When did cycling enter the Olympic Games? History of cycling and its discipline. History of track cycling

Cycling sport is a respected and popular activity in Europe. More than 50 outdoor competitions take place here from March to October. Some of them, for example, the Vuelta a España or the Tour de France, last three weeks, during which participants cover 4-5 thousand km.

History of cycling

The emergence of cycling was associated with the progress of technology, which made it possible to create a two-wheeled vehicle only in 1817. The official patent for a metal structure of two wheels, a frame and a seat for the driver was received by the German baron Karl Dres in 1818. The vehicle, rather, resembled a prototype of a bicycle : The device did not have a transmission mechanism or pedals. It was assumed that a person sets it in motion by pushing off the ground with his feet. Drez himself called the device a “scooter.”

It took almost 70 years to perfect bicycle manufacturing technology. At the same time, technologies and materials for road surfaces progressed: you can’t ride a bicycle on a paved road. Bitumen-mineral and asphalt concrete mixtures are being invented to make the road smooth.

During this period, funny examples of bicycles appeared: for example, a device with a front wheel of a very large diameter and a rear wheel several orders of magnitude smaller. Even then, wealthy people began to use bicycles for recreational purposes.

Since the 1860s The first local sports competitions among amateur cyclists are being held in France.

By 1885, the two-wheeled vehicle no longer had any fundamental differences from the one we know now. Its design finally received transmission to the rear wheel and significantly surpassed its predecessors in handling and stability.

Almost immediately after this “radical improvement” of the bicycle, the first international competitions were held:

in 1893 – the world cycling championship.
Since 1896, cycling has been included in the program of the Olympic Games.

In 1900, a professional organization emerged - the International Cycling Union. At the national level, cycling is governed by the relevant Federations.

In the USSR, cycling competitions were traditionally held as part of sports and athletics competitions.

Types of cycling

There are 4 major areas of cycling:

road cycling;
track cycling races;
bicycle motocross.
mountain bike racing.

All of them are included in the Olympic Games program.

Cycling in its classic form is a long-distance race on road bikes. The racer's path does not necessarily lie on asphalt roads: it can be paving stones, gravel, or a road with potholes. The only condition is that the road must have a hard surface and not pass through rough terrain.

Road cycling involves the following types of races:

one-day – races over a distance of 200-300 km;
multi-day – races can last more than a week;
criterion - a group circular race within the city for 50-150 km;
Grand Tour - 3 races lasting 21 days (Spanish Vuelta, Italian Giro and French Tour).

Road cycling is a typically European spring-summer-autumn sport. Routes usually pass within the same state.

The largest number of road races take place in classic cycling countries:

Belgium (14);
France (10);
Italy (8);
Spain (5).

1-3 competitions per season are held in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Great Britain.

In addition, road cycling races are organized in countries that are not entirely “cycling”, for example:

in Norway (multi-day “Fjord Tour” in May and “Arctic Race” in August);
in Denmark (4-day “Tour of Denmark” in August);
in Poland (6-day “Tour of Poland” in August);
in Turkey (week-long “Turkey Tour” in April).

Several cycling races take place in North America:

in the USA, week-long tours in California in May and Colorado in August;
In Canada, there are one-day Grand Prix in Quebec and Montreal in September.

When it’s winter in Europe, road cycling moves to other continents and countries: Australia, the UAE, Oman, Malaysia.

Track racing is a stadium type of cycling sport. It is not as large-scale as road racing in Europe, but it also has a lot of its fans. A bicycle racing track always has a hard, even surface and a mandatory inclination angle: small on straight sections and reaching up to 42° on a turning radius.

There are 16 track disciplines. They have slight differences in the rules. There are:

individual and as part of a team;
with common or separate start;
sprint or pursuit race;
assessed against time or points;
with a standing start or on the move;
at a distance from 500 m (women's standing round) to 50 km (Madison team's point run).

In any case, the task of a cyclist on a track is to cover the distance as quickly as possible, distributing his forces most effectively.

