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Event primer for the 2018 UCI track world championships in Apeldoorn

Rainbow jerseys will be awarded on the boards from Feb. 28 to March 4

Milton Track World Cup
Milton Track World Cup
Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

Canada’s medal chances at the 2018 track world championships in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands look strong with a squad of Olympians and up-and-coming young athletes set to compete. With 14 athletes representing Canada in the endurance and sprint events, it’s time to dive deep into the events that make up the lengthy program for the five-day championships which start on Wednesday. Athletes will compete for the rainbow jersey in 10 events at the 2018 track world championships.

RELATED: Canada’s squad for the 2018 track cycling world championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands

Endurance events

Team Pursuit

The team pursuit is a four-rider event in which two teams line-up on opposite sides of the track and compete over four km. After qualifying, the teams face off head-to-head with the winner moving on the medal rounds. In the gold medal race, the team’s race for gold and silver while in the other race bronze is awarded to the winner.

Individual pursuit

The individual pursuit is an event in which two riders start from opposite sides of the track and try to set the fastest time over 4 km for the men and 3 km for the women. The event is contested in rounds with the fastest two riders going head-to-head in the finale.

Scratch Race

The scratch race is a mass start event that is contested over 10 km for the women and 15 km for the men. The objective of the race is to be the first over the line. Riders can lap the field in an effort to better position themselves for the final sprint.

 

Points Race

The points race is a bunch start event. Riders accumulate points in sprints every 10 laps or by lapping the field which is worth 20 points. In the final sprint, points are doubled with first being worth 10 points, second 6 points, third 4 points and fourth 2 points. The final standings are calculated by the number of points each rider has accumulated.  The men race for 40 km and the women for 25 km.

Time trial

The time trial is an individual effort of 500 m for the women and one kilometre for the men over which riders try and set the fastest time.

Madison

Milton Track World Cup
Jasmin Duehring racing the madison. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

In the Madison, teams of two take part in a relay race with points awarded in intermediary sprints every 10 laps. In one of the most exciting events, while on team member races the other slows down before getting thrown back into the action by a hand throw from their teammate. A team that gains a lap on the field is awarded 20 points while lapped teams are deducted 20 points. In the final sprint points are doubled (10 points, 6 points, 4 points, 2 points). The standings are calculated by the number of points earned throughout the event which runs for 30 km for the women and 50 km for the men.

Sprint events

Hugo Barrette bosses Heat 3 of keirin qualifying.

Team Sprint

Two teams, a three-man and a two-women team, line up on opposite sides of the track. The men race for three laps and the women for two. At the end of each lap the lead rider peals off with the final rider setting the final time once across the line.

Sprint

A one-on-one match race between two riders who start next to each other and try to get over the line first. It’s a best of three and often very tactical race. Riders are seeded in a 200 m qualifying sprint.

Keirin

The keirin is a mass start event in which riders follow a derny or electric bike to get up to speed before the official start. The event takes place is waves with the top riders advancing to the final round.

Omnium

Milton Track World Cup
The omnium points race. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

The omnium is a multi-race endurance event. The formate has been changed since last year with the event now only comprising four events instead of six and taking place on one day instead of over two as it previously had been run.

The four events are:

Scratch Race: This is a mass-start race for individual riders over 15km for men and 10km for women. The first lap is neutralised. The women race for 7.5 km while the men race for 10 km.

Tempo race: After five laps, the field contests intermediate sprints every lap with the winner awarded 1 point each lap. Riders can also gain points by lapping the field but riders who are lapped must leave the field and loose their points. The race is 10 km for men and 7.5 km for women.

Elimination: In the elimination race, the entire field starts but after a set number of laps the last rider to cross the line is eliminated. Each consecutive lap sees another rider taken out of the field until there is one rider remaining who is awarded the most points.

Points race: The final event is the points race which follows the same rules as the individual event except it’s run over 20 km for women and 25 km for men.

After each event, riders accumulate points that go towards their individual standings. After the four events, the points are calculated and the rider with the most is awarded the victory.

The schedule