Keirins

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of track cycling race where competitors ride in a paced format, gradually building up speed before sprinting for victory
2. A competitive cycling event typically held on a velodrome, featuring multiple laps and strategic pacing before a final sprint
3. A racing format that involves riders following a motorized pacer, culminating in an explosive sprint to the finish line

Etymology: "Keirins" is the plural of "keirin", a Japanese word meaning "racing cycles" and written 競輪. The word combines 競 (kei, "contest" or "compete") with 輪 (rin, "wheel" or "ring"), so the name is simply a description of the sport: bicycles racing against one another. In Japan the term refers specifically to the organized track event, held on a velodrome, in which riders jockey for position over several laps before a final dash to the line. The sport became a legal, state-supervised betting event in Japan, and the name stuck to the racing itself rather than to any particular track or rule set. English speakers borrowed the word in its plural form, so "keirins" is the name most often used for the event outside Japan, while the singular "keirin" names a single race or the sport in general.

Synonyms: keirin races