Technique Tips
Track racing
Essential ways to help you get ready for riding on the track
Photography Joby Sessions
01 Get race ready
The speed and thrill of trackracing is hard to beat. After trying a few taster sessions at your local indoor or outdoor track, work through the facility’s accreditation system to learn race skills, such as riding at the top of the banking. This accreditation will appear on your British Cycling membership card, leaving you free to race. Explore the British Cycling website for races, which are divided into similar categories and rankings as the road events. Indoor track races mostly run over winter, making them an excellent off-season pursuit.
02 Warm-up plan
Think about how you’re going to warm up before a race. “It’s not always possible to warm up on the track if there are lots of events, so you will need to have an option in the track centre,” explains Jason Streather of PDQ Cycle Coaching (pdqcyclecoaching.co.uk). “This could be riding your track bike on rollers or taking your road bike and turbo trainer.”
03 Get kitted out
You can hire a track bike at your local facility, but if you get the racing bug it’s worth investing in a track bike and tool kit. “Keep a specific bag for your track kit, with the chain rings and sprockets to get the gears you want for racing, and the gear-changing equipment like track spanner, chain whip, long-handled allen keys and spare chainring bolts,” advises Steather.
04 Rush the gap
There are some specific skills that are a must for track racing, and are worth practising. “An important track-racing skill is ‘Rushing the Gap,’ which means laying off the rider in front by a few bike lengths and then accelerating into that space, using their slipstream, before overtaking them at speed,” says Streather. “Your speed and momentum gives them no time to react.”
“SOME SPECIFIC TRACK SKILLS, SUCH AS ‘RUSHING THE GAP’ AND ‘HOLDING ON THE HIP’ , ARE WORTH PRACTISING”
05 Holding on the hip
“Another key skill is ‘Holding on the Hip,’ which is when you increase your speed so that a rider can’t overtake you,” says Streather. “Keep their front wheel beside your hip so they can’t overtake you, or have to expend more energy by travelling further around you.”
TRY THESE RACES
Keep fit over winter with these track race series
Full Gas Winter Track League
● After you’ve obtained your UK Indoor Track Accreditation, you can follow in the track marks of Team GB’s London 2012 heroes with this race series at the Lee Valley Velodrome in London between October and January. Everyone from youths to senior endurance riders welcome.
42 Degrees Sprint Night
● Warm up your legs on chilly November and December evenings with these fun sprint race nights at the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome in Newport, which are open to Cat 4 racers. Running from 6-10pm, the sessions cost £13.50 each and are open to youths as well as seniors.
TRACK TECH
The best gear for taming the track
01 Kask Bambino Pro Helmet
£289
● Look the part with this cutting-edge aero helmet with visor, which has been extensively tested by Ineos Grenadiers in the wind tunnel.
02 Le Col x McLaren Project Aero Long Sleeve Skinsuit
£375
● This skinsuit fuses McLaren’s F1 expertise and Le Col’s cycling know how to help you ride faster.
Ultimate Session
Track-boosting Russian steps
Coach Jason Streather
Benefits “You need a different type of fitness for a 120-lap Points Race and a 3-lap Match Sprint,” explains Streather. “But this session is great for building sprint power and speed, which are always important for track racing. It also builds your tolerance for repeated hard efforts, which is great for Points, Scratch, Omniums or Sprints.”
Kit needed Turbo trainer, clothing, shoes
HOW TO DO IT
“Do this session on an indoor trainer and pick a gear that enables you to sprint at maximal effort without spinning out,” says Streather. “Keep your upper body stable and pace yourself in the longer efforts, just like you would in a track race.”
18-min Warm-up 5mins easy pedalling, 3mins building speed and cadence, 3 x7sec sprints at intervals over 10mins
Main block 15secs ON, 45secs OFF; 30secs ON, 30 seconds OFF; 45secs ON, 15secs OFF; 60secs ON, 60secs OFF; 45secs ON, 15secs OFF; 30secs ON, 30secs OFF; 15secs ON
Cool-down 5:45min recovery. Repeat block twice