Most Keirin races will have a few crashes and I can only imagine that the adrenaline must be pretty high out there. This clip from the Leigh Valley Velodrome was particularly alarming as the last crash took place after the end of the race.
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From: http://www.reference.com/search?r=13&q=Keirin
The keirin is a mass start Track cycling event in which 6 to 9 sprinters compete at one time in a race with a paced-start. Riders draw lots to determine starting positions and start as the pacer (which could be a motorcycle, a derny, or a tandem bicycle, for example) approaches. The riders are required to remain behind the pacer, which starts at the deliberately slow speed of about 25 km/h, gradually increasing in speed and leaves the track approximately 600-700 meters before the end, at a speed of about 50 km/h. The first cyclist to finish the race is the winner (sometimes finishing at 70 km/h). Keirin races are about 2 kilometers in length (8 laps on a 250m track, 6 laps on a 333m track, and 5 laps on a 400m track).
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Keirin is supposed to be Roller-Derby on bikes, but the last crash in the video just seems excessive. Cyclingnews.com gave the following update: (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2005/aug05/aug04news2)
The final result was few suspensions and thankfully no permanent injuries were sustained by the riders. Some may say that it is all part of the race, but a tackle/check like that is the same as finishing a play after the whistle blows in hockey; dirty and dangerous.
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