One of the most exciting races to watch on the track, the Madison (so named because it originated in Madison Square Garden) is a race consisting of two-rider teams. The riders are required to switch off during the race by means of an exchange. While one member of the team races his partner slowly circles the track above the blue relief line. When they meet, the racer passes his momentum to his partner via a push or "hand sling" before moving up to the relief line to recover for his next effort. Races may be run over a specified number of laps or over a period time. Often, sprints for points are offered as a means of enlivening the action.

What to watch for: At first this race can appear to be pure mayhem, but with a little attention and practice you will find it fun to follow. Start by following one team ( they will be wearing identical jerseys ). Keep an eye on the one in the race field and keep track of his partner riding slowly at the relief line. Note how and where the relief rider positions himself so as to receive the push or hand sling exchange. Many teams trying to make exchanges in a crowd can appear confusing but after awhile you will see a pattern of position that allows for the exchanges to occur.

Teams often try to gain a lap on the field thereby ensuring that they will complete the race with a lap advantage and be scored ahead of others regardless of their point total. With many teams "jamming"  (trying to gain a lap) it is often hard to tell who is leading and who is following. Look for the chief official to occasionally point to the leader as he passes by the judges' stand to signal to the riders and score-keepers where the head of the race is. Once a rider or team has gained a lap on the field they will be scored ahead of the rest at the finish but the next team or rider pursuing the field will then be considered the "leader on the track". If more than one team finishes on the same lap then point totals or finish order is used to determine the winner.