Track Bike Racing: Sprint Races

If you’re interested in track bike racing, it might help to understand the most common track bike race formats in the sport. Races are divided up into three disciplines: sprint, endurance and time trial. This article will explain the general characteristics of the popular races in the sprint racing arena. (We also have an article where you can learn about about endurance track bike racing events.)

Types of Sprint Track Bike Races

Most sprint track bike races are between three and eight laps in distance and designed for athletes proficient with short yet sustained bursts of speed.

Team Sprint - This is a time-trial type event run for both men and women and is a set distance event raced against the clock. Two teams begin with three riders on the track at the same time. At the end of the first lap, the front rider pulls up. At the end of the second lap, the front rider also pulls up, leaving the last rider to finish the race to the finish line on his or her own. The team with the fastest time is the winner.

Keirin - This is a mass start track racing event where between six and nine sprinters begin at once behind a derny or motorbike to set the pace. The race is about 2km in distance, which comes out to about eight laps on a 250m track and six laps on a 333m track). With every lap, the speed of the derny increases until a speed of about 50km/hr is reached. Approximately two to three laps until the end, the derny pulls off and the even becomes an all-out sprint. The first rider across the finish line wins. Keirin racing is a popular sport for gambling in Japan.

Match Sprint – This event is held with only two riders on the track at a time. One starts on the blue line and one starts in the sprinter’s lane, both from a standing start. Typically 1000m for men and 750m for women, the race usually begins at very slow speeds (walking pace) with the cyclists strategizing and on some occasions, bringing their bikes to a complete stop on the track in what is known as a track stand in order to goad the other rider into taking the lead. The race shifts from slow to sprint at the drop of a hat when one rider makes a move and the winner is the first rider across the finish line.