Track race formats
Keirin: follow the derny, then sprint.
A small field rides behind the derny, a pace bike that winds up the speed. Nobody may pass it. Then it pulls off, and the fastest finish on the track begins.
Free on Ride Cave. Races need a smart trainer or power meter.
Everyone waits for the derny.Nobody waits after it.
How it works
Patience, then everything at once.
Follow the derny
It rolls through the start and eases up over its laps, winding up on the last one. Pass it and you are warned; stay past it and you are out.
Wait for the pull off
The derny leaves the track, and anyone still past it at that moment is disqualified. No jumping early for a free head start.
Sprint for the line
A sprint from the pull off to the finish. First over the line wins.
How to race it
Win it before the derny leaves.
Fight for the wheel
The rider right behind the derny starts the sprint from the front of the field. The bots want that wheel too.
Time your jump
Go too early and the field comes round you at the line. Go too late and you are boxed in behind everyone else’s sprint.
Listen to the race
The race radio calls the derny’s pull off, and a handbell rings the last lap, so your eyes can stay on the wheel in front.
On Ride Cave
Ride it your way.
A small field, by default.
A keirin starts with six bots, like the small fields on a real track, and you can change that. How fast the derny gets before it pulls off depends on the difficulty you pick.
Race real people.
Host it as a Group Race for up to 30 real riders. The grid is drawn by lot, as a keirin should be, and the race room records the official result.
A result that stays with you.
Your ride summary opens on the race, with the standings and where you finished. Every race earns XP and a badge in your ride list.
The settings
What you can set.
| Behind the derny | 1 to 12 laps; the standard is about 750 m |
|---|---|
| The sprint | 1 to 8 laps; the standard is about 750 m |
| The field | Six bots by default, up to 24, at Easy, Normal or Hard, or up to 30 real riders in a live Group Race |
Questions
Good to know.
What is a keirin?
A track sprint race that began in Japan. A small field rides behind a pace bike called a derny as it builds the speed, then it pulls off and the riders sprint to the line.
What happens if I pass the derny?
You get a warning. Keep riding past it and you are disqualified, and anyone past it when it pulls off is disqualified too.
How long is a keirin?
The standard is about 750 m behind the derny and about 750 m of sprint, in whole laps of your track. You can set each from the setup.
More track racing
The other formats.
Madison
The team event. One rider races while the other rests, then a hand sling swaps them over.
Scratch
First over the line wins. The purest race on the track.
Points
Points on the sprint laps, and a lap gained is worth more than any sprint.
Elimination
The last rider over the line is out, again and again, until one is left.
Tempo
After the first four laps, a point to the first rider over the line on every lap.
Time trial
You against the clock, from a standing start, with no draft.
Get on that wheel.
Pick a velodrome, line up behind the derny, and wait for it.
