. Yes, it goes for 6 days. Lots of events, plus a party in the middle. Contested in teams of 2. Very popular in the 1930s and 40s, killed off by the motor car after WWII, at least in the US and Australia. Still popular in Europe.
The Omnium, as in 'a world of pain'. Basically a mixture of events held as one race meet. Win enough points
across the events and you win 'the omnium'.
So what do those lines mean?
Good question. I'm not a UCI-accredited commissaire so this is simply my opinion based on experience and may not necessarily be correct interpretations of the exact rules in question - particularly so at your local velodrome. Please check with a local commissaire.
Having said that, let's get on with it!
Obviously we have black and white start/finish lines. We also have markings
(usually red lines) for the common pursuit and time trial distances. Distances
are also marked out on the side of the track. The flat, often blue-painted zone right at the bottom of the track is theduckboard. Some people refer to it as "the blue" or the "Cote d'Azure", but it's really not a place to take a holiday. It's not for race riding either, although you may use it to come off the track after a slow down lap and you cross it to get on the track. In time trials and pursuits long sponges (not your conniving
relatives, I mean foam rubber sponges) are placed across the duckboard
to discourage short cuts. You can often get away with a short cut in a
scratch race though when diving underneath a slower rider (but it's not
encouraged and if attempted during a sprint will almost certainly incur
a disqualification). There can be a nasty edge rather than a smooth transition
from duckboard to track, too so keep away - it can get a bit hairy if you
get stuck in that transition zone, especially if you are on the duckboard
at speed and try to get onto the banking before a turn. It's a good way
to fall and bring down the pack.
There's also a black line just after the blue zone. This is the shortest way around and is thus the line to take if you are time trialling. It's sometimes called the pole line. Above the black line is a red line, also called the sprinter's line. The gap between the black line and the red line is about one meter, which
is what a bulky sprinter needs at speed, elbows splayed, to safely go for
it. In a sprint, once the 200m mark is passed the lead rider must hold their line - it could be a straight or diagonal line but certainly not weaving up
and down. This is a safety measure to stop riders moving suddenly and wildly
up the track to block other competitors - not that you'd do something like
that. But wait - there's more to it. Once past the 200m mark, the first rider under the red line in a sprint must stay there. The first advantage for you is that it's usually a shorter distance,
so you tend to take that position anyway - unless you have delayed the
sprint and have your competitor pinned up against the fence, of course;
and secondly whilst you have claimed the sprinter's line (or pole zone) no competitor is allowed to come under you - they must go above you on the track to get past. Which means they must go further than you - that has to be a good thing!
Of course if you don't enter the pole zone and choose to remain above the red line past the 200m point you are free to ride a straight line
of your choice - which is where you may choose to keep your opponent pinned
against the fence, helpless to get passed, for example. You don't see that
very often, but there you go - it's possible.
The other point to make is that the pole lane is for fast efforts; if you are dawdling then go up or off the track.
OK, so you have seen a blue line about halfway up the track. This is the stayer's line and is meant to be followed by the lead derny during a motorpaced event. This is not the Keirin, where just one derny will lead the whole bunch but several dernies each with one rider on their wheel. It's bizarre but interesting to watch, and the velodrome tends to fill with fumes...
Most of the time the Stayer's line is just a convenient line to stay above
whilst the fast guys and gals do their stuff.
If you like what we do at this site
please show your support by buying a t-shirt, postcard or coffee mug, or
perhaps an image. Or even simply
search for a book
from Amazon! They are good quality items from excellent providers that I use
myself. Cheers, Rob.
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Copyright 2008 Robert K. Russell; updated July 6, 2006.Many of the images on this site
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Copyright 2008 Robert K. Russell; updated July 6, 2006. Many of the images on this site
are for sale, including at higher resolutions more suitable for printing. They
may be purchased and downloaded from my shopfront.
Other items such as special-edition clothing and coffee mugs may be purchased
from the giftshop.
The Points race. Can be long or medium in length, but basically it's a scratch-style race with primes or sprints for points every second lap after a short neutral start. Last sprint (the finish) is usually double points. A good race for sprinters who can add up in their heads. The catch is that if you breakaway and take a lap you win, irrespective of points. Smaller gears are used as your legs get heavy after a few sprints. 88-92 inches.