Andrew Brusavich Omnium and SoCal Madison Cup #2

 So there you are sitting in the stands, settled in to watch an afternoon of exciting bicycle racing. Riders are called to the rail and then, after a little talk with the race official, they are released and start to circle the track. You were close enough to overhear, so you know that everyone will ride two circuits of the oval, to be sure everyone is together, before the race actually starts. There are accelerations as riders try to get away, maybe the bunch picks up the pace to chase down the attacking rider, maybe the legs of the rider (or riders) up ahead grow weary and, after a few laps he, or she, is back in the bunch, but the pace stays pretty steady throughout. Little by little the unrelenting speed causes riders to fall off the back, but they continue as best they can; hardly ever does anyone simply give up. And so it goes; laps pass quickly, and soon enough the bell rings for the final lap and the sprint to conclude the race. It was all pretty much as you expected - a flat out race to the finish, first one across wins. You just watched a Scratch Race.

That there is some close speed work - Scratch Race

A few minutes later, another group of riders is lined against the rail and another race begins in the same way. But wait, what's going on you think, something looks different, the race seems to be progressing differently, some strategy is giving this race a different appearance. You may be watching a Points Race, maybe a Miss and Out or, conversely, a Win and Out Race, to name but a few. And that does not even begin to consider any local variants that may be unique to velodromes all around the world. 

Scratch races, like criteriums on the road, or cross country races on the dirt or, for that matter a cyclocross race are pretty straight forward affairs - fastest rider (hmmm, hypothetically), first rider to cross the finish line wins the race. Thing is, of course, there are all kinds of different track races, most often taking place one right after another, throughout the afternoon or evening. It can get kind of confusing until you become familiar with the nuances of each, but once you've mastered the differences, you realize that those different races keep things fresh. Since I hope to be at the next two or three Saturday races at the Velo Sports Center, and thus also the final two meetings of the SoCal Madison Cup, I'll try to look at a different race each time. Of course you could always show up at the Velodrome, and see for yourself.

start of the Tempo Race - good, healthy sized field, eh!?

Anyway, yesterday 27 November, the Center hosted another series of "Juniors Rule" racing presented by the Foundation for American Track Cycling (unfortunately, problems on the freeways - when are there ever not problems on the freeways - kept me from seeing any of those races), the second round of the SoCal Madison Cup, and the Agnew Brusavich Masters, Elite and Amateur Omnium. For some reason a Masters Omnium scheduled for 3:00 did not seem to take place. 

Three teams competed in the Elite Madison race this week and, to use a Fast Digs phrase from yesteryear, it was nip and tuck the whole time, with the first place team of Perkins and Culp accumulating fourteen points, McMahon and Che ending with thirteen points, and Phillips and Vogt finishing with twelve points. Four Developmental Madison teams (on the track at the same time as the Elites) competed, and though the lone crash (perhaps due to overlapping wheels) of the day took place in this race, the rider picked himself up and got back into the action. Action being the key word. Wilson and Albert took the 1st place prize from the Development teams.

The early evening races began with a sixteen lap Tempo Race for Cat 4 and 5 racers, and pretty dominant showing it was by Kyle Cooper, who collected fifteen points, and Brian Mitchell, with fourteen points. The Scratch Race for Cat's 1 to 3 resulted in one of those stand and cheer, neck and neck finishes all the way around the final lap, and with 3rd place just barely behind; that close finish is the top photo above.

A good nights' entertainment, and you certainly cannot beat the price of admission, because there ain't no price of admission. Come on out sometime, we'll make a party of it. Until then, a selection of even more photos can be found here.