Paris Olympics 2024 Track Cycling: Omnium Explained

The Omnium, introduced for both men and women ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games, is the newest event in track cycling and replaced the individual pursuit competition. Initially, it featured six events but has since been condensed to four. This change came after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) demanded gender parity in events but did not allow more medals for cycling. The Omnium replaced the individual pursuit, points race, and kilometre time trial (500m time trial for women), combining them into one medal event.

History and Development

The idea of an Olympic Omnium in track cycling dates back to 2012. Patrick Sercu, a renowned Six Day racer, lobbied the UCI to reintroduce the discipline to the World Championships schedule in 2007 after a 40-year absence. Initially, the Omnium tested riders’ versatility with a 200m flying time trial, individual pursuit, points race, and kilometre (or 500m) time trial. By the London 2012 Olympics, two more mass-start events had been added: the Scratch Race and Elimination Race, making it the pentathlon of cycling.

Laura Kenny (Great Britain) claimed the Omnium gold medals in London and Rio, while Lasse Norman Hansen (Denmark) and Elia Viviani (Italy) won the men’s events in 2012 and 2016, respectively. At Tokyo 2020, Matt Walls (Great Britain) took gold, and Jennifer Valente (USA) topped the women’s podium.

What events are in the Omnium?

After the Rio Olympics, the UCI revamped the Omnium, reducing it to four races, all mass-start, to accommodate the reintroduced Madison in the Olympic programme. The Omnium now includes:

– Scratch Race
– Tempo Race
– Elimination Race
– Points Race

Riders accumulate points by finishing high in the first three events, with 40 points awarded to the winner, 38 for second, 36 for third, and so on. The rider with the most points after four races wins.

Scratch Race

The Omnium event begins simply: the first rider across the line wins the Scratch Race. No extra points are awarded for lapping the field. Men race 10 kilometres and women race 7.5 kilometres.

Tempo Race

The Tempo Race introduces more complexity and strategy. Riders gain points in sprints and by lapping the field. Each lap sees a sprint where the first rider across the line gets one point. Lapping the field earns 20 points while being lapped results in a 20-point penalty. This race tests endurance and requires the jury to determine the ‘field’ when riders are scattered across the track.

Elimination Race

The Elimination Race features sprints every other lap, with the last rider across the line being eliminated. Eliminated riders must leave the track, and their bikes have a light that blinks to indicate elimination. The jury has the authority to warn, relegate, or disqualify riders who don’t leave the track after elimination.

Points Race

In the final event, the Points Race, riders carry forward all their accumulated points. Men race 25 kilometres (100 laps) and women 20 kilometres (80 laps), with sprints every 10 laps worth 5, 3, 2, and 1 points mid-race and 10, 6, 4, 2 points at the finish. Lapping the field adds 20 points to your overall total, while being lapped will deduct 20 points.

Impact of the Points Race

Since the UCI changed the Omnium format, the Points Race has become crucial. In 2017, Alberto Torres led the first three races, but France’s Benjamin Thomas claimed victory by winning 25 points in sprints. New Zealand’s Aaron Gate moved to second by lapping the field twice and earning 15 points in sprints. Campbell Stewart (New Zealand) used a similar strategy to win the 2019 world title, and Benjamin Thomas regained the rainbow jersey by lapping the field at the right time in 2020. Katie Archibald (Great Britain) held off Kirsten Wild (Netherlands) with strategic sprints to win that year. Wild, an expert points racer, had previously won the Omnium in 2018 and 2019.

Olympic Omnium Winners List

Men’s Omnium Champions

Women’s Omnium Champions