Fast-track to success

The team pursuit is formation cycling at high speed

Cycling has provided the Olympics with some of its most stirring moments over the past century.

For British fans, none more so than Chris Boardman's exhilarating gold medal at the 1992 Games in Barcelona in the individual pursuit.

The Wirral rider was on a space-age bike that weighed seven pounds - but cost about £30,000.

Boardman has long since defected to the road discipline but his success gave British cycling an immense boost.

In the shadows: Individual pursuit in Atlanta

So did the building of a top-class velodrome in Manchester, where the world championships will be held for the second time later this year.

These successes are reflected in the number of medal hopes the UK has in Sydney on the track.

There are a number of different events within the track competition.

Track time trial

The men compete over four laps (1 km) while the women race over two (500m).

Cyclists race one at a time and the rider with the fastest time wins the gold. It is a pure test of stamina and speed.

Sprint

For both men and women this is a three-lap race, though only the last 200m is timed.

Two cyclists race head-to-head, playing a cat-and-mouse waiting game with each other and sometimes even stopping altogether.

Track sprinting is thrilling and sometimes dangerous

The aim is to be the first to cross the finish line.

Riders spend the opening lap slowly jockeying for the best position and not wanting to expend too much energy.

Riders must keep moving on the first lap at no slower than walking pace, but for the next two laps anything goes, including some explosive bursts of sprinting.

A series of knockout heats determine the top two riders, who then compete for the gold.

Individual Pursuit

The race in which Boardman won his gold in 1992. Two riders start on opposite sides of the track and attempt to catch each other, or if not, clock the fastest time.

The race is over 4km for the men and a kilometre less for the women.

The first round is made up of heats in which only time counts, with the four quickest riders going through to the semi-finals.

After that it is a straight knockout before the final itself.

Team Pursuit

This is a four-man version of the individual pursuit and is for the men only.

During team events riders switch places to conserve energy

Teams save energy by riding wheel-to-wheel, and take turns to lead while the others ride in their slipstream.

The third rider is the pivotal team member because in order to win by catching the opposition the third rider must draw level with the his opposite number.

If no one is caught then the times of the both third riders are compared and the fastest wins.

Points race

The object of this race is to gain the most points over one 40km race for the men, and 25km for the women.

The race begins with a mass start after one lap has been completed. Riders then fight for the point-scoring positions during the event.

The first four riders who cross the finishing line every tenth lap score points - five for first, three for second, two for third and one for fourth.

In the final sprint to the line, points count double.

The winner is determined at the end from the riders who have lapped the field - caught up with the last rider in the race on their previous lap.

In the unlikely event of only one rider managing to lap the field, they are the gold medallist.

If a group manages to do this, then the number of points won on the 10-lap sprints is used to determine the victor.

Madison

This men-only race bears a similarity to the points race. It was first contested at Madison Square Gardens, New York, hence the name.

Sprinting: Close racing and frustration for losers

It begins with a mass start and is a sort of relay involving two riders per team. They try to accumulate points by winning sprints throughout the race.

They change over by gripping hands, with the rider being relieved propelling his partner into the race.

The partner who is not racing circles the top of the track, slowly waiting to re-enter.

The race is over 240 laps, with a sprint every 20 laps. Winners are worked out in the same way as the points race.

Keirin

This event, which is enormously popular in Japan, makes its Olympic debut in Sydney.

It takes place over eight laps, with competitors riding behind a motorbike for the first five-and-a-half laps.

This motorised lead-out vehicle gradually increase its speed from 25 km/h to 45 km/h before leaving the track.

After that the race is then a sprint for the finish, and things can get very fiery in the fight for the line.

Olympic Sprint

Another race making its Olympic debut. It is a men's event involving two teams of three.

The teams start on opposite sides of the track and sprint at blistering speeds for three laps. Each team member leads his team for one lap.

The first rider is usually a sprinter, the second a long-distance sprinter and the third a kilometre rider.

The team finishes when the third rider crosses the line and the fastest time wins.

The eight fastest times in the heats make up the quarter-finalists and then the race competition becomes a straight knock-out to decide the medals.

The Brits

Britain has a real hope of gold in the Olympic Sprint event.

Thy team, Chris Hoy, Craig Maclean and Jason Queally are the 1999 World Cup Champions, European Champions and won silver at last year's World Championship.

The main threat to them comes from Spain, Greece, Italy and France.

Jason Queally also goes in the kilometre time trial, having come fifth in the World Championships just hours after he was knocked off his bike while cycling on the road.

His strongest competition comes from Nimke of Germany, Escuredo of Spain and Georgalis of Greece.

Yvonne McGregor also competed on the road in Atlanta

Britain also has outside chances of a medal in the team pursuit and the women's individual pursuit.

In the former, the men have had a string of top ten finishes in World Cup competitions, but will need to be at their best to contend with the Ukraine, Italy, Russia, France and Germany.

In the women's individual pursuit, Yvonne McGregor will be hoping to steal in for a medal.

But rivals Lucy Sharman of Australia, Judith Arnt of Germany, France's Marion Clignet and Rasa Nazeikyte of Lithuania are sure to have plenty to say about it.