Global Keirin understands that the DerbyWheel test event, scheduled to take place at the UK’s Newport velodrome later this month, may not be going ahead as planned.

Black Line, the UK-based coaching group led by British elite sprint champion Pete Mitchell, posted on Facebook on the evening of April 10th that ‘due to an event cancellation some track time has become available (at Newport) on April 28th’ – asking followers if they would be interested in a race event that day. The group had been struggling to find a suitable day to host their annual Black Line Open.

Global Keirin had heard rumours earlier that day, suggesting that the test event had been postponed. However, no news updates have yet been posted on the DerbyWheel website. At the time of publishing this article, the Newport date is still showing on the Calendar page, and in president DJ Hyun’s open letter, linked from the homepage.

Global Keirin has previously noted that details regarding the event were somewhat scarce; and that earlier dates for test events in London and Manchester had previously been announced, only to be cancelled (see below). But the widespread promotion of this April 2024 date hinted at a greater degree of confidence.

Taking an optimistic view, tests are intended to draw out the problems, in order that they can be resolved. If the organising process has uncovered significant issues, better to find out now in the controlled conditions of preparing a test event, rather than more publicly later.

But the short notice of this cancellation, and the likely knock-on consequences for DerbyWheel’s plans to start ‘regular season’ operations within a few months, will raise understandable concerns for prospective participants.

In addition to the inconvenience caused to those planning to travel for the test event, the promise of life-changing prize money may already have led some to make sporting or professional plans, which are now cast into some doubt.

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Previous test/exhibition event cancellations

• Late August 2023: ‘The Derby Wheel London Tour competition’, referenced in a news article still on the DerbyWheel website
• 30th Nov – 2nd Dec, 2023: ‘exhibition event at London Lee Valley Velodrome’: among the FAQs on the DerbyWheel website (archived)
• February 23-25, 2024: ‘To kick the racing season off, February 23-25, 2024, 60 invited male and female cyclists will compete at the Manchester-National Cycling Center in the UK in a three day long tournament match’ – article on bicycling.com
• March 15~17, 2024, Lee Valley Velo Park, London, UK: stated on Calendar page of DerbyWheel website (archived)
• April 26-28, 2024, Newport, UK (confirmation)