Cycling Track at the 1908 Summer Olympics

The cycling events were conducted during the first week of the stadium events at the 1908 Olympics. As The Sporting Life noted, “ . . . the weather was the reverse of pleasant. As a matter of fact, it was the rule rather than the exception for thetrack to be flooded.” The track in question was at the large White City Stadium, which had been constructed for the 1908 Olympic Games. It was a concrete track measuring 660 yards (603.5 metres) in length and surrounded the running track.

Six different track cycling events were contested, with five of them won by British riders, while France took the tandem sprint. There were two match sprint events, one over 660 yards (one lap of the velodrome), and one over the more traditional 1,000 metres. Britain’s Victor Johnson won the 660 yd sprint, but in the 1,000 metre event, no medals were awarded because the riders exceeded the time limit in the final.