Track time trial

In the track time trial, a track cycling event, riders compete individually against the clock to record the fastest time over the specified distance from a standing start.

At championships and Olympics events, the distance is usually 1000 metres, hence the event's alternative name: the 'Kilo', short for kilometre. As such, the event is popular with riders who specialise in the sprint.

Riders who have performed best on previous occasions are seeded and ride last (giving the potential advantage of knowing what their opponents have done).

The Hour

The Blue Riband track cycling feat is to break the Hour record. Instead of racing against the clock over a set distance, the rider will set out to cover as much distance as possible in exactly 60 minutes.

The world record has been held by many of the greatest names in cycling - most of them road racing specialists with the necessary combination of speed and, above all, endurance - for example: Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Francesco Moser, Miguel Induraín and Chris Boardman.