MADISON
The most complex but absorbing race on the track. Named after Madison Square Garden in New York where it was first made popular. Teams of two riders compete together to score points at the intermediate sprints, held every 20 laps, (5pts, 3pts, 2pts, 1pt to the first four), and gain laps by attacking. One member of each team is ‘in the race’ at any one time, while the other circles at the top of the banking. The riders switch over to give each other a rest – or perhaps to put the better sprinter in as a sprint lap approaches. The rider must touch his team-mate to change over but usually this is done with a hand-sling to propel the other into the race. The team that covers the most laps wins, with points only counting to separate riders who finish on the same number of laps.