Velodrome
A steeply banked oval track for track cycling, with sloped bends that let riders hold high speeds through the turns.
Overview
A velodrome is a purpose-built oval track for track cycling, with two straights joined by steeply banked bends. The banking lets riders carry high speed through the turns without slowing.
Indoor velodromes usually have a smooth timber surface, while outdoor tracks are often concrete. A track length of 250 metres is common for modern indoor venues, though lengths vary.
Good to know
- The steep banking on the bends counteracts the sideways forces of cornering at speed.
- Track bikes have a single fixed gear and no brakes.
- Coloured lines such as the sprinters' line and the stayers' line govern racing positions.
- Track lengths differ between venues, with 250 metres common for modern indoor tracks.
Where it’s used
Sports that use velodrome:
How it connects
The meaning-bearing relationships that place Velodrome in the wider knowledge graph — each one with the reason it exists.
Frequently learned together
Taught side by side in the same stage of a learning path.
- Cycling shoesBoth are taught in the “What you’ll need” stage of the Cycling learning path.
- Bike helmetBoth are taught in the “What you’ll need” stage of the Cycling learning path.
- Road bikeBoth are taught in the “What you’ll need” stage of the Cycling learning path.
- Mountain bikeBoth are taught in the “What you’ll need” stage of the Cycling learning path.
- Water bottleBoth are taught in the “What you’ll need” stage of the Cycling learning path.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Velodrome to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Equipment
- Cycling shoesStiff-soled shoes that clip onto pedals to transfer power efficiently while riding.
- Bike helmetA hard-shelled head covering worn while cycling and riding bikes.
- Road bikeA lightweight bicycle built for speed and efficiency on paved surfaces.
- Mountain bikeA rugged bicycle built to handle rough, off-road terrain.
- Water bottleA refillable bottle for carrying drinks and staying hydrated during sport.
Playing surfaces
- WoodAn indoor sprung timber or parquet floor — grippy, consistent and lightly cushioned; the classic surface for indoor court sports.
- Synthetic trackAn all-weather rubberised athletics running surface — firm, springy and high-grip — giving sprinters and distance runners fast, consistent, predictable footing.
- ClayA soft, granular racquet-sport surface of crushed brick, stone or shale that slows the ball, gives a high bounce and lets players slide into shots.
Disciplines
- Track CyclingTrack cycling is racing on a velodrome, an oval banked track, using fixed-gear bikes with no brakes across sprint and endurance events.
- BMX RacingBMX racing is a short, intense sprint on a dirt track full of jumps and banked turns, with riders starting together from a gate.
- Super-GSuper-G, or super giant slalom, is a speed discipline with gates set farther apart than giant slalom, blending high speed with sweeping turns.
- Snowboard CrossSnowboard cross is a racing discipline in which several riders descend a terrain course together, with the fastest advancing through rounds.
- SlalomSlalom is the most technical alpine skiing discipline, run on a short course with closely spaced gates that demand rapid, precise turns.
Learning paths
Beginner guides
- Your First Cycling Session: What to ExpectA first cycling session is usually a relaxed introduction to getting comfortable on the bike — finding your balance, pedalling smoothly, steering, and stopping safely — at a pace that suits you rather than a test of fitness or speed.
- How to Join a Beginner Group or ClassA warm, practical walk-through of joining a beginner sports group or class — what they are like, how to find one, and what a first session tends to feel like.
- Spending Wisely as a BeginnerYou rarely need to buy much to start a new sport, because borrowing, hiring, taster sessions and a little patience let you learn what genuinely matters before you spend.
Player roles
- Last line of defenceThe final barrier between an attack and a score — the goalkeeper, sweeper or last-ditch defender whose job is to stop what the rest of the team has let through.
- Ball-winnerA ball-winner is the player tasked with regaining possession through pressing, tackling and interceptions — a team's tireless defensive workhorse.
- Target playerA target player is a focal attacker who receives, holds up and links play for others, often physically strong and good in the air or with the hands.
Go deeper with Velodrome
Everywhere else on the platform that covers Velodrome — assembled from what actually references it, so nothing here is a dead end.
Learn it
Structured courses and paths on the platform that cover this directly.
How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Facility
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-07-09
Evergreen, first-party explanation — it makes no claim that needs an external source. How we handle sources and reviews.