One of the unusual types of track cycling is the Japanese keirin, which became a discipline of the Olympic Games in 2000. It originated as an exciting sport similar to horse racing.

For the first few laps, cyclists travel at a limited speed: there is a motorcycle ahead of them, which they must not overtake. At this time, spectators can evaluate the quality of everyone's ride, guess the outcome of the race and place bets. The motorcyclist-regulator gradually increases his riding speed and 700 m before the finish line he leaves the track, removing the speed limit. The cyclists cover the remaining distance as a full-fledged sprint, accelerating up to 70 km/h. At this time, special iron races are being played on the track, encouraging the participants and the public.

The short name for this type of cycling is BMX. Special bicycles are used, marked with these three letters. They have wide mountain bike-style tires, smaller wheel diameters, a low rider position and a high handlebar position. The design makes the device more stable: it is designed for passing routes with elevation changes and performing tricks. BMX racing predates mountain bike racing.

BMX-cross itself is racing on a dirt, winding track with jumps, pits, hills and other obstacles. Since 2008, bicycle motocross athletes have been participating in the Olympic Games. Modern youth sports competitions, as a rule, include extreme BMX competitions

One of the popular areas of BMX cycling among young people is street racing, in which the stunt component is of great importance. When riding, cyclists actively use city infrastructure - curbs, stairs, railings, etc. But this is rather amateur cycling.

Motorbike racing is a spectacular and extreme sport. Having appeared relatively recently, it quickly gained popularity, mainly in the USA, becoming an alternative to traditional road cycling races in Europe. World championships and national competitions are held in motorbike racing, and athletes participate in the Olympic Games.

Today, mountain bike racing has been differentiated into several subtypes:

Cross-country is the most popular - the race is carried out over rough terrain, usually in circles, over a total distance of up to 5 km.
Downhill is a downhill race on a track with natural obstacles.
A marathon is a race over distances of more than 100 km, in which everyone can take part.

In different countries, the listed races are practiced in different variations: parallel slalom, biker cross, dirt jumping, freeride. They take place both in the form of individual competitions and team races.

Cycling leaders

Cycling has its traditional leader. The French are masters of sports in cycling. They are followed by athletes from the USA, Great Britain, Italy, and Belgium.

In terms of the number of gold medals received throughout the Olympic Games, athletes from France take first place.

The 1980 Summer Olympics took place in Moscow, the capital of the USSR, from July 19 to August 3, 1980. These were the first ever Olympic Games in Eastern Europe, as well as the first Games held in a socialist country. To hold cycling track competitions, in January 1977 they began to build the famous cycling track in Krylatskoye. The material for the track canvas was Siberian larch, which is the strongest and straightest coniferous tree, therefore reducing the likelihood of plucking and spalling. In strength it is second only to oak and some African tree species. The cycling track is also interesting because it is the world's first closed track, with a length of 333 meters 33 centimeters. Until this time, records were set on tracks with a length of 250-280 meters. The result was that on the first day - July 22, 1980 - 13 amendments were made to the cycling world records.

In honor of the Olympics, an A4 album “Moscow 80” was released with very beautiful and interesting photographs of those competitions. These are the photos I would like to show you, and at the same time remember that great time (I envy those who managed to attend the competitions).

Anton Tkach, athlete from Czechoslovakia

Cycling competitions at the 1980 Summer Olympics were held in two disciplines: track racing and road racing. A total of 6 sets of awards were raffled off. This was the last Olympics in which only men competed in cycling. All 4 track racing competitions were held at the Krylatskoye cycling track. The 100 km team road race was held on the Moscow-Minsk highway. An individual race with a length of 189 km, which consisted of 14 laps along the cycling ring in Krylatsko.

Robert Dill-Bundi (Switzerland) - winner of the pursuit race

Lutz Hesslich (GDR) and his coach Dieter Hermann. Lutz won gold in the sprint

Lothar Thomas (GDR) - gold medalist in the 1000m race. No one has been able to beat his time of 1:02.955 minutes.

