Changing times for track

The future of track cycling as a spectator sport may be at thecrossroads given the light turnout at the Australian Championships atAdelaide's Superdrome.

The future of track cycling as a spectator sport may be at the crossroads given the poor turnout at the Australian Championships at Adelaide's Superdrome.

While there is lots of enthusiasm by those attending, I couldn't help but notice the empty seats that filled the arena during the six-day carnival for an event which highlights the best talent this country has to offer in the velodrome.

Although Australia's track scene is currently going through a generational change following its failure to produce medals at the last Olympics, I would have thought the appearance of our cycling queen Anna Meares would have been enough to entice more numbers.

Apparently not.

I'm starting to wonder whether sitting in a velodrome is such an attractive proposition for paying customers in an era when fans are being treated to a variety of choice from cycling's other disciplines.

Adelaide's Superdrome cannot be questioned as a top class venue, its location is no more than 15 minutes from the city centre and within reach of most parts of the suburban areas - so where were the fans?

Maybe the timing of the nationals is a source of concern, particularly this year as it was held just eight days after the final stage of the Tour Down Under where a record crowd of 144,000 were witness to some of the world's best pro-riders.

Don't get me wrong - track cycling can provide an enormous amount of entertainment - at times more entertainment than the odd stage of the Tour de France, for example.

But as Australians are bombarded by the big European stage races and one-day Classics by way of live television and internet streaming, (which will only improve with every passing year), is the regular visit to the track going to be a thing of the past?

The Olympics track cycling programme holds our attention every four years, but I reckon the time gap between Games is far too long.

Can you remember what you were doing when we cheered on the likes of Brett Aitken, Scott McGrory Ryan Bayley, Anna Meares, Graeme Brown and Stuart O'Grady (to name a few) as they chased elusive gold at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004?

Sadly, apart from the Olympics it seems there's little else that grabs the imagination of the track events for cycling's demanding public.

Even the World Championships held exotic locations such as Spain, France and Denmark in recent years has struggled to fill stands to capacity.

Perhaps marketing and presentation of track events must be reviewed by the UCI and Cycling Australia in order to bring fans back to the track.

It's not to say that track cycling is dead and buried.

Just look at the events of the Revolution series in Melbourne - with a little foresight and vision it's a glowing endorsement that stands can be filled at track events with the correct promotional tools.

Maybe setting up a TAB agency on location with bars and TV screens may be the way to go for the future.

Adelaide is "the centre of the cycling universe" during the Tour Down Under.

I think basing the nationals in Adelaide during the TDU and running the track finals at night to give the fans something to do in the evenings would bring an even bigger cycling festival feel to the week.

It would be a chance for organisers to make the most of the captive market that has travelled to South Australia from all parts of the country and the world.

Australia's track cycling history dates back to the days when Penny Farthings were featured in carnivals at venues such as the SCG and MCG, where up to 50,000 people packed the grandstands to watch an exciting new form of sports entertainment.

But as we enter an era when youngsters are inspired by Tour de France heroes and lure of the big bucks which pro-cycling has to offer in Europe and North America, I dare say it might be case of the times they are-a-changin'.