Madison Drills

People who want to ride in a Madison should first be able to do laps with either hand off the bars. Once they are comfortable doing that, they need to get comfortable doing laps on the black with their right hand off the bars and someone beside them on the red. They also need to get comfortable doing laps on the red with their left hand off the bars and someone beside them on the black. Laps done on the black should be done with the left hand on the top right beside the stem and the index finger curled around the front of the stem. Laps done on the red should be done with the right hand in the drops. The student’s partner should be careful to have both hands in the drops.

As the student becomes comfortable, they should move to putting the free hand on the partner’s back, up to the point of reaching around to the far shoulder.

Next, get the student on the black, with the right hand grabbing the partner’s jersey or jamming tool. Have the student experiment with pushing the partner around the track, pushing the partner forward (without letting go), and pulling the partner back. Also have the student reverse positions and experience what it is like to have these things done to them while they ride with their hands on the drops.

For the next drill, the student goes up to the blue and the partner takes a position some distance behind the student on the black. The partner rides up to the student and the student practices taking a decisive line down the track to be at the red line just ahead of or just alongside the partner as the partner rides up. At this point, the partner can push the student forward and get them to go up the track and repeat the drill. No handslings yet.

Once the student is competently coming down the track to join the partner, the student and partner should switch positions and the student should practice slinging the partner forward, using the jamming tool.

This is enough for one session. Send the student away and have them watch a Madison in progress. Point out the main things the student will have to practice while in a Madison:

• ride in order while on relief and maintain good separation from other relief riders and good distance above the blue line,

• look at people’s jerseys and don’t come between team members about to make an exchange,

• ride over top of riders who have just thrown their team mates into the race (above all do not stay on the wheel of a rider about to throw his partner into the race!)

• get down on the coté after an exchange and wait until all racing riders are past before moving up to the blue.

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