Paracycling Track

Paracycling track delivers fast-paced, high-intensity competition on a velodrome, which can vary in its length and degree of banking. These events demand a combination of raw power, speed, endurance, strategy, and split-second decision-making. Each event brings a unique test of athleticism, where races can be won by fractions of a second or perfectly timed tactical moves. Competitors ride fixed-gear bikes, which have a single gear and no brakes, requiring exceptional control, focus, and skill. Track cycling was officially added to the Paralympic Games in Atlanta 1996, twelve years after the debut of road cycling. 

All riders start together in this individual race over a set distance. It’s the most straightforward event in track cycling where the first person to cross the finish line wins. The race typically ends in a fast and furious bunch sprint.

Also known as the “miss and out,” this race eliminates the last rider to cross the line every other lap, until only one rider remains. Tactics and positioning are critical; riders aim to stay near the front of the pack, but not necessarily at the very front, to conserve energy in the slipstream while avoiding elimination.

In this event, two riders start from opposite sides of the track and compete to complete the race distance in the fastest time. If one rider catches the other, they are declared the winner.

Riders face off in a fast and furious head-to-head race. The competition begins with a qualifying round in which each rider aims to set their fastest time over a flying 200 meters. The four fastest riders advance to best-of-three semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals race for gold and silver, while the defeated riders compete for the bronze medal.

The team sprint is contested over three laps of the track by two teams of three riders. All three riders start together, with the lead rider pulling off after the first lap and the second rider doing the same after the second lap. The final rider completes the last lap alone, and their time determines the team’s result.

In the time trial, each rider begins from a standing start and races against the clock to complete two laps of the track as quickly as possible.

There are two different impairment groups for track cycling: Tandem and Cycling. Each group includes a range of classifications, from 1 (most impaired) to 5 (least impaired), based on functional ability.

• Tandem (B1-3) - For athletes with a vision impairment. The pilot (sighted rider) will always be on the front, with the stoker (visually impaired rider) on the back.
• Cycling (C1-5): For athletes with impaired range of movement or coordination impairments that ride a standard two wheeled bicycle.