How does the elimination race work?
B · Beginner · The bunch races · 8 of 8Every two laps on a 250 metre track there is a sprint, and the last rider across the line is out. It goes on until two riders are left to sprint for the win. The last rider is judged by the back wheel, and an eliminated rider must leave the track at once.
How it works
- The event: "the last rider in each intermediate sprint is eliminated".
- How often: a sprint every second lap on tracks from 200 metres to under 333.33 metres, and every lap on longer tracks.
- The bell: rung on the lap before each sprint.
- Who goes: the last rider "according to the position of his rear wheel on the finishing line".
- Lapped or abandoned: such riders are the ones eliminated at the next sprint.
- Someone else: the commissaires may eliminate a different rider, for example one who passed on the blue band.
- A deadline for the decision: it must be announced before the riders cross the pursuit line on the back straight. If it cannot be, nobody is eliminated that time, shown by a green flag.
- Leaving: the eliminated rider leaves the track immediately or is penalised.
- The finish: the last two riders sprint, judged on their front wheels.
- Placings: in reverse order of elimination.
- Laps: "The fact that a rider may gain a lap shall not count."
- A mishap: the race is neutralised, under a yellow flag, for about 1,250 metres so the rider can rejoin. Not once four or fewer riders remain.
The glossary has the elimination race, the bell, neutralisation, the recognised mishap and the omnium.
Tricky cases
Is the last rider judged by the front wheel, as in a normal finish?
No. Elimination is by the position of the rear wheel on the line. Only the final sprint between the last two is judged on front wheels.
The officials cannot tell who was last. What happens?
Nobody is eliminated at that sprint, and a green flag is shown. The decision must be made before the riders reach the pursuit line on the back straight.
A rider breaks away and gains a lap. Are they safe?
No. Gaining a lap does not count in an elimination race.
A rider is boxed in at the bottom and dives on to the blue band to get through. Are they safe if they are not last?
No, not necessarily. The commissaires may eliminate a rider other than the last one, and the rule gives passing on the blue band as its example.
Why the rule exists
Most races reward being at the front. This one punishes being at the back, again and again, so riders have to fight for position every two laps without spending so much that they have nothing left. Judging the rear wheel means a rider cannot save themselves with a lunge.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tracks of 200 m to under 333.33 m | A sprint every second lap | UCI 3.2.222 |
| Tracks of 333.33 m or more | A sprint every lap | UCI 3.2.222 |
| Tracks under 200 m | A sprint every third lap | UCI 3.2.222 |
| In the omnium | The third of the four events | UCI 3.2.252 bis |
From the rule book
Union Cycliste Internationale, Cycling Regulations, Part 3: Track Races (amendments applying 1 January 2026), articles 3.2.218 to 3.2.226. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: UCI Cycling Regulations, Part 3 (PDF).