Road cycling gets most of the headlines when it comes to the sport of cycling. Thanks to the Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana, and Giro d’Italia, road cycling is a popular sport to watch and wager on throughout the year. On the opposite end of the spectrum to road cycling and the Grand Tours is track cycling. It is much different with sportsbooks providing exciting markets to wager on. Cycling fans seeking a great new app can download the Betrivers Indiana app to wager on upcoming track cycling and Grand Tour events.
Track cycling’s biggest difference between Tour races is the speed. Rather than events being focused on climbs and long distances, track cycling delivers raw speed. When the Olympics and World Cycling Championships occur, track cycling is one of the biggest events for spectators. Track cycling can be confusing compared to Tour racing. Here is a look at some important markets to know before wagering on track cycling.
Individual Pursuit
The individual pursuit is simply a race between two riders. During the individual pursuit, two riders begin on the opposite side of the circular track. The race ends when one of the riders completes a set number of laps before the other rider can finish. The race takes place without the riders racing next to each other or coming in contact. The winner of the individual pursuit moves onto the next round.
Time trial
Just like in Tour cycling, time trials feature a rider racing against the clock. The winner is the rider that completes the course the fastest. There is an individual and team time trial.
Sprint
The sprint begins with two riders competing side by side. The event is very similar to the individual pursuit. The only real difference is the riders’ starting positions. The objective of the race is to defeat the other rider by reaching the finish line first. Unlike the individual pursuit, however, there are tactics that are deployed by the riders. Racers must attack and defend their position during the race.
Keirin
The Keirin is unlike any other cycling event around. The race features riders following a speed-controlled motorbike for a specific portion of the race. Cyclists most stay behind the pace bike, which will increase its speed gradually. The speed-controlled motorbike will leave the track at a certain point. Once it leaves the track, cyclists must sprint to the finish line. The Keirin was created to test each rider’s sprinting power and stamina.
Omnium
An omnium race can last a few days. It consists of multiple events and is the equivalent of a heptathlon in athletics. Racers must compete against other riders in multiple segments. The disciplines include an individual pursuit, time trial, points race, elimination race, and more. The rider to accumulate the most points over the course of all of the events is crowned the winner of the omnium.
Team Sprint
Similar to the individual sprint, the team sprint is a race in which a group is timed over a specific number of laps.
Image by Kasper Luijsterburg from Pixabay
