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Revolution (cycling series)
Encyclopedia
Revolution is a series of track cycling
events held at the Manchester Velodrome
in the north west of England
. It is held annually, in the winter, during the track cycling season. The series comprises 4 meetings each year, held between October and February, on Saturday evenings.
The series showcases various top cyclists, both British and other international riders, regularly attracting a large number of spectators. The recent success of the British team, including Chris Hoy
's triple Gold medal winning performance at the 2008 Summer Olympics
, has meant that the events now sell out in advance.
. Previously, track cycling fans were generally only able to attend one international event in Manchester each year, usually a round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics
series, or as in 2000, the UCI Track Cycling World Championships
. The only other events held regularly at the velodrome were events such as the British National Track Championships
, which have a lower profile and therefore attracted smaller crowds.
An organisation management company, Face Partnership, was brought in to attempt to create a series providing regular top level events at the velodrome. The aim was to provide racing for existing fans and attract new fans to the sport, raising its profile as a sport in United Kingdom
. It was decided that the series would consist of four events throughout the season. Admission costs were fixed at an affordable level, originally £8 for an adult ticket, in order to enable families to attend. Family tickets were available for around £20, making the Revolution a considerably more affordable event to attend in comparison to other sports, such as football.
The first event was held in October 2003 and was attended by a good sized crowd. The event featured big British names like Bradley Wiggins
, Rob Hayles
, Chris Newton
and David Millar
. The event continued to grow in stature and profile from this solid start, exceeding expected attendance targets along the way. Revolution 7 in early 2005 saw the series achieve its first near capacity crowd, the start of the event had to be delayed to allow the crowds into the venue. Revolution 14 was the series' first complete sell out, with some ticketless fans turned away. From early 2008 onwards the events began to sell out in advance.
The Revolution is also expanding into a global series, CotterPin has licensed the concept in Australia. The first Revolution Australia event was held in the Darebin International Sports Centre
, Melbourne
on 24 November 2007. There were over 3,000 spectators present at Australia's Revolution 1.
In July 2008, the Aftermarket company signed a deal with Face Partnership to create an expo
area in the track centre at each event. This takes advantage of the captive audience and precise target consumers present at each Revolution.
Each Revolution meeting consists of a fast paced, packed programme of races. The evening lasts for between 3 hours and 3 hours 45 minutes and typically involves around 20 events. Each event has three categories of racing including sprint and endurance, and the "Future Stars" series. Live PA duties at the events are carried out by the BBC
commentator and cycling legend, Hugh Porter
.
In 2011-12, ITV4
broadcast a one-hour highlights show on Monday evenings following each Revolution meeting.
and Team sprint. The sprint competition is usually a straight knock out event, typically with a first round, Semi Final and Final. For some events a sprint ominium has taken place, with all riders facing each other at some point during the evening and the most successful winning overall. A male sprinting competition usually takes place at each event, with Women's sprinting generally appearing for one event each year also.
The events featured alongside the main sprint competition are tailored to the card of sprinters appearing and has included various challenges and revenge matches over the years. They regularly attract major British names and a host of international challenges. The list of World and Olympic Champions to have appeared include Chris Hoy
, Theo Bos
, Arnaud Tournant
, Jason Kenny
, Victoria Pendleton
, Jamie Staff
, Jens Fiedler, Grégory Baugé
, Ross Edgar
, Craig MacLean
, Jason Queally
, René Wolff
, Jan van Eijden
, Florian Rousseau
, Stefan Nimke
, Maximilian Levy
, Teun Mulder
, Robert Förstemann, Mickaël Bourgain
, Willy Kanis
, Christina Muche and Clara Sanchez.
, Scratch race, Madison
, Individual pursuit
, Team pursuit
, Motor Paced Scratch race and Devil Elimination Scratch race. Typically the blue ribbon Madison feature race takes place once a year and is named the Isaac Galvez
Memorial Madison. This is in memory of the Spanish rider who died during the Ghent Six Day meeting in 2006 while he was World Madison Champion. This was one week before he was due to appear at Revolution 15.
The endurance racing attracts both major track riders and stars of the road, throwing up a number of unique contests over the years. The list of major names (on the track or the road) to have appeared include Bradley Wiggins
, Mark Cavendish
, Geraint Thomas
, Ed Clancy
, Joan Llaneras
, Paul Manning
, Bradley McGee
, Chris Newton
, Rob Hayles
, Sergi Escobar
, Steve Cummings
, Stuart O'Grady
, Iljo Keisse
, Matthew Gilmore
, Franco Marvulli
, Bruno Risi
, David Millar
, Peter Schep
, Robert Slippens
, Nicole Cooke
, Rebecca Romero
and Graeme Obree
.
