The standard distance of the men’s individual pursuit in Olympic track cycling is 4 kilometres.
In this event, two riders start on opposite sides of the velodrome and race in the same direction. The winner is the rider who records the faster time or catches the opponent before the finish.
The event rewards pacing, aerodynamics, acceleration and the ability to maintain a high power output. Riders use specialized track bicycles with fixed gears, no brakes and deep aerodynamic equipment designed for the velodrome.
The women’s Olympic individual pursuit also uses a 4-kilometre distance. Older competitions and non-Olympic categories have used different distances, which can cause confusion. Team pursuit is also 4 kilometres at the Olympics, but it involves four riders working together rather than one rider racing alone.