Sunday 6 March 2016 13:40, UK
British riders will bid for medals while continuing their build-up to the Rio Olympics at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in London from Wednesday to Sunday this week.
It will be the first time since Manchester in 2008 that the annual event has been held in Britain.
The hosts are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2015 World Championships in which they only won three silver medals.
Among the highlights of the week will be Britain's attempt to claim gold in both the men's and women's team pursuit, plus Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish teaming up in the Madison.
Here is everything you need to know about the races and when they are taking place (scroll to the bottom for the daily schedule)...
Teams of four cover 4km, swapping turns on the front to ensure each rider gets as much shelter from the wind as possible. Britain's men are the reigning Olympic champions and world record-holders, but New Zealand are the defending world champions. Britain's women had been unbeaten in more than four years going into last year's World Championships, but Australia stunned them in Paris to win gold in a remarkable world-record time.
When: For the men, qualifying on Wednesday at 1pm, first round on Thursday at 5pm, finals on Thursday at 9pm. For the women, qualifying on Thursday at 1pm, first round on Friday at about 3.30pm, finals on Friday at about 9pm.
Brit watch: Sir Bradley Wiggins, Ed Clancy, Steven Burke, Owain Doull, Andy Tennant, Jon Dibben, Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell Shand, Elinor Barker, Ciara Horne, Emily Nelson.
For the men, three-rider teams cover three laps, while for the women, it's two riders and two laps. Riders peel off after each of the laps, leaving just one rider to negotiate the final lap and stop the clock. If Britain's women don't better France's result by at least two places, they won't qualify for the Olympic Games.
When: For the men, qualifying on Wednesday at 4.30pm and finals on Wednesday at 9.30pm. For the women, qualifying on Wednesday at about 3.30pm, finals on Wednesday at 8.30pm.
Brit watch: Jason Kenny, Philip Hindes, Callum Skinner, Becky James, Jess Varnish, Katy Marchant.
The omnium is made up of six events, split over two days. Points are on offer in each race, with the rider with the most points taking the gold medal. In order, the six events are…
- The Scratch race: 15km for the men, 10km for the women, first over the line takes maximum points.
- Individual pursuit: A 4km time trial for men, 3km for women.
- Elimination race: A bunch race in which a rider is eliminated every second lap. The last rider on track wins and takes maximum points.
- Time trial: 1km for men, 500m for women.
- Points race: The decider. 40km for men, 25km for women. There is a sprint for the line on every 10th lap, with the points awarded being added directly to a rider's tally for the whole omnium. Riders can take extra points by lapping the rest of the field.
Trott is the reigning Olympic omnium champion but had to settle for silver behind Australia's Annette Edmondson at last year's worlds. Mark Cavendish will ride for Britain in the men's race, with Colombia's Fernando Gaviria the reigning world champion.
When: For the men, the first three events are on Friday and the last three events on Saturday. For the women, it's Saturday and Sunday.
Brit watch: Laura Trott and Mark Cavendish.
The Madison is raced by the men but not by the women and is perhaps the most complex event in track cycling. Two-man teams race for 50km (200 laps), with the winners and losers decided in one of several ways. If a team lap the rest of the field and are the only team to do so, they will be the winners. However, if several teams lap the field, or none at all, victory will be decided by the number of points each team amasses at sprints that take place every 20 laps. Still following? Wait, there's more.
Only one rider per team can be active at any time, so while one team-mate races, the other rests at the top of the track, swapping over every lap or so. When it comes to a change, the riders execute what is known as a hand sling, where the active rider grabs hold his team-mate's hand and drags him forwards as a way of transferring energy.
When: Sunday at 5.45pm.
Brit watch: Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish.
Riders must qualify for the knockout rounds by completing a 200m flying lap, with the top 24 going through. The knockout rounds take place over 1km, or four laps. It is often a tactical battle in which opponents play cat and mouse at slow pace for the first half, before launching their sprints inside the last couple of laps. From the quarter-finals onwards, the rounds are best of three.
When: Men's qualifying on Friday, knockout rounds and finals throughout Saturday. Women's qualifying and early rounds on Saturday, later rounds and finals on Sunday.
Brit watch: Jason Kenny, Callum Skinner, Jess Varnish, Katy Marchant, Becky James.
