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- Every two laps, the last rider across the line is eliminated and must pull out of the race.
- The field shrinks lap by lap until only two riders remain for a final sprint.
- Also known as 'Devil Take the Hindmost', named for the red jersey worn by the elimination judge.
- A staple of the omnium's closing day and a fan-favourite standalone event.
/ 01
The core mechanic
The elimination race is a mass-start event in which the field is whittled down lap by lap. Every two laps, on a designated sprint lap, the last rider across the line is pulled from the race. This continues until only two riders remain, who then sprint for the win.
It is one of the simplest formats on the track calendar to describe and one of the hardest to execute. There is no scoring table to fall back on, no intermediate points to bank. Each two-lap interval is a small race of its own, and the only goal is to not be last.
/ 02
Why it is called the Devil
The race's traditional nickname is 'Devil Take the Hindmost', borrowed from a Victorian card game. In early track meetings the judge signalling the elimination wore a red jersey, and the red devil imagery stuck. Commentators still use the name even when the official programme lists the event as an elimination race.
The format itself dates back to the early 20th century and survived because it is unusually legible to a first-time spectator. Unlike a points race or a Madison, an elimination needs no arithmetic: you can see who has been caught and removed, and the field visibly thins.
/ 03
Tactics and positioning
Winning an elimination race is fundamentally about being in the right wheel at the right time. Riders jockey for position near the front but not on the front, because the front rider does the most work and the back rider is in mortal danger. The ideal spot is third or fourth wheel, shielded from the wind, with a clear view of the closing laps.
Sprinters try to drift backward in the field between elimination laps to recover, then move forward in the closing metres of each sprint lap. Endurance riders try to push the pace so high that sprinters cannot easily move up. Both approaches break down if the field fragments, which happens late in the race when the bunch shrinks to eight or ten riders.
Elimination race structure
| Phase | Riders remaining | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Opening laps | Full field | Stay upright, stay in the bunch |
| Middle phase | Half field | Hold position 3rd-8th wheel |
| Closing phase | 8-2 riders | Defend or attack the front |
| Final | 2 riders | Pure sprint |
/ 04
What makes it hard
The elimination race looks gentle compared to a points race because the pace is lower, but the cognitive load is higher. Every two-lap interval is a fresh calculation of who is around you, who is tiring, and whether to commit to a sprint that will leave you exposed for the next elimination. Misjudge once and the race ends.
It also punishes nervous riding. Riders who panic and surge to the front early burn matches they need in the final three eliminations, when only the most economical sprinters still have a kick left.
/ 05
Where you will see it
The elimination race is one of the four events in the modern omnium, raced on the second day. It is also a popular standalone event at national track meetings and at six-day races, where it is often run twice across the week to give the crowd a familiar focal point.
Because the format compresses the field so aggressively, it is one of the few events where a domestic rider can occasionally beat a world-tour specialist, which gives it an outsized role in smaller track meetings.
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