A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights. The straights transition to the circular turn through a moderate easement curve.

Technical aspects

Banking in the turns, called superelevation, allows riders to keep their bikes relatively perpendicular to the surface while riding at speed. When traveling through the turns at racing speed, which may exceed 85 km/h (about 52 mph), the banking attempts to match the natural lean of a bicycle moving through that curve. There is no centrifugal effect 'trying' to tilt the bicycle outward: the net normal force is acting on the tires through the riding surface.

Riders are not always traveling at full speed or at a specific radius. Most events have riders all over the track. Team races (like the madison) have some riders at speed and others riding more slowly. In match sprints riders may stop. For these reasons, the banking tends to be 10 to 15 degrees less than physics predicts. Also, the straights are banked 10 to 15 degrees more than physics would predict. These compromises make the track ridable at a range of speeds.

From the straight, the curve of the track increases gradually into the circular turn. This section of decreasing radius is called the easement spiral or transition. It allows bicycles to follow the track around the corner at a constant radial position. Thus riders can concentrate on tactics rather than steering.

Bicycles and track design

Bicycles for velodromes have no brakes. They employ a single fixed rear gear, or cog, that does not freewheel. This helps maximize speed, reduces weight, and avoids sudden braking while nevertheless allowing the rider to slow by pushing back against the pedals.

Modern velodromes are constructed by specialised designers. The Schuermann architects in Germany have built more than 125 tracks worldwide. Most of Schuermann's outdoor tracks are made of wood trusswork with a surface of strips of the rare rain-forest wood Afzelia. Indoor velodromes are built with less expensive pine surfaces. Other designers have been moving away from traditional materials. The 1996 Atlanta Olympics saw the introduction of synthetic surfaces supported by steel frames.

The track is measured along a line 20 cm up from the bottom. Olympic standard velodromes may only measure between 250 m and 400 m, and the length must be such that a whole or half number of laps give a distance of 1 km. Others range from 138 m to 500 m, although 333m is the official length used in major events (Ref: Fox, 2011). The velodrome at Calshot Spit, Hampshire, UK is only 142 m because it was built to fit inside an aircraft hangar. It has especially steep banking. Forest City Velodrome in London, Ontario, Canada, is the world's shortest at 138 m. It was built to fit a hockey arena. Like Calshot, it has steep banking.

Many old tracks were built around athletics tracks or other grounds and any banking was shallow. The smaller the track, the steeper the banking. A 250 m track banks around 45°, while a 333 m track banks around 32°. Some older velodromes were built to imperial standards. The Dick Lane Velodrome in East Point, Georgia, USA is 1/5 of a mile, or 321.8m.

Velodrome tracks can be surfaced with different materials, including timber, synthetics and concrete. Shorter, newer, and Olympic quality tracks tend to be timber or synthetics; longer, older, or inexpensive tracks are concrete, macadam, or even cinder, as in the Little 500.

Track markings

Important cycling events are usually held on tracks which have lines laid out in a specified arrangement. Some other tracks also follow these protocols, but others have a different arrangement of lines to suit their facility and to assist riders in holding a straight line and in avoiding drifting onto the flatter section below the bankings where they risk their tyres sliding out.

Between the infield (sometimes referred to as an apron) and the actual track is the blue band (called "côte d'azur") which is typically 10% of the surface. The blue band is not technically a part of the track; although it is not illegal to ride there, moving into it to shortcut another rider will result in disqualification. During time trials, pursuits or other timed events, the blue band is obstructed with sponges or other objects. The blue band is a warning to cyclists that they may scrape their pedal along the infield when in a curve, which can easily result in a crash.

20 cm above the blue band is the black line. The inner edge of this 5 cm line defines the length of the track. 90 cm above the inside of the track is the outside of the 5 cm wide red sprinter's line. The zone between black and red lines is the optimum route around the track. A rider leading in this zone cannot be passed on the inside; other riders must pass on the longer outside route.

Minimum 250 cm (or half the track width) above the inside of the track is the blue stayers' line. This line serves in races behind motorbikes as a separation line. Stayers below the blue line may not be overtaken on the inside. In Madison races (named after six-day races at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York and known as the American), the team's relief rider rests above the Stayer’s line by riding slowly until his or her teammate comes around the track and throws him or her back into the race.

The finish line is black on white and towards the end of the home straight. Red lines are marked in the middle of each straight as start and finish line for pursuit races. A white 200 m line marks 200 m before the finish.

Track construction

Velodromes may be indoors or outdoors. In the heyday of velodrome racing (1890–1920), indoor tracks were common. When hosting six-day races, they were popular for revelers and urban sophisticates to congregate in the early hours after the bars had closed. Indoor tracks are not affected by weather and are more comfortable for spectators. They ride smoother and last longer. Despite the advantages of indoor tracks, outdoor velodromes are more common, as an outdoor venue does not require a building, making it more affordable, especially when new. Today, although many classic indoor tracks have been torn out of buildings and replaced by venues for more popular sports, velodromes are still sometimes built into indoor venues, particularly where track racing can generate enough to cover the expense of dedicating a building to it.

