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Video: Is this the best track race format ever? Sit back and watch, and suppress your giggles ...

Marymoor Crawl a perennial crowd-pleaser at US track meet - we'd love to see it in the Olympics .....

This may just be our favourite track cycling video ever, and it’s certainly one of the more bizarre events we’ve seen – it’s called the Marymoor Crawl, and is a perennial crowd-pleaser at the July Marymoor Grand Prix track meet in Redmond, Washington State in the Pacific North West of the US.

The idea is simple. Riders have to stay upright - no feet on ground, no interfering with other riders, no holding the rail on the side of the track, no crossing the finish line – for up to four minutes before the bell rings, then the ones left in go hell for leather for a single lap of the velodrome.

Cue plenty of trackstanding … then a desperate dash for the line by the handful of riders left in from the couple of dozen or so who lined up at the start.

We’d LOVE to see this in the Olympics – Brian Cookson, please push for it – but is it just us, or do the riders with the more aero, pro-looking helmets get eliminated earlier than most of the others?

The Marymoor Crawl!!! ... Grand Prix 2014 from RideITLikeUstoleIT!!! on Vimeo.

 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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27 comments

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WolfieSmith | 8 years ago
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The slow race (who can cross the finish line last with no foot down)  has been part of BC's Go Ride for years now. Really good fun and usually won by the BMX kids. Similar to making them ride inside a circle of cones and making the circle smaller and smaller until one rider is left. 

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othello | 9 years ago
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As my 9yr old has perfected no-handed track stands on his track bike, I plan to send him along to any track meet that hands out cash to clean up  1

He can pay back his Dad some of the money spent on bikes  20

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Leviathan | 9 years ago
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Watch again and you will see the eventual winner (not a lady, a dude with a pony tail (Thor?)) hanging at the back. He was the only one left on the bank for over two minutes. He had a break for his legs and trundles forward to the line then stands for another minutes before the sprint. #Tactics #Winner!

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CharlesMagne | 9 years ago
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Does anyone know the blue/white kit of the chap who came second?

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kevinmorice | 9 years ago
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Also loving the girl handing out cash to anyone brave enough to take it from her!

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J90 | 9 years ago
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Awesome.

Was that a lady that crushed everyone? Really couldn't tell.

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Gordy748 | 9 years ago
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Randomly, this is my local track. And this is a really fun event to watch and participate in (if you can, I can't); I'd highly recommend it for any track meet. It's easier at Marymoor because the banking isn't so steep but the concept could be adapted for indoor tracks.

The cash is designed to tease riders to the start line, as well as try to get them to do a one-arm track stand. It's hard to do, but if you have the skills you also get the cash. If you're struggling just to stay upright then you won't be asking for that extra dollar.

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Some Fella | 9 years ago
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Is the cash to lure riders down from the top of the bank and nearer to the start line?

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Paul J | 9 years ago
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Cash? Why?  1 I couldn't see any obvious reason why some cyclists were being handed these things and others not?

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Kapelmuur | 9 years ago
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I remember fondly the slow bike race for police officers that was a feature of the Shrewsbury carnival in the 1950's. The police patrolled on bikes in those days, so there was a big turnout of uniformed officers and everyone loved seeing a copper fall off his bike.

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don simon fbpe | 9 years ago
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*Likes*

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Ordinary Cyclin... | 9 years ago
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Bloomin' brilliant! Having just tried the track for the first time, much respect to the guys that hung on to the end! I was expecting to see a few topple sideways! Very entertaining. We need this!

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usedtobefaster | 9 years ago
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I'm loving this, what a good idea and adds a bit of fun to a track meet.

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hoski | 9 years ago
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Some of the kids in our local bike polo team would own this.

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Paul J | 9 years ago
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What are the things they're handing to (some) of the riders?

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Claud And I replied to Paul J | 9 years ago
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cash!

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Some Fella | 9 years ago
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At out school sports day back in the 80s we used to have a Slow Bike Race.
I was the only one with a fixed wheel bike (and the requisite skillz obviously) so always won it.
Now im just slow. Period.

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gthornton101 | 9 years ago
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brilliant!  41

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Al__S | 9 years ago
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Oh now that's superb. near the end of the "stand" period one chap, who comes off down towards the centre, is in baggy shorts and sandals!

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scraff | 9 years ago
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Genius, get it in the olympics

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steviewevie | 9 years ago
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Fantastic!

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edster99 | 9 years ago
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love it!

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RobD | 9 years ago
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Brilliant, really loved this.
I'd love to see more rides like this at track meetings, I like how quite a lot of people went to the line to early and ended up costing them, such a simple idea but great entertainment.

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othello replied to RobD | 9 years ago
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RobD wrote:

Brilliant, really loved this.
I'd love to see more rides like this at track meetings, I like how quite a lot of people went to the line to early and ended up costing them, such a simple idea but great entertainment.

I like the guy who hangs at the back for ages, then sprints forward to the line to get a good position. Then he can't hold it and beats the ground in frustration!

We are going to run this down at our youth cycling club sessions in the future. Some of the younger ones (e.g. 9) can track stand on a fixed wheel, no handed, for ages  1

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mrchrispy | 9 years ago
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all kinds of awesome

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SteppenHerring | 9 years ago
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I can see it working at Herne Hill. At Lee Valley or Calshot, not so much.

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othello | 9 years ago
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I'm already pitching this for Track League next season. It would be hilarious!

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