An early record for this event was set by Mark Cavendish
and Ed Clancy
at 58.5 Seconds at Revolution 7 in January 2005. This record stood for some time and was only beaten by the unique combination of sprinters Craig MacLean
and Arnaud Tournant
, who set a new record of 55.1 seconds at Revolution 16 in January 2007. This was then further bettered when Tournant teamed up with Chris Hoy
at Revolution 20 in February 2008. Tournant had a shoulder injury which prevented the duo doing a proper hand sling change over, however they still posted a record time of 54.4 seconds. This record still stands today, despite Ed Clancy
and Steven Burke
going very close with a time of 54.5 at Revolution 22 in December 2008.
A new challenge event added to the programme in 2008 was the sprinters v pursuiters challenge. The first of these races took place at Revolution 21. This saw members of the GB Team sprint squad, Jamie Staff
, Jason Kenny
and Ross Edgar
, face off against members of the GB Team Pursuit
squad, Ed Clancy
, Geraint Thomas
and Steven Burke
. The race took place over three laps with a flying start, so very much was a mix between the sprint and endurance disciplines. Due to the three lap length of the race, the same as the Team Sprint event, it was expected by its nature to favour the sprint squad. However it was noted that the endurance squad regularly carry out similar short drills during training, so the playing field was quite level going into the event. The endurance squad were able to turn the flying start to their advantage and took a clean victory over the sprinters.
A rematch took place at Revolution 22, with the race extended to four laps with a standing start on this occasion. Matthew Crampton
joined the sprint squad and Rob Hayles
joined the endurance squad. The fast start of Jamie Staff
allowed the sprint squad to take revenge and level the series. It is expected that this unique challenge event may return at future events.
Other special events have included the Geoff Thomas
Charity Challenge Race at Revolution 20. This involved Geoff captaining a team of riders against England Rugby World Cup winning Captain, now England coach, the 6 ft 7 inches tall Martin Johnson. This was a 5 lap team sprint style challenge race, with each team including star riders like Chris Hoy
, Victoria Pendleton
, Arnaud Tournant
and Peter Schep
. The teams were drawn at the start of the evening, equally sharing out the riders. Team Thomas won by 0.1 seconds and raised a good sum of money for the Geoff Thomas Charity Foundation.
The importance of this series to British Cycling cannot be underestimated. It provides the youngesters with the chance to race in front of big crowds from an early age and often provides very close racing. The winners and front runners of this series have included a number of now established senior stars. Jason Kenny
, the Olympic Gold and Silver medalist in 2008, competed in the series in 2004/2005. Others include Steven Burke
, a bronze medal winner in the Pursuit at the 2008 Olympics.
The young riders often develop very quickly from the Future Stars series into world class riders. A number of Great Britain's current up and coming riders, including Lizzie Armitstead
, Anna Blyth
, Peter Kennaugh
and Jess Varnish, all of whom have already tasted medal success, have come through the Future Stars competition. The majority of riders who are coming up through the senior ranks at present are well known to Revolution fans as the majority of them competed in the Future Stars. It is expected that yet more will come through the series and go on to challenge for senior places come the 2012 Olympics.
External links
Track cycling
Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....
events held at the Manchester Velodrome
Manchester Velodrome
Manchester Velodrome is an indoor cycle-racing track or velodrome in Manchester, northwest England. It opened in September 1994 and is the leading indoor Olympic-standard track in the United Kingdom. It houses the National Cycling Centre and British Cycling...
in the north west of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is held annually, in the winter, during the track cycling season. The series comprises 4 meetings each year, held between October and February, on Saturday evenings.
The series showcases various top cyclists, both British and other international riders, regularly attracting a large number of spectators. The recent success of the British team, including Chris Hoy
Chris Hoy
Sir Christopher Andrew "Chris" Hoy, MBE is a Scottish track cyclist representing Great Britain and Scotland. He is a multiple world champion and Olympic Games gold medal winner...
's triple Gold medal winning performance at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, has meant that the events now sell out in advance.
Concept
The series was founded in 2003, with the main aim of providing regular track cycling events for fans to attend in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Previously, track cycling fans were generally only able to attend one international event in Manchester each year, usually a round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics
UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics
The UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics is the elite men and women's season-long competition in track cycling, which now comprises several rounds, each held in a different country. The 1995 World Cup had six rounds, this was reduced to four in 1998, 1999-2001 compromised of five rounds before...
series, or as in 2000, the UCI Track Cycling World Championships
UCI Track Cycling World Championships
The UCI Track Cycling World Championships are the set of world championship events for the various disciplines and distances in track cycling and are regulated by the Union Cycliste Internationale...