A velodrome will usually be among facilities constructed for events such as the Olympics or Commonwealth Games.

Race formats

There are a variety of formats in velodrome races. A typical event will consist of several races of varying distances and structures. The most straight forward is the "scratch race," where riders compete over a specified distance and the order of finish determines the winners.

Points races assign value to specific laps throughout a race and riders position in relation to the field, generally the leading rider and occasionally the second place rider will be awarded points. The structure and timing of points races varies greatly, but the winner is determined by the accumulation of points and not necessarily the rider crossing the line first at the end of the race.

Elimination race, also known as "devil take the hindmost" removes the last place rider from each lap until only three to five riders remain. The final standings are then determined by a sprint over the last two laps.

Madison races team up pairs of riders in a tag-team format. Riders "sling" their teammate forward to facilitate alternating sprints that keep the pace very high during typically long races (30km or more compared to 3-10km for most other races). The name is taken from Madison Square Garden where the format was popular in the early 1900s.

Keirin races involve pacing 6–9 riders with a motorcycle until the last lap and a half when a sprint for the finish determines the winner.

Omnium competition assigns a point value to final standings of each race and riders accumulate points over the course of an event or series of events. This is not a specific race, but a competition that ties races and events together.

See also

List of velodromes

External links

List of velodromes

Velodrome.org.uk

Category:Track cycling

ca:Velòdrom de:Radrennbahn et:Velodroom es:Velódromo eu:Belodromo fr:Vélodrome he:ולודרום io:Velodromo it:Velodromo nl:Velodroom pt:Velódromo ru:Велотрек fi:Velodromi sv:Velodrom ja:自転車競技場

Stephen Pate (born 25 January 1964 in Melbourne, Victoria) is an internationally competitive cyclist and former Olympian. After turning pro in 1986, Pate won three world pro medals and set as many world pro records for 200m, 500m, and 1 km. In 1991, he won a bronze medal at the World Professional Championship at Stuttgart. However, he and his fellow Australian Carey Hall later tested positive for steroids and were stripped of their medals.

In March 1998 there were allegations that selectors for the upcoming Olympiad, including Coach Charlie Walsh, the national coach for the Australian Cycling Federation at the Australian Institute of Sport, had been biased in favour of riders in the AIS squad. The selection procedure was questioned after Bradley McGee (a former AIS rider) was selected even though he did not attend the selection trial or ride the national championship, while Pate (not a member of the AIS squad), the then-current national madision champion, was not selected.

References

Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:Australian cyclists Category:Sportspeople from Melbourne

de:Stephen Pate fr:Stephen Pate ja:ステファン・ペイト

Coordinates	39°44′21″N104°59′5″N
Birth date	October 31, 1943
Birth place	Pittsfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Death date	June 16, 1970
College	Wake Forest
Position	Running back
Height ft	6
Height in	0
Weight lbs	205
Career highlights	Y
Retired #s	Chicago Bears #41
Years	1965-1969
Teams	Chicago Bears
Stats	Y
Databasefootball	PICCOBRI01
Pfr	PiccBr00}}

Louis Brian Piccolo (October 31, 1943 – June 16, 1970) was a professional football player for the Chicago Bears for 4 years. He died from embryonal cell carcinoma, an aggressive form of germ cell testicular cancer, first diagnosed after it had spread to his chest cavity. He was the subject of the 1971 TV movie ''Brian's Song'', with a remake (of the same title) TV movie filmed in 2001. Piccolo was portrayed in the original film by James Caan and by Sean Maher in the 2001 remake.

Early life

Brian Piccolo, – the youngest of three sons – was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to Joseph and Irene (1909-2011) Piccolo. The family moved south to Fort Lauderdale, Florida when Piccolo was twelve, due to his parents' concerns for his brother Don's health. Piccolo and his brothers were athletes and Brian Piccolo was a star running back on his high school football team, but considered baseball his primary sport. He graduated from the former Central Catholic High School (now St. Thomas Aquinas High School) in Fort Lauderdale in 1961.

Piccolo played college football at Wake Forest; his only other scholarship offer was from Wichita State. He led the nation in rushing and scoring during his senior season in 1964 and was named the ACC Player of the Year, yet went unselected in the 1965 NFL Draft.

In 1963 Darryl Hill of the University of Maryland was the first and only African-American football player in the Atlantic Coast Conference. According to Lee Corso, who was an assistant coach at Maryland at that time, Wake Forest had the "worst atmosphere" of any place the Maryland football team played. Piccolo went over to the Maryland bench, walked Hill over to the area in front of the student section, and put his arm around him, silencing the crowd.

Following his senior season, Brian Piccolo married his high school sweetheart, Joy Murrath, on December 26, 1964. They had three daughters: Lori, Traci, & Kristi.

NFL career

Because he was not selected in the 1965 NFL Draft, Piccolo tried out for the Chicago Bears as a free agent. He made the team for the 1965 season, but only earned a spot on the taxi squad, better known today as the practice squad, meaning he could practice but not suit up for games. In 1966, Piccolo was on the main roster but played primarily on special teams. By 1967, his playing time increased as a back-up to starting tailback Gale Sayers, and in 1969, he was moved up to starting fullback, with Sayers as the tailback.

