Tokyo Olympics: What is the keirin derny motorbike used for in track cycling? Full keirin rules explained

ByDan Gibbs

Updated 04/08/2021 at 07:18 GMT

Track cycling is among the most popular sports at the Olympics and it also happens to be a discipline Team GB are pretty good at with Jason and Laura Kenny flying the flag. This year see's the return of the keirin cycling for the women which is set to bring plenty of sporting drama. You want it? We have it. Stream every Olympic event live on discovery+

We've seen plenty of drama at the Izu velodrome since the track cycling began in Tokyo and we're set to see lots more when the keirin kicks off.

The fast, exciting and often dangerous event.sees the world's best sprinters battle it out around the track with the fastest racers earning a place on the podium.

Team GB's Jason Kenny is the defending Olympic champion in the keirin.

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While the individual sprints and the team pursuits are often pretty straightforward to follow, the keirin offers up a few more questions to the less experienced TV viewers.

Here's all you need to know about the keirin event.

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What is the keirin cycling and what does it mean?

The keirin originated in Japan after the war as a betting event with the word translating to 'sports betting'.

The sport is hugely popular for betting purposes in Japan and there are even keirin specific schools for training for young riders looking to get into the sport.

Essentially, the keirin involves a large group of riders having to follow a pace setter on a motorbike for several laps, before the pacer comes off the track and it's a sprint to the line for the cyclists.

What is the derny motorbike in keirin?

The aim of the derny motorbike is to build up the pace of the race and keep the riders in place behind them.

The derny bike is ridden by an official who starts off at a slow pace and gradually builds up to a speed of approximately 40kph

After leading three laps of the track with the riders behind fighting for the best position behind their back wheel, the derny motorbike will leave the track.

It's at that point all hell breaks loose as the riders sprint for the remaining 2.5 laps of the race in a bid to cross the finish line first.

While in the past it has been a motorbike leading them round the track, in Tokyo it will be an electric bike which, unlike the racing bikes, has brakes.

With six riders on track it can make for exciting battles on the bends and sometimes leads to crashes.

Riders cannot overtake the derny motorbike

Image credit: Getty Images

Keirin Olympics schedule (all times BST)

Wednesday August 4

Women's keirin first round - 08:10

Women's keirin repechage round - 09:11

Thursday August 5

Women's keirin quarter-final - 08:06

Women's keirin semi-final - 08:57

Women's keirin final - 09:37

Saturday August 6

Men's keirin first round - 07:48

Men's keirin repechage round - 08:19

Sunday August 7

Men's keirin quarter-final - 02:24

Men's keirin semi-final - 03:09

Men's keirin final - 03:51

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