. The only other events held regularly at the velodrome were events such as the British National Track Championships
British National Track Championships
The British National Track Championships are held annually. Organized by British Cycling, they are competitions of various track cycling disciplines in age, gender and disability categories.-Senior :-Amateur :...
, which have a lower profile and therefore attracted smaller crowds.
An organisation management company, Face Partnership, was brought in to attempt to create a series providing regular top level events at the velodrome. The aim was to provide racing for existing fans and attract new fans to the sport, raising its profile as a sport in United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was decided that the series would consist of four events throughout the season. Admission costs were fixed at an affordable level, originally £8 for an adult ticket, in order to enable families to attend. Family tickets were available for around £20, making the Revolution a considerably more affordable event to attend in comparison to other sports, such as football.
The first event was held in October 2003 and was attended by a good sized crowd. The event featured big British names like Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for Team Sky. Wiggins' career began on the track, where he specialised in the pursuit and madison disciplines....
, Rob Hayles
Rob Hayles
Robert John Hayles is a track and road racing cyclist, riding for Great Britain and England on the track and his professional team Endura Racing on the road. Hayles rides the team pursuit and madison events....
, Chris Newton
Chris Newton
Christopher Malcolm Newton is a successful road and track racing cyclist. Newton is a multiple world champion and Olympian.-Biography:Newton is an alumnus of the University of Teesside in Middlesbrough...
and David Millar
David Millar
David Millar is a British road racing cyclist riding for . He has won three stages of the Tour de France, two of the Vuelta a España and one Stage of the Giro d'Italia. He was the British national road champion and the national time trial champion, both in 2007...
. The event continued to grow in stature and profile from this solid start, exceeding expected attendance targets along the way. Revolution 7 in early 2005 saw the series achieve its first near capacity crowd, the start of the event had to be delayed to allow the crowds into the venue. Revolution 14 was the series' first complete sell out, with some ticketless fans turned away. From early 2008 onwards the events began to sell out in advance.
The Revolution is also expanding into a global series, CotterPin has licensed the concept in Australia. The first Revolution Australia event was held in the Darebin International Sports Centre
Darebin International Sports Centre
The Darebin International Sports Centre, also known as DISC, is the home of three different sports, the State Lawn Bowls Centre, the State Cycling Centre and the State's Football Centre.- Lawn Bowls at DISC :...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on 24 November 2007. There were over 3,000 spectators present at Australia's Revolution 1.
In July 2008, the Aftermarket company signed a deal with Face Partnership to create an expo
Expo
Expo may refer to:*Expo , short for "exposition", and also known as World's Fair*A trade fair, an exhibition where companies in an industry showcase and demonstrate their latest products...
area in the track centre at each event. This takes advantage of the captive audience and precise target consumers present at each Revolution.
Each Revolution meeting consists of a fast paced, packed programme of races. The evening lasts for between 3 hours and 3 hours 45 minutes and typically involves around 20 events. Each event has three categories of racing including sprint and endurance, and the "Future Stars" series. Live PA duties at the events are carried out by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
commentator and cycling legend, Hugh Porter
Hugh Porter
Hugh Porter MBE is one of Britain's greatest former professional cyclists, winning four world titles in the individual pursuit as well as a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 1966...
.
In 2011-12, ITV4
ITV4
ITV4 is a British television station which was launched on 1 November 2005. It is owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc, and is part of the ITV network. The channel has a male-oriented line-up, including sport, cop shows and US comedies and dramas, as well as classic ITV action...
broadcast a one-hour highlights show on Monday evenings following each Revolution meeting.
Sprint Racing
Each meeting features a main Revolution Sprint competition, alongside other various events including the KeirinKeirin
is a track cycling event in which racing cyclists sprint for victory. Keirin originated in Japan in 1948; the first Olympic competitions in the sport occurred in 2000....
and Team sprint. The sprint competition is usually a straight knock out event, typically with a first round, Semi Final and Final. For some events a sprint ominium has taken place, with all riders facing each other at some point during the evening and the most successful winning overall. A male sprinting competition usually takes place at each event, with Women's sprinting generally appearing for one event each year also.
