Bicycle racing
Bicycle racing encompasses many forms in which
bicycles are used for competition. Bicycle
racing includes
road bicycle racing,
cyclo-cross,
mountain bike racing,
track cycling,
BMX racing and
bike trials,
cycle speedway, and Skid Kids.
The first bicycle race was a 2km race held on
1868-05-31 at the Pare de St. Cloud,
Paris. It was won by expatriate Englishman Dr. James Moore who rode a bicycle with solid rubber
tyres and newly invented
ball bearings.
Road bicycle racing is overall the most popular type of bicycle racing. It takes place in the warmer months of the year (if one is prepared to follow the seasons around the world, road races can be found all year). Races range from the multi-day stage races such as the well known
Tour de France to short
criteriums, in which multiple laps of a short circuit are performed. Criteriums are particularly popular in North America.
Cyclo-cross was originally the sport of road riders during the off season. It consists of multiple laps around a circuit that is largely off-road, and usually includes several forced dismounts over barriers, either natural or man-made.
Mountain bike racing is relatively new to the bicycle racing scene. It was very popular during the 1990's. Mountain bike races are entirely off-road, and usually involve a moderate degree of technical riding. There are several varieties of
mountain bike racing; the main categories are cross-country and
downhill.
Track cycling encompasses a variety of races that take place on banked tracks or
velodromes.
BMX racing takes place off-road. BMX races are sprint races on purpose-built off-road single-lap racetracks. Riders navigate a dirt course made up of various jumps, along with banked and flat corners.
Bike trials is a sport where riders navigate natural and man-made obstacles without putting down their foot, or "dabbing". It is similar to
motorcycle trials. Points are awarded for bike handling skills, and as such there are similarities with BMX racing.
Cycle speedway is a form of bicycle racing that takes place on short outdoor dirt tracks, around 70-90 meters in length.
All of the above bicycle races involve diamond frame bicycles that basically consist of two triangles. An alternative form of bicycle is the
recumbent. The recumbent is a bicycle on which the rider sits back in a full seat with the legs in a horizontal position. This puts the body in a position where there is less wind drag from the legs. Proponents of the recumbent claim that it provides a more comfortable riding position with no weight on the wrists. The recumbent is a more aerodynamic design of bicycle, and current world speed records were set with recumbent bicycles.
Bicycle races are popular all over the world, especially in
Europe. The most competitive and devoted countries are generally thought to be
Italy,
Spain,
Belgium,
Germany,
France, the
Netherlands and
Switzerland, although the
United States also has a high international standing, as does Australia. The USA boasts seven-time
Tour de France winner
Lance Armstrong, and Australia has seen success through the likes of Michael Rogers (world road time trial champion, 2003, 2004, and 2005) and Robbie McEwen (2004 and 2006 green jersey (sprinters jersey) winner in the Tour de France).
