madison
noun · first attested early 20th century
The race is named for a New York arena that was demolished more than a century ago.
A track cycling relay race in which teammates take turns racing and change over by touch or hand sling.
Madison Square and Madison Square Park·United States
40.7422°N -73.9881°W · Q110000
Record
- Relationship
- Named from the place
- Confidence
- Well attestedThe place link is the standard scholarly account.
- Attested
- early 20th century
- Part of speech
- noun
Explanations here are written for this atlas. Dictionary text is not copied; the sources are linked so the claim can be checked.
- Step 1
Madison Square and Madison Square Park
- In English
madison
Six day races ran at the first Madison Square Garden from the 1890s, drawing large crowds for a brutal solo event. When New York restricted how many hours one rider could stay on the track, promoters split riders into two man teams that swapped places at speed, and the new format took the arena's name. French and Italian still call it the americana.