The events featured alongside the main sprint competition are tailored to the card of sprinters appearing and has included various challenges and revenge matches over the years. They regularly attract major British names and a host of international challenges. The list of World and Olympic Champions to have appeared include Chris Hoy
Chris Hoy
Sir Christopher Andrew "Chris" Hoy, MBE is a Scottish track cyclist representing Great Britain and Scotland. He is a multiple world champion and Olympic Games gold medal winner...
, Theo Bos
Theo Bos
Theo Bos is a Dutch road cyclist and track cyclist, Olympic silver medalist and five-time world champion. He lives in Alkmaar, Netherlands. Theo Bos is the brother of Olympic medalist in speed skating Jan Bos. Bos rides for UCI ProTeam .-Early life:Theo Bos was born on 22 August 1983 in Hierden,...
, Arnaud Tournant
Arnaud Tournant
Arnaud Tournant is a French track cyclist. He has won 14 World Championships and won a gold, silver and a bronze at the Summer Olympics.-Biography:...
, Jason Kenny
Jason Kenny
Jason Francis Kenny MBE is an English track cyclist, specialising in the individual and team sprints. After winning multiple World and European Junior titles in 2006 and achieving medals in the under 23 European championships in 2007, Kenny was selected ahead of Ross Edgar to compete for Great...
, Victoria Pendleton
Victoria Pendleton
Victoria Louise Pendleton MBE is a British Olympic and world champion track cyclist. Her father, Max, was also a British national grass-track cycling champion.-Early years:...
, Jamie Staff
Jamie Staff
Jamie Alan Staff MBE is an English racing cyclist and coach, formerly on BMX and later on the track. A World and Olympic champion, he has also won numerous other medals at World Championships, World Cups and at the Commonwealth Games....
, Jens Fiedler, Grégory Baugé
Grégory Baugé
Grégory Baugé is a French professional racing cyclist. He is an eight-time world champion in track cycling.-Career highlights:20022003...
, Ross Edgar
Ross Edgar
Ross Edgar is a Scottish track cyclist who represented Scotland at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games, where he won a gold medal in the team sprint riding with Chris Hoy and Craig MacLean...
, Craig MacLean
Craig MacLean
Craig MacLean is a Scottish track cyclist who has represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, winning a Silver Medal in the Team Sprint at the 2000 Olympics....
, Jason Queally
Jason Queally
Jason Paul Queally is an English track cyclist. He won a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.Born at Great Heywood, Staffordshire, Queally attended Lancaster Royal Grammar School, where he was part of the swimming squad in the mid-1980s, later representing Lancaster and British Universities...
, René Wolff
René Wolff
René Wolff is an Olympic and world champion track cyclist from Germany.Wolff specializes in the Sprint, Team Sprint and Kierin events and teamed up with multiple Olympic champion Jens Fiedler and Stefan Nimke to win the Gold medal in the Team Sprint event at the 2004 Summer Olympics.Since 2010...
, Jan van Eijden
Jan van Eijden
Jan van Eijden is a German track cyclist born in Bad Neuenahr. He is a double World Champion in sprint and team sprint. He also won one world cup classic and four German national titles...
, Florian Rousseau
Florian Rousseau
Florian Rousseau is a French former track cyclist who won three gold medals and one silver at the Summer Olympics . He was popular among spectators for the facial expressions he pulled - many of them seeming to make his eyes bulge - to help him concentrate at the start of races...
, Stefan Nimke
Stefan Nimke
Stefan Nimke is an Olympic and world champion track cyclist from Germany.-External links:...
, Maximilian Levy
Maximilian Levy
Maximilian Levy is a German track cyclist. He won a bronze medal representing Germany at the 2008 Olympic Games held in Beijing, China.- References :...
, Teun Mulder
Teun Mulder
Teunis Mulder is a Dutch track cyclist. He is a former keirin World Champion and won a silver in the team sprint with Theo Bos and Tim Veldt. Mulder also won a total of four world cup classics in the team sprint and keirin. He competed for his native country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens,...
, Robert Förstemann, Mickaël Bourgain
Mickael Bourgain
Mickaël Bourgain is a French track cyclist, who won a bronze medal in the men's team sprint race at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens together with Laurent Gané and Arnaud Tournant....
, Willy Kanis
Willy Kanis
Willy Kanis is a Dutch female professional racing cyclist.-Career highlights:2003Willy Kanis is a Dutch female professional racing cyclist.-Career highlights:2003...
, Christina Muche and Clara Sanchez.
