Velodrome

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Bicycle racing on an outdoor velodrome.
Bicycle racing on an outdoor velodrome.

A velodrome is a sporting arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights. The straights transition to the circular turn through a moderate easement curve.

Banking in the turns is called superelevation. It allows riders to keep their bikes relatively perpendicular to the surface while riding a curve at high speed. When travelling through the turns at typical racing speeds, which may exceed 60 km/h (about 37 mph), the banking attempts to match the natural lean of a bicycle moving through that curve. Therefore, the centripetal acceleration of the combined inertia of bicycle and rider moving in the curved path balances the tangential acceleration pulling them outwards. There is no "centrifugal force" pulling the bicycle outward, only the centripetal acceleration and the normal force acting on the tires through the riding surface.

Riders are not always traveling at full speed or at a specific radius. Most events have riders all over the track. Team races such as the madison have some riders at speed and others riding more slowly. In match sprints riders may stop completely. For these reasons, the banking tends to be 10 to 15 degrees less than physics predicts. Also, the straights are banked 10 to 15 degrees more than physics would predict. These compromises make the track ridable on its entire surface at a wide range of speeds.

From the straight, the curve of the track increases gradually into the circular turn. This section of decreasing radius is called the easement spiral or transition. It allows bicycles to follow the track around the corner at a constant radial position. Thus riders can concentrate on race tactics rather than steering through the bends.

Bicycles used on velodromes have no multiple gears or brakes. They employ a fixed rear gear, or cog, that does not freewheel. This helps maximize speed, keep weight to a minimum, avoids sudden braking while nevertheless allowing the rider to slow down by pushing back against his pedals.

Modern velodromes are constructed by specialised designers. The Schuermann dynasty of architects (Germany) are considered to be the foremost designers of traditional velodromes with more than 125 tracks worldwide. Most of Schuermann's wooden outdoor tracks are made of wood trusswork with a surface of strips of the rare rain-forest wood Afzelia. Indoor velodromes are built with less expensive pine wood surfaces. Other designers have been moving away from traditional materials. The 1996 Atlanta Olympics saw the introduction of synthetic surfaces supported by steel frames. All designs today use CAD techniques to increase performance and lower cost.

The track length is measured along a line 20 cm up from the inside of the track. Olympic standard velodromes are at least 250 m long. Others range from 133 m to 500 m, although 250 m is the most popular and the length used in major events. The velodrome at Calshot Spit, Hampshire, UK is unusually short at only 142 m because it was built to fit an existing aircraft hangar. It has especially steep banking. Forest City Velodrome in London, Ontario, Canada, is the world's shortest velodrome at 138 m. It was built to fit an old hockey arena. Like Calshot, it has steep banking.

Many old tracks were built around athletics tracks or other sports grounds and any banking was shallow. The smaller the track, the steeper the banking. A 250 m track banks around 45°, while a 333 m track banks around 32°.

Velodrome tracks can be surfaced with many different materials, including wood, synthetics and concrete. Shorter, newer, and Olympic quality tracks tend to be surfaced with wood or synthetics; longer, older, or inexpensive tracks are concrete, macadam, or even cinder, as in the Little 500.

Track markings
Track markings

All tracks must have standard markings. Between the infield and the actual track there is the blue band (also called "côte d'azur") that is typically 10% of the surface. The blue band is not a part of the track. Although it is not illegal to ride on the blue band, moving into this space in an attempt to make a shortcut under another rider will result in disqualification. During time trials, pursuits or other timed events, the blue band is obstructed with sponges or other objects that discourage riding.

20 cm above the blue band is the black measurement line. The inner edge of this 5 cm wide line defines the length of the track. 90 cm above the inside of the track is the outside of the 5 cm wide red sprinter's line. The zone between the black and red lines is the optimum route around the track. A rider leading in this zone cannot be passed on the inside; other riders must pass on the longer outside route.

Minimum 250 cm (or half the track width) above inside of the track is the blue stayers' line. This line serves in stayer races (races behind pacemaker-motorbikes) as a separation line. Stayer-riders riding below the blue stayer line may not be overtaken on the inside. In Madison races (named after six-day races at Madison Square Garden in New York) the released team rider rests, riding slowly above the blue line until his teammate comes around the track and pushes him back into the race.

