• As the name suggests, the UCI Track Champions League runs as a league format with every round featuring the same race programme. 
• Riders compete in either the Sprint or Endurance categories and score points across all five rounds.
• Each category has two different types of races in which competitors can accumulate points: Sprinters race in both Sprint and Keirin while Endurance riders race both Elimination and Scratch.
• 18 riders can compete in each category, meaning 72 riders will compete in total (36 men and 36 women).
• Four champions will be awarded: Two men and two women in each category.

The UCI TCL will feature league tables for each discipline (men’s and women’s) with rankings determined by points allocated to riders for their performance in each Round.

These points will accrue in a league table and the overall winner will be the rider with the most points at the end of the series.

• The maximum number of points available if a rider wins all races is 200.
• In the event of a tie in the standings the result will be determined from the previous race – best placed in the last race wins.
• At the end of each event the current leader will be awarded the leader’s jersey and will wear the jersey at the following event.
• Prize money is awarded for every race and for the overall standings (see prize money below).
• UCI points are awarded for every race and for the overall standings (see UCI points below).

The UCI Track Champions League is committed to fostering a competitive and transparent selection process. Starting with the 2024 season, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) approved a new qualification criteria for the UCI Track Champions League. Designed to ensure the highest level of competition, the updated system outlines a clear and rigorous pathway for athletes to qualify, emphasizing performance in top-tier track events that are part of the UCI Track International Calendar. 

For more information on the new qualification system for the UCI Track Champions League, please click HERE.

Whilst track cycling is one of the fastest, most competitive and exciting sports in the world, we realise there’s a lot of information to take on board if you’re new to it, and that’s exactly why we’ve created this easy-to-understand guide which will allow you to know exactly what’s going on:

What are the differences between Sprint and Endurance riders?

In track cycling there are many different races, but ultimately there are two types of riders. A rider who specialises in the Sprint events will usually be more muscular, allowing them to exert more power in short and intense efforts. An Endurance rider will be built more like the typical road cyclist, lean and light and able to sustain fast speeds over longer distances. 

Can riders compete in both Sprint and Endurance races?

Typically, riders specialise in either Sprint or Endurance categories. Sometimes riders will switch from one category to the other over the course of their career, but never mid-way through the UCI Track Champions League. 

Do riders compete for themselves, their trade teams, or their countries?

In the UCI Track Champions League, riders compete for themselves, but when they race, they will do so in their national colors. 

What do the lines mean on the track?

Black line – This line represents the shortest and fastest distance around the track. Riders try to stay on this line as much as possible whilst they’re racing.  

Red line – If a rider is trying to overtake someone who’s riding in the sprinter’s channel (the space between the black and red lines), then they have to do so at a safe distance. Riders have to be above the red line if they’re overtaking someone in this channel. The red line is also called the sprinter’s line. 

Blue line – When a rider gets knocked out of an Elimination race in the UCI Track Champions League, they must stay above the blue line to slow down before safely exiting the track. The blue line – also known as the stayer’s line – is mainly used in Madison races, which aren’t currently part of the UCI Track Champions League.

The finish line – This runs across the width of the track and is positioned towards the end of the home straight. It is used as the finish line in all disciplines in the UCI Track Champions League.

What are the different races featured in the UCI Track Champions League?

Why aren’t more races included in the UCI Track Champions League?
Out of all the different track cycling disciplines, the four races which feature in the UCI Track Champions League are the easiest for new fans to understand. Our aim is to make track cycling more accessible and exciting than ever before. 

• Banking – The banking is the steep turn at each end of the velodrome. It rises at an angle of approximately 45 degrees and allows riders to keep their bikes at around a 90 degree angle to the surface while riding at speed (see below for more information on why tracks are banked).
• Derny – A derny is a motorised bicycle used to set the pace over the first two laps in Keirin races.
• Drafting – This is when a rider positions themselves cloesly behind an opponent in order to get an aerodynamic advantage. When a rider is drafting closely behind an opponent, they can save up to 30% of energy compared to the person in front. 
• Skinsuit – A skinsuit is the clothing worn by riders, and its tight fit is designed to be as aerodynamic as possible.
• “Smashing the pedals” – This is a term which is used when riders are competing as hard as they can, putting as much power as possible through their pedals. 
• Track stand – This is when riders come to a complete stop whilst competing in Sprint races. Riders sometimes do this at the start of Sprint races in order to get their opponent to move in front of them, meaning they can then draft behind them in the laps which follow, conserving energy in the process, before attemoting to overtake them in their final sprint to the line.

How long is a velodrome?
Every velodrome used in the UCI Track Champions League is 250m long.

What was the highest speed recorded during last season?
Last season, the top speed recorded was 75kph, which was achieved in the Men’s Keirin event by Stefan Bötticher.

What is a velodrome?
A velodrome is a type of sports stadium that houses a closed-looped cycling track. 

Why are tracks made of wood?
Wood provides a consistent level of grip and its natural absorption properties mean it’s safer than harder materials if riders fall during competition. Tracks are made from thousands of small wooden strips which can easily be repaired or replaced if damage occurs to them. 

What type of wood are tracks made from, and why?
Siberian Pine is the typical wood used for the boards of a track because it is densely grained and is relatively knot-free. That means it has the strength and flexibility required for optimum racing, and is easy to shape into the classic curves. 

Why are the tracks banked at either end?
The banked curves create a centripetal force which pushes riders inwards whilst they are racing. This this keeps the riders’ momentum going and also allows them to keep to the shortest and fastest positions on the track more easily. 

What’s the difference between a road bike and a track bike?
There are several differences between road bikes and track bikes. Unlike a road bike, track bikes only have one, fixed gear, as they don’t need multiple gears. Track bikes do not freewheel either, meaning that if the bike is rolling, the pedals will always be going around too. This is to ensure track bikes are as fast as possible. Technically a track bike doesn’t have brakes either. If riders need to stop, they have to use their legs to resist the forward momentum of the pedals. 

How do I know who’s winning the UCI Track Champions League?
The overall leaders of the Men’s and Women’s Sprint and Endurance competitions in the UCI Track Champions League are awarded a blue jersey at the end of each round. The have the honour of wearing that jersey in the next round they race, and at the end of the season, they are awarded it as a prize, just like the yellow jersey in the Tour de France.