Basic Stats:
Alpenrose measures 268.43 meters around at the black line (just over 1/6 of a mile). The radius of the track is 16.6 meters with a corner height of 13 feet, 1 and 13/16 inches and 2 feet, 11 and 3/8 inches on the straights. The blue line (stayer's line) is 11 feet above the black all the way around and the straights are 22 feet while the corners are only 20 feet wide. The length of each straight is 78.33 meters while the corners are only 55.88 meters. To get the track just right it took around 50 gallons of basic paint with another 15-20 to do the lines along with a mile and a half of masking tape.
Measurement lines:
How does this affect the measurement lines? Well the 200 meter (3/4 lap) is at the middle of corner two, while the women finish the 500M (1 7/8 laps) just before that in-between corner one and two. Both the women and men start the 500M and kilo (3 3/4 laps) respectively just after the 200M line at the beginning of the back straight (there are also opposing lines on the opposite side of the track). The men finish the kilo about 15 meters past the finish line which always catches at least one rider.
The men also have lots of fun in the 4k pursuit (14 9/10 laps) with the start just a few meters before either corner one or three while the women start the 3k (11 1/6 laps) on the apron just before the exit of corner two and four. Of course both finish at the pursuit line in the center of the straights.
The Finish:
The finish line allows for over 50 meters out of corner four and about 20 meters before corner one. The high banks always make for a fun finish as is it hard but possible to pass between corner three and four and then use the bank and draft to pass right at the line. Most riders prefer to make their move on the back stretch and it is often a drag race into corner three.
More Finishes:
Other strategies include getting the jump out of corner two (200 meters) or corner 4 the lap before (335 meters) by going to the top of the track and diving down. This allows the rider to get a gap, but then rider two can still time it right and pass coming out of four. This is usually done by staying a bike length behind going into corner three and then catching and starting to pass between corners and using the extra speed, bank and whats left of the draft to pass just before the line.
My Favorite:
My favorite strategy for the win in a match sprint involves riding at the top of the track around 25 mph the first 2 laps. This tires out a real sprinter and takes something out of their top end. Then I jump out of corner 4 early and slowly bring the speed up trying to get them to jump me by the back stretch. Once they start to come around they notice how tired they are and I keep accelerating all the way to the line. This won me a gold in the 1997 state sprint, so it must work.
If you ride Brian Abers in the match sprint then:
Brian prefers that you do one of the following. You should draw the first number, then hold the rail as far ahead as possible, then right as the official says go throw yourself and sprint as hard as possible. Keep going for at least one lap. Listen for the crowd and if they say go, then just go, you are in for the full three laps. If you don't hear anything then look back as you are going into corner one the second time. If he is on your wheel go straight up track, slow way down (12 mph), then jump hard down corner two and do it again. Keep going up track at the end of every straight and back down hard at the entrance to the next straight. If Brian makes it through this then he earned his victory and you will be in better shape next time. Don't forget to tell Brian that Jamie said he likes it.
Remember the only rule - have fun:
Your goal should always be to have fun. While this also means riding safe and knowing where all the other riders are on the track, you should be having fun. Remember, this is not the world championships, we are all hear to learn, get into shape and make sure that everyone else hurts (that good pain) at least as bad as you do. So try everything at least once and don't forget to smile and thank the officials next time you are at the track.