4 km team pursuit race. The photo shows the “golden” line-up: Vladimir Osokin, Valery Movchan, Vitaly Petrakov, Viktor Manakov. Also, the Olympic champion is Alexander Krasnov, who took part in the preliminary races and, according to the competition regulations, has the right to do so. Second place went to the GDR team, and bronze went to the Czechoslovakian team

Lutz Hesslich

Lothar Thomas after the race

Another “golden” composition of the USSR in road cycling. In the photo are Yuri Kashirin, Oleg Logvin, Sergei Shelpakov, Anatoly Yarkin. Result of the Soviet team: 2 hours 01 minutes 21 seconds

Velodrome in Krylatskoye

Road cycling race 189 km

Robert Dill-Bundi (Switzerland)

The great coach of the USSR road team Viktor Kapitonov

And his ward is Sergei Sukhoruchenkov, who won the road race. In second position is Czeslaw Lang, Poland.

Alain Bondue (France). Pay attention to the bike - no carbon fiber and no race for aerodynamics. I wouldn’t be surprised if something that once allowed people to win gold medals at the Olympic Games is rusting somewhere in landfills.

Robert Dill-Bundi (Switzerland) thanks the track for giving him a gold medal in the pursuit race

Anders Adamsson (Sweden)

And once again the cycling track in Krylatskoye, which gave a huge number of moments of joy and struggle.

Cycling track on the USSR Olympic coin

Preparation and warm-up before the race

In concept cycling is not only a sport, but also a lifestyle of people who love extreme sports, constant competition, or simply a healthy lifestyle. Everyone chooses a direction to their liking, be it: racing a bicycle, overcoming artificial or natural obstacles, performing various stunts, etc.

The following main disciplines can be distinguished in cycling:

track racing;
road racing;
mountain bike;
BMX;

Some of these disciplines are Olympic sports. Cycling games also include cycling games: bicycle polo And bicycle ball.

Special organizations have been created to regulate and govern cycling. At the international level, this is the International Cycling Union (UCI - Union Cycliste Internationale), which was founded in 1900. In our country, these responsibilities lie with the Russian Cycling Federation, which began its activities in 1990.

Road cycling races

A type of cycling in which cyclists compete to cover distances at speed on roads. Road cycling attracts the most sponsorships and is considered a commercial discipline. The Olympic types of road racing include individual and group races. For non-Olympic events, criterium, stage race, team race, uphill race.

Individual cycling race- road time trial with time trial. Cyclists start from one point in turn, at certain time intervals. According to the rules, the fastest athletes are sent last. Whichever rider completes the distance in the least amount of time becomes the winner;
Group bike race- in this type of cycling, all riders start at the same time. They must cover a distance of 50 - 200 kilometers (depending on the specific race) as quickly as possible. In order to win, teams use certain tactics;
Criterium- a cycling race in a circle, taking place on city streets. According to the rules, after a certain number of laps, intermediate finishes are arranged, which bring prize points to the athletes. The cyclist with the most points becomes the winner. The criterion is interesting because spectators, being in close proximity to the athletes, can watch their struggle in great detail;
Stage race- is held in several stages, which are divided into time trials and group races. It lasts at least two days. The winner is the cyclist who overcomes all stages in the least amount of time. The most famous multi-day cycling race, the Tour de France, is held in France and lasts three weeks.

History of road cycling

The birth of cycling in Russia is considered to be 1883. Then official competitions were held in Moscow for 1.5 and 7.5 versts. In the 1.5 verst race, the winner was the athlete from St. Petersburg, Blok Yu. Cyclists from England, America, and Austria took part in those competitions.

