Cycling Track at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Dates 20 – 25 August 2004
Medal Events 12

For the first time since 1976, there was no change in the Olympic track cycling program. The men contested eight events – kilometre time trial, match sprint, individual pursuit, team pursuit, and points race, keirin, Madison, and Olympic sprint; and the women competed in four events – 500 metre time trial, match sprint, individual pursuit, and points race. The track events were held at the indoor Olympic Velodrome, with a 250.0 metre all-weather wooden-surfaced track.

Australia was the dominant nation in track cycling at Athina, winning five gold medals. Great Britain and Russia won two events, with Canada, Germany, and New Zealand winning one each. Two riders who would become much known for road cycling won gold medals, as Bradley Wiggins (GBR) won the individual pursuit and Stuart O’Grady (AUS) won the Madison. Wiggins would defend his individual pursuit title in 2008, and ended his Olympic career with eight medals and five gold medals. On the roads, he would be best known for winning the 2012 Tour de France.

O’Grady competed in the Olympics from 1992-2012, only the second man, after Argentine Juan Esteban Curuchet, to ride in six Olympics. O’Grady won four Olympic medals in all, with silver-bronze in team pursuit in 1992-96 and a points race bronze in 1996, but he competed in the Olympic road race from 2000-12. O’Grady rode 17 Tours de France, the most ever, tied with American George Hincapie, and he was a four-time runner-up in the green jersey competition at the Tour.

Events

Event Status Date Participants NOCs
Sprint, Men Olympic 22 – 24 August 2004 19 13
1,000 metres Time Trial, Men Olympic 20 August 2004 17 13
Keirin, Men Olympic 25 August 2004 22 15
Team Sprint, Men Olympic 21 August 2004 37 12
Individual Pursuit, 4,000 metres, Men Olympic 20 – 21 August 2004 15 11
Team Pursuit, 4,000 metres, Men Olympic 22 – 23 August 2004 45 10
Points Race, Men Olympic 24 August 2004 23 23
Madison, Men Olympic 25 August 2004 36 18
Sprint, Women Olympic 22 – 24 August 2004 12 11
500 metres Time Trial, Women Olympic 20 August 2004 12 11
Individual Pursuit, 3,000 metres, Women Olympic 21 – 22 August 2004 12 10
Points Race, Women Olympic 25 August 2004 19 19
180 (141/39) 41 (35/27)

Medals

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Sprint, Men Ryan BayleyAUS Theo BosNED René WolffGER
1,000 metres Time Trial, Men Chris HoyGBR Arnaud TournantFRA Stefan NimkeGER
Keirin, Men Ryan BayleyAUS José Antonio EscuredoESP Shane KellyAUS
Team Sprint, Men GermanyGER JapanJPN FranceFRA
Individual Pursuit, 4,000 metres, Men Bradley WigginsGBR Brad McGeeAUS Sergi EscobarESP
Team Pursuit, 4,000 metres, Men AustraliaAUS Great BritainGBR SpainESP
Points Race, Men Mikhail IgnatyevRUS Joan LlanerasESP Guido FulstGER
Madison, Men AustraliaAUS SwitzerlandSUI Great BritainGBR
Sprint, Women Lori-Ann MuenzerCAN Tamila AbasovaRUS Anna MearesAUS
500 metres Time Trial, Women Anna MearesAUS Jiang YonghuaCHN Natallia TsylinskayaBLR
Individual Pursuit, Women Sarah UlmerNZL Katie MactierAUS Leontien Zijlaard-van MoorselNED
Points Race, Women Olga SlyusarevaRUS Belem GuerreroMEX María Luisa CalleCOL

Medal table

NOC Gold Silver Bronze Total
Australia AUS 5 2 2 9
Great Britain GBR 2 1 1 4
Russian Federation RUS 2 1 0 3
Germany GER 1 0 3 4
Canada CAN 1 0 0 1
New Zealand NZL 1 0 0 1
Spain ESP 0 2 2 4
France FRA 0 1 1 2
Netherlands NED 0 1 1 2
Japan JPN 0 1 0 1
Mexico MEX 0 1 0 1
People's Republic of China CHN 0 1 0 1
Switzerland SUI 0 1 0 1
Belarus BLR 0 0 1 1
Colombia COL 0 0 1 1