With no fencing the past two Saturdays, today included I’ve had the opportunity to both days race track at the Blackburn Outdoor velodrome. On both ocassions I’ve been successful and last Saturday I won D Grade and this Saturday I won C Grade. Both days I have phenomenally enjoyed myself and the unique atmosphere of club track racing. It is with this enjoyment factor that I question why track racing is regarded as somewhat inferior and they struggle to get 50 people out on the track when they are getting that many per grade at crits whether it is Sandown, Glenvale or St Kilda.

However today is not the day for a rant on why many people are so inclined to race crits but so few turn up to race on the track despite the fact that many of Australia’s greatest champions are from a track background. Anyway I thoroughly enjoy the track racing I get to do and despite the fact that coffee isn’t always available, GASP!!! It’s a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

One of the great strengths of track racing is the variety of events you can participate in and the last two weeks are a perfect testament to that. Last week we started off with a scratch race before moving to a progressive points race and then a motorpace to finish off. This selection of races would favour an all round rider with the progressive points being one more for an enduro while the motorpace more favours a sprinter. Today’s racing though was more sprint focused with a scratch race, handicap and a keirin. The variety alone of these races makes track racing a winner and the great social atmosphere of the track just adds to the racing.

Now though I have to finish the post with a plug to the Australia Day Madison run by Blackburn Cycling Club which is funnily enough on Australia Day.  Throughout the day there will be three madisons : A Grade, B Grade which I will be participating in and a women’s madison as well as a series of support events for grades A through F. It promises to be a great day with a Carnival aspect and even if you decide not to race it will be a terrific day of racing to watch. If you want some more details of the days racing here is the flyer.