Velodromes hold an important place in cycling. Since the first cycling competitions in the second half of the 19th century, the track has provided the ideal setting to push riders to their limits, in an enclosed environment that nonetheless offers a wealth of possibilities.
At the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, in 1896, five titles were contested at the Neo Phaliron velodrome across a remarkably diverse range of events. France's Paul Masson won the one-third of a kilometre time trial with a time of 24 seconds, while Austria's Adolf Schmal took victory in the 12-hour race, covering some 295 kilometres in the process.
Today, 130 years on from those pioneering performances, the 2026 edition of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships, an event whose roots stretch back to 1893, will see 22 UCI titles decided at the Shanghai Velodrome: 11 in the Women's events and 11 in the Men's. The Championships will take place from 14 to 18 October and will be held in mainland China for the first time.
Heirs to the discipline's rich and long history, the contemporary events are divided into two families: sprint and endurance. Many riders compete in several events, but tend to specialise in one of the two families, due to the demands of each being so distinct.
Sprint: power in its purest form
Track cycling's sprint events promise intense and spectacular action. Sprinters are powerful athletes capable of producing explosive efforts over short distances. The variety of formats guarantees excitement, making tactics, technique and an athlete’s ability to recover just as decisive as raw power. The sprint events are as follows:
Individual Sprint: track cycling’s most iconic event, it featured on both the first Olympic Games programme and that of the first Track Cycling World Championships. In its current format, riders first contest a flying 200m time trial to qualify. This time determines the seedings for the subsequent rounds, in which two riders face off over three laps of a 250m track. The first part of the race is typically tactical, with riders sizing each other up before an explosive acceleration to the line.
Team Sprint: two teams of three riders set off from opposite sides of the track. To the demands of sprinting are added collective strength and cohesion. Each rider leads the team for one lap before pulling aside. The third and final sprinter then drives towards the finish line to set the team's time.
Kilometre Time Trial: the kilometre is a pure test of power and endurance, in which the most powerful riders give everything over four laps. Starting from a standstill, riders must put in an enormous effort from the very first metres, before maintaining high speed through tight bends as lactic acid takes its toll. The rider who records the fastest time, generally around one minute, wins.
Keirin: a firm crowd favourite, the keirin multiplies the intensity of the sprint by pitting six riders against each other simultaneously in the final. They set off behind a derny which gradually increases speed from 30 to 50 km/h for both Men and Women before leaving the track with three laps to go. Riders then combine tactics, endurance and speed to cross the line first.
Endurance: giving everything until the finish
Endurance events test riders' ability to sustain effort across a variety of race scenarios that demand sharp tactical awareness as much as physical strength. The specialities are as follows:
Individual Pursuit: two riders set off from opposite sides of the track and race against each other over 4km. The two fastest times from qualifying meet in the final, while the next two contest the bronze medal. In the final, a rider who catches their opponent before the 4km are over wins the race.
Team Pursuit: with four riders, the pursuit ramps up the speed considerably, placing a premium on collective strength and cohesion. Each team applies its own tactics, with riders taking turns at the front to optimise their effort over 4km. The time is taken when the third rider from a team crosses the line.
Scratch: Perhaps the simplest event on paper, this bunch race sees the first rider to cross the finish line take victory. At 10km for both Women and Men, the relatively short distance makes for a fast and lively race, with riders making repeated attacks to gain an advantage and enter the final lap in the best possible position.
Points Race: after a massed start, riders score points in two ways: through intermediate sprints held every 10 laps of 250m (5, 3, 2 and 1 point for the first four riders), or by lapping the bunch (20 points). The race is therefore punctuated by frequent attacks. Points in the final sprint are doubled, and the winner is the rider with the most points. The Women's race covers 25km, the Men's 40km.
Madison: this format is similar to the points race, with intermediate sprints every 10 laps and the possibility of lapping the bunch. The race covers 120 laps for Women and 200 for Men, with points from the final sprint again doubled. The Madison's distinctive feature is that it is raced by two-rider teams. While one rider is racing, the other may slow down to recover before being propelled back into the action by a hand sling from their teammate.
Elimination Race: this survival race keeps riders and spectators on the edge of their seats, with repeated sprints to avoid elimination. Every two laps, the last rider to cross the line is eliminated. The final two survivors then contest the victory in one last sprint.
Omnium: each rider competes in four events that test a diverse range of qualities. The omnium begins with the scratch, continues with the tempo race (10km for both Men and Women, with a sprint on every lap), then the elimination race. The points race comes last. Before the Points Race, riders are awarded points based on their results in the first three events. The winner is the rider with the most points at the end.