Endurance Racing
Every Revolution event has included elite endurance field of riders, racing over a number of events throughout the night. Events featured include the Points racePoints race
A points race is a mass start track cycling event involving large numbers of riders simultaneously on track. It was an Olympic event for men between 1984–2008 and for women 1996-2008....
, Scratch race, Madison
Madison (cycling)
The madison is a team event in track cycling, named after the first Madison Square Garden in New York, and known as the "American race" in French and in Italian and Spanish as Americana.-History:...
, Individual pursuit
Individual pursuit
The individual pursuit is a track cycling event where two cyclists begin the race from a stationary position on opposite sides of the track.The event is held over 4 km for men and 3 km for women. The two riders start at the same time and set off to complete the race distance in the...
, Team pursuit
Team pursuit
The team pursuit is a track cycling event similar to the individual pursuit, except that two teams, each of up to four riders, compete, start on opposite sides of the velodrome.- Race format :...
, Motor Paced Scratch race and Devil Elimination Scratch race. Typically the blue ribbon Madison feature race takes place once a year and is named the Isaac Galvez
Isaac Gálvez
Isaac Gálvez López was a Spanish track and road racing cyclist who rode for Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears in the UCI ProTour. He died during the Six Days of Ghent cycling event in Belgium after colliding with Dimitri De Fauw and crashing against the railing. He died from internal bleeding...
Memorial Madison. This is in memory of the Spanish rider who died during the Ghent Six Day meeting in 2006 while he was World Madison Champion. This was one week before he was due to appear at Revolution 15.
The endurance racing attracts both major track riders and stars of the road, throwing up a number of unique contests over the years. The list of major names (on the track or the road) to have appeared include Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for Team Sky. Wiggins' career began on the track, where he specialised in the pursuit and madison disciplines....
, Mark Cavendish
Mark Cavendish
Mark Cavendish MBE is a Manx professional road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTeam until the end of this season when the team is dissolved. He will join Team Sky at the start of the 2012 season...
, Geraint Thomas
Geraint Thomas
Geraint Howell Thomas, MBE is a Welsh professional racing cyclist who rides for the UCI ProTour team . A track cycling world champion and Olympic gold medalist in the team pursuit, Thomas has also enjoyed success on the road, winning the Junior Paris-Roubaix in 2004, the British National...
, Ed Clancy
Ed Clancy
Edward Clancy MBE is an English professional track and road bicycle racer who rides for the team. On the track his specialist discipline is the pursuit. He won the first stage of the 2005 Tour of Berlin. He also won 2007 team pursuit world championship...
, Joan Llaneras
Joan Llaneras
Joan Llaneras Roselló is a Spanish World and Olympic points race champion track cyclist. He specialises in the madison and points race events....
, Paul Manning
Paul Manning (cyclist)
Paul Christian Manning MBE is a former English professional track and road bicycle racer who rode for the UCI Professional Continental team Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner in 2007 and 2008...
, Bradley McGee
Bradley McGee
Bradley John McGee OAM is an Australian former professional racing cyclist. He is currently a directeur sportif for UCI ProTeam Team Saxo Bank and the personal coach of young Australian rider Richie Porte. He started cycling in 1986 at the age of ten...
, Chris Newton
Chris Newton
Christopher Malcolm Newton is a successful road and track racing cyclist. Newton is a multiple world champion and Olympian.-Biography:Newton is an alumnus of the University of Teesside in Middlesbrough...
, Rob Hayles
Rob Hayles
Robert John Hayles is a track and road racing cyclist, riding for Great Britain and England on the track and his professional team Endura Racing on the road. Hayles rides the team pursuit and madison events....
, Sergi Escobar
Sergi Escobar
Sergi Escobar Roure is a Spanish world champion track cyclist who specialises in individual and team pursuit.- Career highlights :2001...
, Steve Cummings
Steve Cummings
Stephen Philip Cummings is an English racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team .-Biography:Cummings won the team pursuit at the 2005 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Los Angeles and at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. He also took bronze in the individual pursuit...
, Stuart O'Grady
Stuart O'Grady
Stuart O'Grady OAM , nicknamed Stuey, is an Australian professional road bicycle racer on UCI ProTeam , who started as a track cyclist. He and Graeme Brown won a gold medal in Men's Madison at the 2004 Summer Olympics...
, Iljo Keisse
Iljo Keisse
Iljo Keisse is a Belgian racing cyclist, who has had his status altered many times as a result of a doping investigation. He rode part of the 2010 season for UCI ProTour team ....