The finish line is black on white and situated towards the end of the home straight. Red pursuit lines are marked in the middle of each straight as start and finish line for pursuit races. A white 200 m line markes the distance of 200 m until the finish line.

Velodromes may be built indoors or outdoors. In the heyday of velodrome racing (1890-1920) indoor tracks were common. When hosting six-day races, they were popular places for revelers and urban sophisticates to congregate in the early hours after the bars had closed. Indoor tracks are not affected by weather and are more comfortable for spectators. They also ride smoother and last longer. Despite the advantages of indoor tracks, outdoor velodromes are more common, as an outdoor venue does not require the expense of a building, making them more affordable, especially when new. Today, although many classic indoor tracks have been torn out of buildings and replaced by venues for more popular sports, velodromes are still sometimes built into indoor venues, particularly where the popularity of bike track racing can generate enough revenue to cover the expense of dedicating a building to such a sport.

A velodrome will usually be among the facilities constructed for major events such as the Olympics or Commonwealth Games.

Contents

(outdoor, unless otherwise stated)

  • Manukau Velodrome, 285 m Outdoor Concrete, Auckland
  • Wanganui Velodrome, 250 m Outdoor Wooden, Wanganui
  • Te Awamutu Velodrome, 450 m Outdoor
  • Rotorua Velodrome, 333 m Outdoor Concrete
  • Wellington Velodrome, 333 m Outdoor
  • Nelson, 512 m? Outdoor
  • Denton Park, 400 m Outdoor Concrete, Christchurch
  • Ashburton, 400 m Outdoor
  • Timaru, 400 m Outdoor
  • Seddon Park Velodrome, 250 m Outdoor Concrete, Dunedin
  • ILT Velodrome, 250 m Indoor Wooden, Invercargill

  • Ferry-Dusika-Hallenstadion, Vienna, (indoor)

  • GENT-Blaarmeersen, Vlaams Wielercentrum Eddy Merckx (250m, covered) Gent
  • GENT "Kuipke" (167m, wood, indoor) (somewhere referred as Citadel Park Velodrome) Gent
  • ANTWERPEN, Antwerps Sportpaleis (indoor) Antwerpen


  • ZEMST (Elewijt) - Lengte 377 m - Asfalt
  • HULSHOUT - Lengte 384 m - Asfalt http://www.wielerpistehulshout.be
  • ANS (Alleur) - Lengte 400 m - Asfalt
  • PEER - Lengte 400 m - Asfalt
  • CHARLEROI (Gilly) - Lengte 250 m - Asfalt http://cipposr.skyblog.com
  • ROCHEFORT (Jemelle) - Lengte 400 m - Asfalt
  • REBECQ (Quenast) - Lengte 333,33 Asfalt
  • OOSTENDE (Stene) - Lengte 333,33 Asfalt
  • ANTWERPEN (Wilrijk) - Lengte 333,33 Asfalt http://www.wielercentrumantwerpen.be
  • BRUGGE (Assebroek) - Lengte 333,33 Asfalt
  • BEVEREN - Lengte 400 m Asfalt

Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec also housed a velodrome, but years after the 1976 Summer Olympics, it was converted into the Montreal Biodome, an indoor nature museum.

Laoshan Velodrome, Beijing (for 2008 Summer Olympics).

Shenzhen

Kunming

  • Santo Domingo

  • RSG, Augsburg, (indoor)
  • Schoeneberg, Berlin
  • Velodrom, Berlin, (indoor)
  • Bielefeld
  • NRW-Leistungszentrum, Kaarst-Büttgen, (indoor)
  • Stadthalle, Bremen, (indoor)
  • Chemnitz
  • Cottbus
  • VCD, Darmstadt
  • "Badewanne", Dudenhofen
  • Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, (indoor)
  • Gera
  • Stellingen, Hamburg, (covered)
  • Wuelfel, Hannover
  • Radstadion, Köln, (semi-covered)
  • Rosch-Kampfbahn, Leipzig
  • Mannheim
  • Olympiahalle, München, (indoor)
  • Reichelsdorfer Keller, Nürnberg
  • Oberhausen/Baden
  • Leistungszentrum BW, Oeschelbronn
  • Rostock
  • "Schanzenberg-Bahn", Saarbrücken
  • Schopp
  • Singen/Hohentwiel
  • Solingen
  • Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuttgart, (indoor)

