Sports. I tested track cycling for you in Roubaix: "guaranteed sensations (of vertigo)"

For an introduction to track cycling, head to the velodrome in Roubaix, which hosts the world track cycling championships from October 20 to 24. Nothing like slipping into the skin of a champion. We have tested the rolling start and the standing start for you. #You are amazing.

From a distance, it looks like an ordinary bike... From a distance only! Because once in hand, I can see that there is no brake, no coaster either. To slow down, you have to exert a (light) push on the pedal when it goes up. No question of stopping pedaling suddenly or wanting to freewheel, it is not possible! If you are launched at high speed, you risk falling by not slowing down properly. I was therefore warned from the outset, a stroke of pressure, but Sébastien Notin, the sports educator who welcomed me, wanted to be reassuring: I was going to be able to do several laps of the track to familiarize myself with the machine.

The latter, very light, weighs 7 to 8 kg, there is a regulation by the UCI, the International Cycling Union, which prohibits going below 6.8 kg. The bike costs around 1,500 euros and is provided (as are the helmet and shoes) when you come to test the track during a baptism, for example, at Stab, the Roubais velodrome. The tires are very grippy but they are not tubular like in competition. The tubulars - which can be inflated up to 14 bars of pressure - have even better speed performance, due to the quality of the rubber.

Warming up: "the fixed gear remembers me!"

As with any sport, it all starts with the warming up. Very progressive, it is a question of taking control of the bike. I do my first laps, and surprise everything rolls, with a feeling of sliding on the ground: not that I don't have confidence in the grip (I will test this later on the slope) but rather the impression that the bike rolls quite easily. It's very nice. All it takes is a moment of relaxation, however, to end up freewheeling and then my leg is thrown slightly forward by the crankset which continues to turn. Ouch! The fixed gear remembers me and I lose a little confidence in my machine. At the end of this warm-up, a surprising pain in the hands appears. It happens to a lot of people like me who test the velodrome. Sébastien's explanation: the tension, the apprehension of the bike and the track.

The track: "45 degrees, vertigo!"

A few laps later, Sébastien, my instructor, is becoming more demanding. It is now a question of going up a little towards the railing, when I am in the length of the track, and of going down once in the turn. There, in the turn, you will undoubtedly realize the slope: 45 degrees! Vertigo guaranteed!

Made of Siberian larch, a wood that is both flexible so that its slats are curved in turns and rigid for better speed performance, the track is 250 meters long. An Olympic track. Cyclists ride counter-clockwise, as in all velodromes, for various historical reasons. The track lap record is 17 seconds at Stab, the only covered velodrome in Hauts-de-France. Otherwise, there are rings in Saint-Quentin (Aisne), Saint-Omer (Pas-de-Calais), and Senlis (Oise).

200m rolling start: "speed allows you to keep your balance... In theory!"

New challenge for this baptism: gradually accelerate for two and a half laps, climb to the balustrade, then deep dive with the rope for 200 meters to achieve a time. I reach approximately 28-30 km/h, (a speed necessary to be stable at the railing) and I climb to three quarters of the height of the turn.

I have to admit that I honestly didn't give it my all... Maybe because I lacked the confidence on the bike to keep my balance while riding fast? Most certainly, at least in part. However, speed is key. If the apprehension and fear of falling remain present, the centrifugal force begins to be felt. The one that pushes outwards, thanks to speed and allows you to find a good balance, as I explain at the end of this video.

Track cycling is "not a video game"!

With Théo Bracke, 19 years old, French champion in the kilometer two years ago, who aims to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics, I make a standing start. A lap more to observe at his side, how he rolls. Well, I was only at his side at the start... Didn't really have time to analyze his practice. Too fast for the amateur that I am! But thanks to a motorcycle driven by Sébastien Notin, we have the images. Take a look, the on-board camera distorts the sharpness a bit, but it's not a video game, it's reality!

Practical information

The baptism of track cycling at the Stab costs 20 euros. Helmet, shoes and bike are provided for half an hour on the track, Wednesday between 10.00 and 12.00, Saturday between 14.00 and 18.00 and Sunday between 12.00 and 14.00. Plan the shorts or shorts and the T-shirt. And water ! If you're really tough, you'll have four days in October to measure yourself against the biggest on the Stab track. For all the others (and me) the bleachers are there!

See you from October 20 to 24

The 2021 Track Cycling World Championships are taking place in Roubaix from October 20 to 24. A little against all odds because they were to take place in Turkmesnistan. Because of its border with Afghanistan and the seizure of power by the Taliban in this country, the event could not be organized. The president of the UCI has nevertheless expressed his desire to organize these championships and it is Roubaix which has been chosen, even if its seating capacity - 1,500 - is a little restricted compared to other velodromes in the world. Thirty to forty nationalities are represented, 300 participants. All the world's best and in particular the Dutch who won a lot of medals in Tokyo this summer. "It is the toughest competition after the Olympics", explains Sébastien Notin, "it is therefore in itself very prestigious and it also counts for the qualifications for the 2024 Olympics in Paris".

My opinion

I strongly recommend a baptism for the youngest (from 7 years old) as for the others. We realize the difficulty of understanding the track. There is necessarily a balancing act, even a tightrope walker: either we are not going fast enough and we risk becoming unbalanced, falling; either we go fast enough and we begin to feel the centrifugal force that pushes us outwards. There, you have to lean towards the inside of the bend, but not too much. "If we reach high speeds like 70 to 75 km/h", explains Théo "we risk falling on the inside of the bend". So balance, while maintaining the most sustained pace possible. Difficult. If you add to that, the standing start in dancer, hands down the handlebars, you have an idea of ​​the discomfort of the thing for someone who - like me - occasionally rides a Dutch bike. The first laps of the track are therefore not without difficulties. But it is a unique experience! Not expensive, and which allows you to fully appreciate the performance of track cycling champions. In France, some 2,000 to 3,000 FFC licensees are said to be specialized in track cycling.