The Kilo is unique in the sphere of sport. One chance in an event which lasts around one minute. There is no second round, second half or repechages. There is no sitting on, no team mates working for you. Riders are seeded with the fastest riders last to ride. For anyone riding the kilo the pressure is enormous. One error in judgement, a pulled foot and your hopes are gone.
Eduard Rapp, 75 world champ, pulled his foot at Montreal and his Olympics were over. Shane Kelly. 95 world champ & world record holder, did the same at Atlanta.
No rider has successfully defended an Olympic victory in the Kilo.
It is a specialised event. Riders who excel at the kilo are unlikely to have success in another event. Chris Hoy being the greatest exception. But other riders such as Stefan Nimke and Ben Kersten haven't been so fortunate. At the Beijing Olympics Stefan Nimke was the third rider in Germany's bronze medal team sprint. Ben Kersten was one of the last riders culled from the Sydney Olympic team. He then was a last minute inclusion in the Athens Olympic team only not to be given a ride. He continued to improve scoring a brilliant victory over the two previous Olympic champions at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. His event taken from the Olympics he didn't make the Australian team.
That the IOC forced the UCI to sacrifice a track event makes no sense. Removing the Kilo does NOT reduce the number of competitors. They also reduced the opportunities for female riders which is odd considering the IOC's quest for parity between the sexes.