, Matthew Gilmore
Matthew Gilmore
Matthew Gilmore is an Belgian-Australian retired track cyclist, who mostly competed and was most successful on track for Belgium. Although Gilmore was born in and represented Belgium, he is the son of Australian racing cyclist Graeme Gilmore and competed with an Australian licence earlier in his...
, Franco Marvulli
Franco Marvulli
Franco Marvulli is a Swiss professional racing cyclist.-Palmares:20002001Franco Marvulli is a Swiss professional racing cyclist.-Palmares:2000...
, Bruno Risi
Bruno Risi
Bruno Risi is a Swiss professional racing cyclist.He is the ninth Swiss sportsperson to compete at five Olympics , after middle-distance runner Paul Martin, equestrians Henri Chammartin and Gustav Fischer, javelin thrower Urs von Wartburg, equestrian Christine Stückelberger, and Alpine skier Paul...
, David Millar
David Millar
David Millar is a British road racing cyclist riding for . He has won three stages of the Tour de France, two of the Vuelta a España and one Stage of the Giro d'Italia. He was the British national road champion and the national time trial champion, both in 2007...
, Peter Schep
Peter Schep
Pieter Otto Schep is a Dutch racing cyclist, specializing in track cycling endurance events.-Biography:...
, Robert Slippens
Robert Slippens
Robertus Michiel Joseph Lucas Maria Jacobus 'Robert' Slippens is a Dutch racing cyclist.Slippens represented the Netherlands at three different Summer Olympics. He made his Olympic debut at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta where he participated in the four kilometer team pursuit alongside...
, Nicole Cooke
Nicole Cooke
Nicole Denise Cooke, MBE is a Welsh professional road bicycle racer for the Mario Cipollini - Giordana Team team, and is the current Olympic road race champion.-Early life:...
, Rebecca Romero
Rebecca Romero
Rebecca Jayne Romero MBE is an English sportsperson, a former World Champion and Olympic Games medallist at rowing, and a former World champion and reigning Olympic champion track cyclist.-Biography:...
and Graeme Obree
Graeme Obree
Graeme Obree is a Scottish racing cyclist who twice broke the world hour record, in July 1993 and April 1994, and was the individual pursuit world champion in 1993 and 1995. He was known for his unusual riding positions and for the "Old Faithful" bicycle he built which included parts from a...
.
Feature and Exclusive Races
As well including the major events from the World Championships and Olympics, the Revolution series also tries to feature some unique and exclusive races at its events. The Madison 1 km Time Trial is one such exclusive event. This event is a major crowd pleaser and takes place at each event. This is run over 1 km, four laps of the track, and consists of two riders running 2 laps each. After the first rider has completed their laps they do a Madison hand sling with their partner and they then complete the final two laps. While this by nature is an endurance riders event, its 1 kilometre distance has also meant that sprinters have also tasted success.An early record for this event was set by Mark Cavendish
Mark Cavendish
Mark Cavendish MBE is a Manx professional road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTeam until the end of this season when the team is dissolved. He will join Team Sky at the start of the 2012 season...
and Ed Clancy
Ed Clancy
Edward Clancy MBE is an English professional track and road bicycle racer who rides for the team. On the track his specialist discipline is the pursuit. He won the first stage of the 2005 Tour of Berlin. He also won 2007 team pursuit world championship...
at 58.5 Seconds at Revolution 7 in January 2005. This record stood for some time and was only beaten by the unique combination of sprinters Craig MacLean
Craig MacLean
Craig MacLean is a Scottish track cyclist who has represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, winning a Silver Medal in the Team Sprint at the 2000 Olympics....
and Arnaud Tournant
Arnaud Tournant
Arnaud Tournant is a French track cyclist. He has won 14 World Championships and won a gold, silver and a bronze at the Summer Olympics.-Biography:...
, who set a new record of 55.1 seconds at Revolution 16 in January 2007. This was then further bettered when Tournant teamed up with Chris Hoy
Chris Hoy
Sir Christopher Andrew "Chris" Hoy, MBE is a Scottish track cyclist representing Great Britain and Scotland. He is a multiple world champion and Olympic Games gold medal winner...
at Revolution 20 in February 2008. Tournant had a shoulder injury which prevented the duo doing a proper hand sling change over, however they still posted a record time of 54.4 seconds. This record still stands today, despite Ed Clancy
Ed Clancy
Edward Clancy MBE is an English professional track and road bicycle racer who rides for the team. On the track his specialist discipline is the pursuit. He won the first stage of the 2005 Tour of Berlin. He also won 2007 team pursuit world championship...
and Steven Burke
Steven Burke
Steven James Burke is a British track and road cyclist who rides for the . He represented Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics, beating his pre-Olympics personal best in the individual pursuit by 11 seconds to take the bronze medal...
going very close with a time of 54.5 at Revolution 22 in December 2008.