After this, cycling became more and more popular. In 1891, the “All-Russian Championship” was held; its program included the classic 7.5 verst race at that time. In 1894, the marathon was held for the first time along the route Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod. Due to the poor condition of the road, only two athletes managed to reach the finish line. In 1895, the most enduring cyclist, M. Dzevochko, prompted the toughest race between St. Petersburg and Moscow. In 1911-1913, Onisim Pankratov, a Russian cyclist, rode a bicycle around the world, for which he was awarded an award from the International Cycling Federation.

Later, cycling in Russia turned into a commercial sport. Racers began to be bought and sold for fraud. By 1917, the track in Tula became the only mention of the once thriving sport. But starting in the 50s of the twentieth century, cycling began to revive, Russian cyclists took part in the Olympic Games. Kapitonov V.A. became the first cyclist to bring victory to the USSR at the Olympics. He won the 1960 group road race. Soviet riders later won Olympic gold in 1976 and 1980. In total, during the existence of the Soviet Union, our athletes earned 12 Olympic gold medals.

Track

This type of cycling, known as track racing, takes place on closed oval-shaped tracks ( tracks). For the convenience of cyclists, the track has a slope towards the horizon, at turns of 42 °, and on straight sections at 12.5 °. The length and width of the track may vary depending on the type of competition being held. The paths can be covered with wood or concrete.

Sprint- a cycling race of two to three laps on a track, traditionally the last 200 meters of the distance are decisive in this race. Sprint is the oldest discipline in cycling; it appeared in the competition program in the 19th century. The selection of athletes takes place in qualifying races, in which the first to reach the finish line wins. It is believed that a cyclist starting behind the opponent’s back takes a winning position, since the leader does not see the opponent’s maneuvers;
Team sprint- a race on a track, over short distances in which teams of athletes participate. Each team consists of three riders, the lead rider tries to help the team reach maximum speed, and after the first lap he is eliminated. The second cyclist on the team is also eliminated after the first lap, and the third rider completes the last lap. The time is calculated after the last person finishes;
Race against time- according to the rules of the race, one cyclist starts and must ride a circle moving counterclockwise. In this event there are no qualifications and preliminary and intermediate rounds. The men's time trial is traditionally held first during international competition;
Points race- competitions on the track with an unlimited number of participants and simultaneous starts. The cyclist who earns the most points in intermediate finishes wins. This race is included in the program of the Olympic Games;
Scratch- group race with simultaneous start. The number of race participants should not exceed 24 people. A cyclist who is one lap behind the rest is eliminated from the race. If one of the athletes gets ahead one lap from the rest, he automatically becomes the winner;
Individual persecution- in this race, two cyclists start simultaneously from opposite sides of the track. The length of the distance is 4 km for men and 3 km for women. Athletes in this race compete in endurance and patience;
Team pursuit- in this race, cyclists also start from opposite sides of the track, but here teams of four athletes start. The distance is 4 km for men and 3 km for women. The main thing in this race is the interaction of all team members to achieve results. The race shows not only the level of athletes and their mutual understanding, but also the coach’s ability to select a good team. This discipline is considered the most difficult in track cycling;
Keirin- a bicycle race invented in Japan. The cyclists start at the same time, with a motorcycle (derni) moving ahead of them, which they must not overtake. Derny leaves the track 2.5 laps before the finish, after which the cyclists compete for speed. The winner is the one who finishes first;
Madison- pair race on the track. Two team members take turns replacing each other as they drive past their partner. In other words, one rider is participating in the competition, and the second is riding nearby and waiting for the moment when he needs to change. Every twenty laps an intermediate finish is arranged and the athletes are awarded points. In 2002, Madison made its first Olympic appearance;

History of track cycling

At the end of the 19th century, the first bicycle tracks began to be built in Russia. In 1981, a track was put into operation in Moscow and the first competitions were held on it. In St. Petersburg, a wooden track was used, and in Odessa, in 1984, a track with an asphalt surface and a length of 360 meters was opened. The oldest existing track was opened in Tula in 1896, since then it has undergone several reconstructions. After reconstruction in 1953, this cycle track was considered one of the best in the world at that time, ten world records and many national records were set on it.The first Soviet world champion on the track in the 1 kilometer race Vargashkin R. Such Tula racers as: D. Solovyov, L. Razuvaeva, L. Kochetova, V. Fedin, S. Kopylov, B. Romanov, V. Maksimova, V. S. Tereshchenkov, Khitrov, B. Savostin, A. Agapov, O. Slyusareva, B. Petrov - became world and national champions in different years.