At the time, the players were segregated by race for hotel room assignments. At the suggestion of the team's captain, the policy was changed and each of the players were re-assigned based on position, such that wide receivers would room together, quarterbacks would room together, etc. The running back position was the only one where one player was black (Sayers) and one player was white (Piccolo).

When Sayers won the George Halas Most Courageous Player award for his successful recovery from what should have been a career-ending injury, he dedicated it to Brian Piccolo. Piccolo played in the NFL from 1966 to 1969 and scored five touchdowns.

Death and legacy

In 1969, the Chicago Bears were in the midst of a 1-13 season, which was the worst record in the history of the Bears. Piccolo had finally earned a place in the starting lineup as an undersized fullback. During the ninth game in Atlanta on November 16, he voluntarily removed himself from the game, something he had never done, which raised great concern among his teammates and coaches. He had extreme difficulty breathing on the field, so when the team returned to Chicago he was promptly sent for a medical examination, and was diagnosed with embryonal cell carcinoma.

Soon after Piccolo had surgery at Sloan-Kettering in New York City to remove the tumor, he had another surgery in April 1970 to remove his left lung and pectoral muscle. After being bothered by chest pain, Piccolo was re-admitted to the hospital in early June, and doctors determined the cancer had spread to other organs, most notably his liver. Brian Piccolo died on June 16, 1970, at the age of 26. After his death, Sayers said: "I love Brian Piccolo and tonight, when you hit your knees, please ask God to love him too."

Legacy

In 1972, Intermediate School 53 Brian Piccolo opened in Queens, New York on Nameoke Street in Far Rockaway. The school name was chosen by students after the first airing of Brian's Song. There is a football jersey belonging to Brian Piccolo on display in the lobby.

In 1980, students at Wake Forest, Piccolo's alma mater, began the Brian Piccolo Cancer Fund Drive in his memory. They raised money for the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Bowman Gray Medical Center of Wake Forest University. In addition, the Brian Piccolo Student Volunteer Program was established to provide undergraduates with an opportunity to work at the Cancer Center as volunteers. A dorm at Wake Forest University is also named in his honor.

In memory of Piccolo's accomplishments, the St. Thomas Aquinas High School football stadium in Fort Lauderdale is named after him. At the end of every football game, the school's marching band plays "The Hands of Time", the theme from ''Brian's Song''.

Brian Piccolo Park in the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Cooper City, Florida, is named after Piccolo.

In 2006, Brian Piccolo's second cousin, also named Brian Piccolo, was a sophomore linebacker on the Plant High School, Tampa, Florida, football team which won the state championship in December.

Comcast SportsNet profiled Piccolo's legacy and the lasting impression he left in the June 2007 episode of '''net Impact''.

Each season since 1972, the Atlantic Coast Conference has awarded the Brian Piccolo Award to the conference's "Most Courageous Player". In 2007, the recipient was Matt Robinson of Wake Forest, the fourth player from Piccolo's alma mater to be given the award. Since 1970, the Chicago Bears have also handed out an award by the same name to a rookie and (since 1992) a veteran who "best exemplifies the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor" of Piccolo. The winners are chosen by the Bears' veteran players. The 2007 recipients were Brian Urlacher and Greg Olsen.

An Italian-American organization, UNICO (an acronym for Unity, Neighborliness, Integrity, Charity, and Opportunity), honors his memory each year by awarding the Brian Piccolo Award to courageous and outstanding athletes of Italian-American heritage. In 2009 Brian's brother Don attended his first UNICO award ceremony in Rivervale, New Jersey, where he delivered a speech.

''Brian's Song''

The film ''Brian's Song'', loosely based on Gale Sayers' autobiography, tells the story of the friendship between Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers and their time during football with the Chicago Bears up until Brian Piccolo's death. It first aired on ABC in 1971, starring James Caan as Brian Piccolo and Billy Dee Williams as Gale Sayers, and was such a success on television that it was later shown in theaters. A remake was filmed in 2001 for ABC's ''The Wonderful World of Disney'' starring Mekhi Phifer and Sean Maher.

Biography

Piccolo's biography, ''Brian Piccolo: A Short Season'', was written by Jeanne Morris (the wife of Chicago Bear teammate Johnny Morris) and featured passages written by Piccolo himself for a planned autobiography.

References

External links

Brian Piccolo biography at Bears History

Brian's life a Song of friendship, courage - Brian Piccolo biography at ESPN.com

Database Football.com - Brian Piccolo

Pro Football Reference.com - Brian Piccolo

Category:1943 births Category:1970 deaths Category:ACC Athlete of the Year Category:Cancer deaths in New York Category:Deaths from testicular cancer Category:Chicago Bears players Category:American people of Italian descent Category:National Football League players with retired numbers Category:Wake Forest University alumni Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons football players Category:People from Pittsfield, Massachusetts Category:People from Fort Lauderdale, Florida

eo:Brian Piccolo fr:Brian Piccolo it:Brian Piccolo fi:Brian Piccolo