Meetings comprise eighteen competitors and two reserves. A draw is held to determine the riding order, and these numbers are worn on the race jackets.
The heat format is determined as follows:
| Heat | Red (Gate A) |
Blue (Gate B) |
White (Gate C) |
Y/B (Gate D) |
Green (Gate E) |
B/W (Gate F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1: | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 2: | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 3: | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 4: | 3 | 17 | 1 | 15 | 8 | 10 |
| 5: | 16 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 13 |
| 6: | 4 | 6 | 11 | 18 | 14 | 7 |
| 7: | 18 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| 8: | 5 | 10 | 17 | 11 | 16 | 4 |
| 9: | 14 | 9 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 8 |
| 10: | 11 | 18 | 8 | 13 | 10 | 2 |
| 11: | 6 | 3 | 16 | 17 | 1 | 15 |
| 12: | 12 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 9 |
| C-Final: | 13th to 18th placed riders after Heat 12 | |||||
| B-Final: | 7th to 12th placed riders after Heat 12 | |||||
| C-Final: | 1st to 6th placed riders after Heat 12 | |||||
In the Qualification Heats, riders take the starting gate positions indicated. For each Final, the highest scorer has first choice of gate position, the second-highest scorer has second choice, and so on... Gate A is on the inside of the track, whilst Gate F is on the outside.
Where two or more riders are tied on race points after the Qualification Heats, the tie is resolved as follows:
The results of the Finals determine the final classification. Where two or more riders fail to finish in a Final, excluded riders followed by riders completing the least distance are placed lower.
During the Qualification Heats, the reserves may alternately take the rides of any incapacitated rider, replace any rider excluded for a starting infringement, or replace any rider excluded for exceeding the three minute time allowance. A reserve may not directly replace another rider in the Finals, but they may qualify if they score enough race points. Each reserve may ride in a maximum of four Qualification Heats.