At the 1988 Olympic Games held in Seoul, athletes from the USSR won four gold medals on the track. The 1 km standing race was won by Alexander Kirichenko. Won gold in the 4 km individual pursuit race Gintautas Umaras from Klaipeda. The winner in the women's sprint was Erika Salumäe, and the team pursuit race was won by Soviet riders V. Ekimov, A. Kasputis, D. Nelyubin.

Currently in Russia there are two indoor tracks that comply with international norms and standards. In St. Petersburg "Lokosfonks" and in Moscow "Krylatskoe". Competitions are also held on four open cycling tracks. The oldest track in the country is "Tula Cycle Track", "Saturn" in Penza, "Yaroslavl Cycle Track", "Lokomotiv" in Rostov-on-Don.

Mountain bike

Mountain bike ( from English mountain bike - mountain bike; mtb, mtb) is an extreme type of cycling, which is a mountain bike competition. A mountain bike is designed for riding in conditions where there is no road surface. It is the most common type of bicycle nowadays and many cycling enthusiasts use it for riding around the city.

Cross-country (XC)- is probably the most popular type of cycling. It is a race along a track with descents and ascents, many natural, sometimes artificial obstacles (rough terrain). Cross-country is included in the Olympic Games program;
Dirt jumping- extreme style of cycling. The competition takes place on a special track with springboards made from the ground and consists of jumping over these springboards. The tracks are built from three “camels” (double-humped embankments). Beginners train on “camels with a table,” that is, earth is poured between the humps so that a fall is not so traumatic. Dirt involves performing jumps, spectacular aerial tricks and landings, but performing stunts is not required;
Downhill (DH)- extreme discipline in mountain biking. The idea is to descend a mountain slope at speed. DH courses are traditionally very difficult to overcome, with many natural (trees, rocks, roots, holes) and artificial (big air) obstacles. Downhill requires excellent preparation, quality equipment and a reliable bike;
Freeride- free style of cycling. Includes a mixture of different types of cycling. Freeriders must be well prepared, as this area is very difficult and dangerous. Freeride bikes have a strong frame and reliable disc brakes, their weight is usually less than the weight of a DH bike since cyclists have to climb mountains on them;
Parallel slalom (DS, dual slalom)- the idea for this type of cycling was taken from cross-country skiing. Two athletes simultaneously start from the top and descend along parallel tracks on the mountainside that are very similar. During the descent, athletes overcome various obstacles (jumps, cliffs, turns, etc.);
Dual (dual, DL)- in this discipline, two athletes compete on the same track and each tries to overtake the opponent, since this position is the most advantageous. It is permissible to use force between athletes to achieve victory;
Bikercross (Bikercross, 4X, 4cross, cross, BSX)- is one of the most spectacular and traumatic areas in cycling. According to the rules, four people start at the same time, those who finish first advance to the next stage, and in the final the strongest racers meet, who compete for prizes. The biker cross track is wide and full of various obstacles; its length is approximately 250 meters. This discipline is called differently in different countries: in Russia - biker cross, in the USA - mountain cross, in Europe - 4X or 4cross;

History of mountain biking

Mountain biking appeared in Russia not very long ago and it is still difficult for domestic athletes to compete with representatives of other countries. The first Russian mountain bike championship was held in 1993 on the Krylatsky Hills, and Tatyana Kaverina became the first Russian champion. In 2005, Russian athlete Yuri Trofimov won gold at the World Mountain Bike Championship.

