thumb|right|250px|Points race at [[Home Depot Center, Carson, California.]]
A points race is a mass start track cycling event involving large numbers of riders simultaneously on track. It was an Olympic event for men from 1984 to 2008 and for women from 1996 to 2008. Since 2012, the points race has been one of the omnium events in the Olympics.
Description
The races are run over 40 km for men and 25 km for women in UCI championships. A sprint is held every ten laps, with 5, 3, 2, and 1 point(s) being awarded to the top four finishers in each sprint. The winner of the race is the one to have the most points at the end of the race. In addition to the sprints, any riders managing to lap the main field are awarded an extra 20 points.
Point-a-Lap or Course Des Primes
The point-a-lap (course de primes), as its name would imply, a variation on the points race where a single point is awarded to the first rider to finish each lap. Typically more points are awarded on the final lap, going several riders deep.