Racing Outline Wednesday 29th July 2026
Our final race night of July heralds the back end of the track season, with just three nights left in August and our Omnium on Sunday 13th September to finish the 2026 season. We know numbers will be low, with Youths riding at the week-long stage race of Assen in the Netherlands and other competing race events as well as school holidays drawing riders elsewhere.
No better time then to trial again new formats, for the Seniors at least. Thus, we see the introduction of a standing start, held, individual, one-lap time trial. Youths are likely familiar with this format from their Saturday coaching sessions at PPYCC but we believe this event has not been ridden in track league, in the Committee’s memory, and perhaps never at all. This is a chance to record a real piece of data for your palmares, though Strava won’t recognise this as your best time for a lap will be a flying lap, no doubt with drafting in part of the lap.
Your 1-lap time will be used to make a seeding for the Australian Pursuit,* the second appearance this season, but with the previous version being declared null and void due to organisational challenges. We will try and get it right this time. For riders this poses the question “What to do?” A slow lap will give you a good handicap for the Australian Pursuit, but with both races giving League points you will be throwing points away in the first race, that you can’t guarantee getting back in the second. Our advice is to record your best lap time and then play your strongest game in the pursuit.
(* The Australian Pursuit will be a fixed length, handicapped race with overtaken riders being eliminated from the race. Placings are awarded in order of first over the line at the race end and in reverse order of those eliminated ,for those that don't make it to the end of the race.)
There is an extra race for youths, so parents don’t take the Youth riders home after the first three races are completed.
More hot, sunny weather makes for another tempting and enjoyable race evening in the park.