Your guide to the National Omnium Championships

Wed 25 Jan 2017

With just over a week to go, we're all very excited for the HSBC UK National Omnium Championships here at the Arena! But with the different event names and classifications, it can seem a little overwhelming. We've put together this handy guide to help you gain an understanding before you head to the velodrome...

What is an omnium?

An omnium is a multiple race event in track cycling.

Who makes the rules?

The omnium will be made up of 4 events and is disputed over a single day held under British Cycling and UCI rules. British Cycling is the internationally recognised governing body of cycle sport in the UK, and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the the world governing body for sports cycling.

What is a scratch race?

The scratch race involves all cyclists starting together and racing to be the first to cross the finish line. This is 10km for men and 7.5km for women during qualifications. First place wins 40 points.

What is a tempo race?

The tempo race awards points to the first and second rider to cross the finish line each lap. First place wins 40 points.

What is an elimination race?

During the elimination race, the last rider to cross the finish line every two laps is eliminated, until one cyclist is left as the winner. First place wins 40 points.

What is a points race?

After the scratch, tempo and elimination, cyclists points are tallied before they enter the points race.

The points race allows cyclists to earn points for a variety of reasons. Riders can pick up points for being the first to cross the finish line at the end of a sprint lap (5 points for the winner, 4, 3 and 1 for the runners up). Gaining a lap on the field awards cyclists 20 points, and losing a lap means you forfeit 20 points. Riders compete to earn the most points!

Who is the winner?

The winner is the cyclist who has accumulated the most points at the end of the day!

How can I watch the race?

If you would like to attend the Omnium event, tickets are still available on the event page. We hope to see you there!