Track race formats
Scratch: first over the line wins.
No points, no sums, no second chances. Everyone starts together, the bell rings with a lap to go, and the first rider across the line wins.
Free on Ride Cave. Races need a smart trainer or power meter.
No points. No sums.First across the line takes it.
How it works
The simplest race on the track.
Roll out
The field rides two or three neutral laps together, then gets a flying start.
Race the laps
Sit on a wheel for the draft, or go off the front and try to stay there. Nothing scores until the end.
Sprint for the line
A handbell rings the last lap. Whoever crosses first wins, and everyone behind is placed by their order over the line.
How to race it
Simple rules. Plenty of ways to lose.
Save your legs
The draft is the whole game until the bell. A rider who spends early has nothing left for the sprint.
Mind your line
The sprinters’ lane belongs to the rider in it, so you go over the top. Get boxed in and you are stuck until you drop back and go round.
Or take a lap
A rider who gains a whole lap on the field beats everyone who has not, even if they cross the line behind them.
On Ride Cave
Ride it your way.
A field whenever you want one.
Race bots at Easy, Normal or Hard, on any of 22 velodromes or a track you designed yourself. They follow the same rules and physics you do: they draft, tire, chase and sprint.
A result that stays with you.
Your ride summary opens on the race: every place, every finish time and the gap to the winner. Every race earns XP and a badge in your ride list.
Race real people.
Host a Group Ride from any velodrome, make it a race, and send the link. Up to 30 riders line up on one grid and the field counts down together. The race room records every place, so everyone sees the same official result.
The settings
What you can set.
| Race laps | 5 to 120, 20 by default |
|---|---|
| The start | Two or three neutral laps, by the length of the track |
| The field | Up to 24 bots at Easy, Normal or Hard, or up to 30 real riders in a live Group Race |
Questions
Good to know.
What is a scratch race in track cycling?
A mass start race over a set number of laps. There are no points or eliminations on the way: the first rider over the line at the end wins.
What happens if a rider laps the field?
A rider who gains a lap beats any rider who has not, and a rider who is lapped places behind everyone on the lead lap.
How long does a race take?
That depends on the laps you choose and the length of the track. You set anything from 5 to 120 laps, on a real velodrome or one you built.
More track racing
The other formats.
Madison
The team event. One rider races while the other rests, then a hand sling swaps them over.
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.
Keirin
A derny winds up the speed, pulls off, and the sprint is on.
Time trial
You against the clock, from a standing start, with no draft.
Start with a scratch race.
Pick a velodrome, set the laps, and pedal to start.
