Very interesting article about how they come up with velodrome designs...
Some great quotes in it as well...
"Football is considered a great game. And kicking, passing, catching, blocking are all part of the game. If football was like track cycling they would line up the quarterbacks and award a medal to who could throw the best (like sprinters) and then line up the kickers and give an award to kicker who kicked the farthest (like pursuiters) and then line up the runners and blockers and give an award to the best (like a team pursuit).
But that’s not what they do, they play the total game. For some reason cycling likes specialists. I like games - the total game - the best game - the Madison."
"Road racing is like reading a book with many chapters. Track racing is like playing a video game, fast and in your face"
Comments
Cool article.
I have to agree with the quotee, Madison is where it is at. I have always considered myself a road racer, the many chapters quote is an apt description, but this year I have really fallen in love with the short 45 min races after finding my grove in road criteriums.
What makes criterium racing great is that they are short, have multiple sprints for cash prizes, and the fact observers can see the action unfold as the courses are under a kilometer.
But criteriums are really road racers attempt to copying of the King of the Track, the madison. Madisons have all the things mentioned above plus the ability to lap your opponent and a much faster pace as its a team event, you switch off laps.
This makes for incredible spectator sport. There is so much strategy involved its mind boggling. Much of the strategy is about mind games with your opponents as it is winning. People randomly pick up the pace (attack) to test and shake out the dead wood. You are always being tested and in turn you constantly test others.
When someone attacks and you hurt, you have dig down to find something to bridge the gap. Personally I just stare at the wheel until the gap disappears. My motto is to go until I basically fall of the bike then go some more. It takes a while to learn this skill. When I first started bicycle racing I often you wonder "how in the hell I match this pace... there is no way I can do it for very long"
And the result was that I would get discouraged, until that is I learn the truth. The truth is that the person you are chasing is hurting just as much as you are. In fact s/he is probably doesn't have much juice left. If you hold on just a little longer everything will work out dandy.
That is the crazy part. So when someone attacks they may have lots of juice or may be bluffing. Crazing things can unfold when you suck a wheel on an attack. All of a sudden you have a 2-3 break and you are working to make it stick. Those left in the pack can try and bridge or wait to see if it unfolds. Since the track is only 200 m, getting a lap up can happen faster than you think. This is where experience and knowing your limits pays off big!
The madison really encompasses a wide array of skills and strategy and that is why its often called the King of Track.
Giddy Up, I hope we get to do a madison at the final Learn to Race clinic.
40k Madison: http://www.worldtrackcycling.com/programme3.shtml
Have ticket, will photograph!