  • Millenáris (Millenarian) Sports Yard, Budapest, built in 1896(possibly the world's oldest) outdoor, concrete, 412 m
  • Tamási track,city of Tamási, outdoor, concrete, 400 m

Tracks for amateur races (City/Velodrome/Length)

  • Aomori Hachinohe Velodrome 333 m
  • Iwate Shiwa Velodrome 333 m
  • Miyagi Prefectural management Velodrome 400 m
  • Miyagi Taiwa City Velodrome 333 m
  • Akita Rokugo Velodrome 500 m
  • Yamagata Shinjyo Cycle Sports Contre 400 m
  • Fukushima Izumisaki International Cycle Stadium 333 m
  • Tokyo Tokyo Dome Stadium(Indoor/Sectional) 400 m
  • Ishikawa Uchinada Velodrome 400 m
  • Yamanashi Sakaigawa Velodrome 400 m
  • Nagano Karigane Velodrome 333 m
  • Shizuoka Japan Cycle Sports Centre 250 m
  • Shizuoka Japan Cycle Sports Centre 400 m
  • Shizuoka Nihon Keirin Gakko (Japan Keirin School) 333 m
  • Shizuoka Nihon Keirin Gakko (Japan Keirin School) 400 m
  • Osaka Kansai Cycle Sports Centre 400 m
  • Hyogo Akashi Velodrome 400 m
  • Tottori Kurayoshi City Velodrome 333 m
  • Shimane Ota City Velodrome 333 m
  • Fukuoka Moji Keirin Velodrome 500 m
  • Miyazaki Prefectural management Park Velodrome 400 m
  • Kagoshima Nejime Velodrome 400 m
  • Okinawa Prefectural management Park Velodrome 333 m


Tracks for Keirin races(City/Velodrome/Length):

  • Hakodate Hakodate Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Aomori Aomori Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Fukushima Iwaki Taira Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Niigata Yahiko Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Gunma Maebashi Keirin Velodrome(Indoor) 335 m
  • Ibaraki Toride Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Tochigi Utsunomiya Keirin Velodrome 500 m
  • Saitama Omiya Keirin Velodrome 500 m
  • Saitama Seibuen Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Tokyo Keiokaku Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Tokyo Tachikawa Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Chiba Matsudo Keirin Velodrome 333 m
  • Chiba Chiba Keirin Velodrome 500 m
  • Kanagawa Kagetsuen Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Kanagawa Kawasaki Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Kanagawa Hiratsuka Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Kanagawa Odawara Keirin Velodrome 333 m
  • Shizuoka Ito Keirin Velodrome 333 m
  • Shizuoka Shizuoka Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Aichi Ichinomiya Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Aichi Nagoya Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Gifu Gifu Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Gifu Ogaki Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Aichi Toyohashi Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Toyama Toyama Keirin Velodrome 333 m
  • Mie Matusaka Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Mie Yokkaichi Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Fukui Fukui Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Shiga Otsu Keirin Velodrome 500 m
  • Nara Nara Keirin Velodrome 333 m
  • Kyoto Mukomachi Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Wakayama Wakayama Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Osaka Kishiwada Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Okayama Tamano Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Hiroshima Hiroshima Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Yamaguchi Hofu Keirin Velodrome 333 m
  • Kagawa Takamatsu Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Kagawa Kanonji Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Tokushima Komatsushima Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Kochi Kochi Keirin Velodrome 500 m
  • Ehime Matsuyama Keirin Velodrome 500 m
  • Fukuoka Kokura Keirin Velodrome(Indoor) 400 m
  • Fukuoka Kurume Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Saga Takeo Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Nagasaki Sasebo Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Oita Beppu Keirin Velodrome 400 m
  • Kumamoto Kumamoto Keirin Velodrome 500 m

Thailand Changmai Bangkok ??? 2007 Sea Games Venue

  • Abuja Velodrome, Abuja (indoor)

There are 23 tracks in the United States, including:

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velodrome"
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