Chicago cyclists are lucky enough to be close proximity to two velodromes, three if you count Major Taylor in Indianapolis. The Washington Park Velodrome in Kenosha, Wis., holds races each Tuesday, and the Ed Rudolph Velodrome in Northbrook holds on Thursday and Fridays.

The benefits for roadies are many. Racing the track can be a great way to work on sprinting, often with multiple opportunities in a single race. And since the formats depends so much on tactics and even game theory, the track will make you a smarter racer. Some of the smartest tacticians I’ve raced with have track backgrounds, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence. (Hi, Tim! Hi, Shane!)

Even if you can’t commit to a second discipline, or if you just feel you don’t look sexy enough in a skinsuit, it’s worth your while to go and watch.

Sometimes it’s hard to get a feel for what exactly goes on in a peloton until you watch it externally, and the track lets you do just that. Indeed, the velodrome can be like a racing laboratory, and you get a complete, unobstructed view of each race’s development. See which breaks work, notice how teams work to block, and observe when people launch their sprints and how well it works out for them. If you’re part of a team, come visit the infield -- bearing brownies, if possible -- and listen as your teammates debrief and deconstruct each race.

UPDATE: Andy Daley (Team Clif Bar Midwest) sends along this route and recommends it for evening training and getting to the track. “One can do a workout on the Skokie path, make a detour to the ‘drome on the way home, check out some racing on Thursday nights and bum a ride home from a track star.” To get to the track, head west on Plotz Road until you get to Meadowhill Park.