A new challenge event added to the programme in 2008 was the sprinters v pursuiters challenge. The first of these races took place at Revolution 21. This saw members of the GB Team sprint squad, Jamie Staff
Jamie Staff
Jamie Alan Staff MBE is an English racing cyclist and coach, formerly on BMX and later on the track. A World and Olympic champion, he has also won numerous other medals at World Championships, World Cups and at the Commonwealth Games....
, Jason Kenny
Jason Kenny
Jason Francis Kenny MBE is an English track cyclist, specialising in the individual and team sprints. After winning multiple World and European Junior titles in 2006 and achieving medals in the under 23 European championships in 2007, Kenny was selected ahead of Ross Edgar to compete for Great...
and Ross Edgar
Ross Edgar
Ross Edgar is a Scottish track cyclist who represented Scotland at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games, where he won a gold medal in the team sprint riding with Chris Hoy and Craig MacLean...
, face off against members of the GB Team Pursuit
Team pursuit
The team pursuit is a track cycling event similar to the individual pursuit, except that two teams, each of up to four riders, compete, start on opposite sides of the velodrome.- Race format :...
squad, Ed Clancy
Ed Clancy
Edward Clancy MBE is an English professional track and road bicycle racer who rides for the team. On the track his specialist discipline is the pursuit. He won the first stage of the 2005 Tour of Berlin. He also won 2007 team pursuit world championship...
, Geraint Thomas
Geraint Thomas
Geraint Howell Thomas, MBE is a Welsh professional racing cyclist who rides for the UCI ProTour team . A track cycling world champion and Olympic gold medalist in the team pursuit, Thomas has also enjoyed success on the road, winning the Junior Paris-Roubaix in 2004, the British National...
and Steven Burke
Steven Burke
Steven James Burke is a British track and road cyclist who rides for the . He represented Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics, beating his pre-Olympics personal best in the individual pursuit by 11 seconds to take the bronze medal...
. The race took place over three laps with a flying start, so very much was a mix between the sprint and endurance disciplines. Due to the three lap length of the race, the same as the Team Sprint event, it was expected by its nature to favour the sprint squad. However it was noted that the endurance squad regularly carry out similar short drills during training, so the playing field was quite level going into the event. The endurance squad were able to turn the flying start to their advantage and took a clean victory over the sprinters.
A rematch took place at Revolution 22, with the race extended to four laps with a standing start on this occasion. Matthew Crampton
Matthew Crampton
Matthew "Matt" Nicholas Crampton is an English track cyclist for . He is a member of British Cycling's Olympic Podium Programme, he has represented Great Britain at a number of major events...
joined the sprint squad and Rob Hayles
Rob Hayles
Robert John Hayles is a track and road racing cyclist, riding for Great Britain and England on the track and his professional team Endura Racing on the road. Hayles rides the team pursuit and madison events....
joined the endurance squad. The fast start of Jamie Staff
Jamie Staff
Jamie Alan Staff MBE is an English racing cyclist and coach, formerly on BMX and later on the track. A World and Olympic champion, he has also won numerous other medals at World Championships, World Cups and at the Commonwealth Games....
allowed the sprint squad to take revenge and level the series. It is expected that this unique challenge event may return at future events.
Other special events have included the Geoff Thomas
Geoff Thomas
Geoff Thomas born Manchester, England is a former English footballer, who won nine caps for the full England team and captained Crystal Palace to the FA Cup final in 1990...
Charity Challenge Race at Revolution 20. This involved Geoff captaining a team of riders against England Rugby World Cup winning Captain, now England coach, the 6 ft 7 inches tall Martin Johnson. This was a 5 lap team sprint style challenge race, with each team including star riders like Chris Hoy
Chris Hoy
Sir Christopher Andrew "Chris" Hoy, MBE is a Scottish track cyclist representing Great Britain and Scotland. He is a multiple world champion and Olympic Games gold medal winner...
, Victoria Pendleton
Victoria Pendleton
Victoria Louise Pendleton MBE is a British Olympic and world champion track cyclist. Her father, Max, was also a British national grass-track cycling champion.-Early years:...
, Arnaud Tournant
Arnaud Tournant
Arnaud Tournant is a French track cyclist. He has won 14 World Championships and won a gold, silver and a bronze at the Summer Olympics.-Biography:...
and Peter Schep
Peter Schep
Pieter Otto Schep is a Dutch racing cyclist, specializing in track cycling endurance events.-Biography:...