Of all the types of mountain biking, only cross-country is an Olympic sport. At the moment, the most successful Russian athlete in this discipline is Irina Kalentyeva. She twice, in 2007 and 2009, became the world champion in this type of cycling. She also won bronze at the Beijing Olympics and a number of other awards.

Under the auspices of the Russian Cycling Federation, the multi-stage Russian Cup and the Russian Cross-Country Championship are held annually. In addition to these competitions, enthusiasts hold amateur races in different cities, for example: Merida Cup, Velokursk Cup, RedBike Cup, Velosotnya Marathon, etc.

BMX (Bicycle Moto EXtreme)

BMX ( Bicycle Motocross or bicycle motocross) is a type of cycling that is spectacular and extreme. Athletes perform various tricks on special BMX bicycles. Presumably this discipline appeared in the 70s of the twentieth century as a result of teenagers imitating their motocross idols.

Racing- BMX began to develop precisely from this direction. It is a bicycle race along a winding track replete with many turns and jumps. Up to eight people take part in the race, and the first one to finish wins; there are no stunts involved;
Street- BMX direction, which consists of riding and performing tricks in the city. Here, as in freeride, athletes are not limited by anything. To perform tricks, cyclists use various obstacles (railings, roofs, benches, stairs, fences, curbs, etc.). This type of cycling is very popular among Russian athletes;
Dirt jumping- in addition to BMX, this direction also applies to mountain biking, that is, you can use both BMX bicycles and modified mountain bikes. Competitors perform various tricks in the air by jumping over special springboards;
Flatland- BMX discipline involves performing various tricks on a flat surface (rotating on one wheel, riding backwards, riding without using legs and arms, etc.). It's like dancing on a bicycle. The main condition is that the athlete should not touch the ground with parts of his body. This type is considered the safest and many BMX athletes start with it;
Vert (vertical - abbreviated as vert)- BMX discipline, which is skating on a ramp (a special structure - half-pipe), which looks like a pipe cut in half. Athletes must accelerate along a ramp, fly over it and perform various tricks in the air (spins, flips, etc.), then they land back on the ramp. There are mini ramps up to 2 meters in size and ramps up to 5 meters in size. Mini ramps are convenient for beginner athletes;

BMX History

BMX appeared in Russia in the early 90s of the twentieth century. Russian athletes give preference to such BMX areas as racing, flatland, and street. Recently, dirt jumping has also begun to develop.

In 2008, BMX was introduced for the first time at the Olympic Games in China. Unfortunately, athletes from Russia were not able to win medals in this discipline at these games. Probably because BMX in Russia is perceived more as an extreme hobby rather than a sport.

In order to take up any type of cycling you don’t need much, first of all it’s a bicycle, then a lot of desire and perseverance. Before choosing a specific direction, evaluate your physical fitness; if you are a beginner, start by performing simple elements, further complicating the task. To engage in cycling professionally, you need to give up bad habits and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Good luck to you!

Cycling developed in the second half of the 19th century, and entered the Olympic Games program in 1896. However, the bicycle was invented earlier and was regularly used in Europe. In Germany, France, and Great Britain, models began to be built on two, three and four wheels, which worked exclusively on human muscular strength. It is believed that the first bicycle was built in Russia at the beginning of the 19th century.

Cycling for children and adults has become an important part of the sport. Competitions of various qualifications are held, both local and international. Types of cycling: track and road racing, cross-country riding, figure riding, mountain riding, included in triathlon competitions. There is a Cycling Federation in Russia. The World Cycling Championships are held in separate categories.

Cycling development

The first all-metal bicycle appeared at the beginning of the 19th century. It took a hundred years for the vehicle to win the hearts of people and bring it to the world level. Olympic cycling began to develop at the end of the 19th century.

Cycling trends took shape slowly, but people liked the new mode of transport. By applying exclusively muscular efforts, it was possible to refuse other transport and eliminate the cost of fuel or horses. Relying on their own strength, people traveled around the city and beyond, both for work and for personal pleasure.