The keirin is effectively a bunch sprint. It is held over eight laps, with the first five and a half laps taking place behind a motorbike known as a derny, which gradually increases pace. Once the derny pulls off, the sprint for the line begins. There are three rounds: first, second and final. For the men, Jason Kenny is the reigning Olympic champion.
When: Women's first round on Thursday at about 2.30pm, following by finals at about 8.30pm. Men's first round on Sunday at about 11.30am, followed by finals at about 3pm.
Brit watch: Jason Kenny, Callum Skinner, Jess Varnish, Katy Marchant, Becky James.
1km for the men or 500m for the women. No qualifiers - just straight to the finals.
When: Men on Thursday at about 4pm, women on Friday at 2.30pm.
Brit watch: Jason Kenny, Callum Skinner, Jess Varnish, Katy Marchant, Becky James.
A 4km time trial for men and 3km for women. There is a qualifying round to win places in the medal finals.
When: Women's qualifying on Wednesday at about 2pm, followed by the finals at about 7.30pm. Men's qualifying on Friday at 1pm, followed by finals at about 7.45pm.
Brit watch: Joanna Rowsell Shand, Andy Tennant.
Same as in the omnium. 40km for men and 25km for women. Points are awarded at a sprint for the line on every 10th lap. Riders can take extra points by lapping the rest of the field.
When: Friday at 7pm for the men, Saturday at about 8pm for the women.
Brit watch: Jon Dibben, Chris Latham, Emily Nelson, Elinor Barker.
Again, same as in the omnium. 15km for the men, 10km for the women, first over the line wins.
When: Wednesday at about 7pm for the men, Thursday at 8pm for the women.
Brit watch: Jon Dibben, Chris Latham, Emily Nelson, Elinor Barker.
Day 1: Wednesday, March 2
First session: 1pm
- Men's team pursuit (qualifying)
- Women's individual pursuit (qualifying)
- Men's team sprint (qualifying)
- Women's team sprint (qualifying)
Second session: 6.30pm
- Men's scratch race (final, medal ceremony)
- Women's individual pursuit (finals, medal ceremony)
- Men's team sprint (finals, medal ceremony)
- Women's team sprint (finals, medal ceremony)
Day 2: Thursday, March 3
First session: 1pm
- Women's team pursuit (qualifying)
- Women's keirin (round 1, repechage)
- Men's kilometre time trial (final, medal ceremony)
- Men's team pursuit (round 1)
Second session: 7pm
- Women's keirin (round 2, finals, medal ceremony)
- Women's scratch (final, medal ceremony)
- Men's team pursuit (finals, medal ceremony)
Day 3: Friday, March 4
First session: 9am
- Men's sprint (qualifying, 1/16 finals, 1/8 finals and 1/8 finals repechage)
- Men's omnium (scratch)
- Men's individual pursuit qualifying
Second session: 2.30pm
- Women's 500m time trial (finals, medal ceremony)
- Women's team pursuit (round 1)
- Men's omnium (pursuit)
Third session: 7pm
- Men's points race (final, medal ceremony)
- Men's individual pursuit (finals, medal ceremony)
- Women's team pursuit (finals, medal ceremony)
- Men's omnium (elimination)
Day 4: Saturday, March 5
First session: 10am
- Women's sprint (qualifying, 1/16 finals, 1/8 finals and 1/8 finals repechage)
- Women's omnium (scratch)
- Men's omnium (kilometre time trial)
Second session: 2.45pm
- Men's sprint (quarter-finals, 5-8 places)
- Men's omnium (flying lap)
- Women's omnium (pursuit)
Third session: 7pm
- Men's sprint (semi-finals, finals, medal ceremony)
- Women's points race (final, medal ceremony)
- Men's omnium (points race, medal ceremony)
- Women's omnium (elimination)
Day 5: Sunday, March 6
First session: 10am
- Women's sprint (quarter-finals, 5-8 places)
- Men's keirin (round 1, repechage)Women's omnium (500m time trial, flying lap)
Second session: 2pm
- Women's sprint (semi-finals, finals, medal ceremony)
- Men's keirin (round 2, finals, medal ceremony)
- Women's (omnium points, medal ceremony)
- Men's Madison (final, medal ceremony)