. The teams were drawn at the start of the evening, equally sharing out the riders. Team Thomas won by 0.1 seconds and raised a good sum of money for the Geoff Thomas Charity Foundation.
Future Stars Series
Alongside the senior racing, the Future Stars competition also runs at each Revolution event. This series involves young riders, usually 14-16 year olds. They are put through a number of races each night to test both their sprint and endurance skills. Points are scored in each race and count towards the overall leader board. The winner is crowned at the end of the 4 meeting series.The importance of this series to British Cycling cannot be underestimated. It provides the youngesters with the chance to race in front of big crowds from an early age and often provides very close racing. The winners and front runners of this series have included a number of now established senior stars. Jason Kenny
Jason Kenny
Jason Francis Kenny MBE is an English track cyclist, specialising in the individual and team sprints. After winning multiple World and European Junior titles in 2006 and achieving medals in the under 23 European championships in 2007, Kenny was selected ahead of Ross Edgar to compete for Great...
, the Olympic Gold and Silver medalist in 2008, competed in the series in 2004/2005. Others include Steven Burke
Steven Burke
Steven James Burke is a British track and road cyclist who rides for the . He represented Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics, beating his pre-Olympics personal best in the individual pursuit by 11 seconds to take the bronze medal...
, a bronze medal winner in the Pursuit at the 2008 Olympics.
The young riders often develop very quickly from the Future Stars series into world class riders. A number of Great Britain's current up and coming riders, including Lizzie Armitstead
Lizzie Armitstead
Elizabeth Mary Armitstead is a world champion British track and road racing cyclist. She is a member of British Cycling's Olympic Academy and has represented Great Britain internationally...
, Anna Blyth
Anna Blyth
Anna Blyth is an English racing cyclist from Leeds. She began racing at 15, having been spotted by British Cycling at Benton Park. She joined the World Class Start Programme, becoming a member of the Olympic Development Plan and the Olympic Academy.-Palmarès:2005Anna Blyth is an English racing...
, Peter Kennaugh
Peter Kennaugh
Peter Kennaugh is a Manx professional racing cyclist who currently rides for UCI ProTour team .-Early Life and Career:Born in Douglas, Isle of Man his younger brother Tim Kennaugh and father are also cyclists...
and Jess Varnish, all of whom have already tasted medal success, have come through the Future Stars competition. The majority of riders who are coming up through the senior ranks at present are well known to Revolution fans as the majority of them competed in the Future Stars. It is expected that yet more will come through the series and go on to challenge for senior places come the 2012 Olympics.
Appearance records
- Records correct up to and including Revolution 24 in February 2009.
- 1st - Jason KennyJason KennyJason Francis Kenny MBE is an English track cyclist, specialising in the individual and team sprints. After winning multiple World and European Junior titles in 2006 and achieving medals in the under 23 European championships in 2007, Kenny was selected ahead of Ross Edgar to compete for Great...
- 21 - - Tom Murray - 21
- 3rd - Steven BurkeSteven BurkeSteven James Burke is a British track and road cyclist who rides for the . He represented Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics, beating his pre-Olympics personal best in the individual pursuit by 11 seconds to take the bronze medal...
- 20 - 4th - Chris NewtonChris NewtonChristopher Malcolm Newton is a successful road and track racing cyclist. Newton is a multiple world champion and Olympian.-Biography:Newton is an alumnus of the University of Teesside in Middlesbrough...
- 19 - 5th - Rob HaylesRob HaylesRobert John Hayles is a track and road racing cyclist, riding for Great Britain and England on the track and his professional team Endura Racing on the road. Hayles rides the team pursuit and madison events....
- 18 - 6th - Tony Gibb - 17
- - Adam BlytheAdam BlytheAdam Michael Blythe is an English racing cyclist. Blythe began racing at a young age and went on to become a member of British Cycling's Olympic Development Program.-Biography:...
- 17 - 8th - Craig MacLeanCraig MacLeanCraig MacLean is a Scottish track cyclist who has represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, winning a Silver Medal in the Team Sprint at the 2000 Olympics....
- 15 - - Matt Crampton - 15
- 10th - Ed ClancyEd ClancyEdward Clancy MBE is an English professional track and road bicycle racer who rides for the team. On the track his specialist discipline is the pursuit. He won the first stage of the 2005 Tour of Berlin. He also won 2007 team pursuit world championship...
- 14
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