Elimination Primer
Elimination racing is extremely exciting and entertaining. Usually contested as part of omnium, you encounter these races often as a standard endurance/upgrade racing event. Unpredictable, fast, and lots of maneuvering, elimination (aka Miss-and-Out or Devil Take the Hindmost) is a crowd favorite.
Format
- Usually the lap count equals the the number of racers.
- At the end of every 1-2 laps, the last rider to cross the line is eliminated from the race.
- When just 3 riders remain, they ride one neutral lap then sprint for the finish.
Tactics
Each athlete tries playing to his/her strengths. Some prefer to park themselves at the front and ride tempo. Some prefer to stay in the back and play “devil” by out-sprinting their opponents right at the line. Laura Trott’s “devilish” performance at 2012 World Championships remains the golden standard. Not only did she play devil in the last couple sprints, she proceeded to win the race, omnium, and another rainbow jersey!
