Two months ago, we wrote that it had been two months since the last News update from DerbyWheel.

Another two months have passed; and the last News update from DerbyWheel is still from April 2024. Things have happened since then, of course: but you probably wouldn’t know that (unless you’re following Global Keirin).

James Pope’s video message to riders in early June, shared externally on the website shortly afterwards, was confirmation that the much-delayed test event would not happen until after the Olympics.

Well, here we are. The Olympics have finished. And so now, we wait.

We wait for a date for the test event. They probably don’t want to announce a date until they are 100% confident in it. We fully understand that position. But all previous communications and commitments have been based on the date of a test event. If they don’t break this cycle with something else, that’s all we can focus on.

And we wait for rider announcements. DerbyWheel’s plan was always to populate its top-level S Class with big names from the big UCI competitions, including the Olympics. Now is the time when those Olympians will be considering their futures, and making their commitments.

Generating hype

Other sports haven’t been waiting for anything: they’ve been making the most of their time in the global spotlight.

Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track athletics series has been busy all week, actively generating hype off the back of the Olympic races. Multiple social posts every day during the Olympics, bigging up the personalities, performances and rivalries. All positioning Grand Slam Track as the logical place to come if you want more of this.

Ironically, Grand Slam Track isn’t in a much stronger position than DerbyWheel. There is no firm schedule. They have only announced two marquee-name athletes, and one host city. But they are working with what they have.

Fantastic spectacle

The Olympic men’s keirin competition was particularly dramatic. We had controversy, we had crashes, we had some great racing – all the ingredients of a fantastic sporting spectacle.

And even better, it all took place in the relative quiet of the Olympic programme’s final morning. For a few precious hours, we had the world’s attention on our crazy sport.

So, where do our athletes go from here? What do our fans do now?

Momentum will fade

With every day that now passes, the momentum generated by the Olympics will fade. The names and storylines will fade from the common consciousness.

Track worlds is a couple of months away; it’s something, for existing cycling fans at least, but it certainly isn’t the Olympics.

This isn’t necessarily terminal for DerbyWheel. But let’s put it in track cycling terms. It could have been a flying effort. Now it’s looking like a standing-start effort. And trust us on this, the first few pedal strokes of those are no fun at all.