Photo 1. John Boyd Dunlop, inventor of pneumatic tires, which are still used today in various sports disciplines

The first step in the formation of cycling was the bicycle race, which took place in May 1868 in the suburbs of Paris. The driving distance was 2000 meters. After the races, the Parisians asked about upgrading the bike to make it easier to control. The result was “spiders,” bicycles with a huge front wheel and a small rear one. On this model of bicycle the athlete moved at speeds of up to 30 km/h.

A breakthrough in bicycle design was made in 1887 by a veterinarian from Scotland named Dunlop. He decided to upgrade the bike for his son so that he could ride it comfortably. At this time, bicycles with a chain and gear system had just begun to appear. The doctor filled a hose with water to water the flowers and attached it to the bicycle, making it look like tires. The invention turned out to be unsuccessful, because the driving speed decreased and the load increased. The inventor tried to fill the prototype of the tire with air; for this he invented a special valve that closed when fully inflated. It was this invention that made it possible to reduce the level of shaking and increase speed. Bicycle tires that filled with air contributed to the development of cycling.

A country	Number of gold medals	Number of silver medals	Number of bronze medals	Total number of medals
Great Britain
USA
Switzerland
South Africa
Total

The table shows the countries with the most triathlon medals received at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Since 1870, the construction of cycling tracks for competitions began in Europe. At the same time, athletes began to be divided into competitive categories. With the advent of pneumatic tires, which were invented by John Boyd Dunlop, it was possible to move competitions from tracks to regular roads. The love for cycling has swept the world. Races began to be held over short and impressive distances. The Tour de France, which dates back to 1903, continues to this day. The group race was extremely popular among novice athletes, and later they became known as the criterium.

Types of cycling

Photo 2. Participants of the Tour de France race at the final 21 stages of the race in Paris on July 24, 2011

There is a difference between Olympic and non-Olympic competitions. Types of racing at Olympic competitions are divided into group and individual, and non-Olympic competitions include the following disciplines:

Pair race;
Criterium - a group race through the city streets at speed;
A race that lasts more than two days, starting with a general start;
Team race.

Cyclocross is a separate category; it includes a group race and a race with an individual start. The list of cycling disciplines also includes road cycling. The races take place on regular intercity routes, on special road bikes that are designed for riding on smooth surfaces.

Photo 3. Keirin racers ride on special bicycles, entirely hand-assembled from steel.

Sprint - there are up to four participants on the track, whose main goal is to cross the finish line before the others, having completed the required number of laps.
Team sprint - teams of athletes compete with each other. The winner is the team that was in the lead when crossing the circle. The performance of all group members is taken into account.
Individual pursuit - the race involves two players who compete for the championship. They start from opposite ends of the site.
Team pursuit race.
The points race is included in the list of the Olympic Games. It represents a general start where athletes fight for their victory. At the race, the athlete’s goal is to score the most points and reach the finish line.
Hit at a distance of 200 meters, 500 meters and 1 kilometer. Check-in is individual.
Madison - paired competitions on the track to identify the most enduring athlete.
Keirin - first appeared in Japan and is considered a type of bicycle racing. At first, players drive two circles at the same speed, and only then the sprint begins.
Scratch is a type of group race.
Omnium is an all-around event that includes six cycling disciplines: running lap, points race, elimination race, individual pursuit, scratch and standing round.
Elimination race.

Omnium competitions include six disciplines, which are held in the following order: 1) running lap (timed), 2) points race, 3) elimination race, 4) individual pursuit, 5) scratch, 6) standing round .

Photo 4. Downhill uses a mountain bike with wide wheels and high-quality shock absorption for jumping on dirt roads

Mountain biking related destinations:

Cross country - involves overcoming a route on rough terrain. In a minimum amount of time, the athlete overcomes rough terrain with many unexpected descents and obstacles. The direction has about eight subcategories, depending on the level of complexity. Cross-country is popular in urban and suburban environments; young people set up tracks in city parks.
Downhill is a downhill race over rough terrain. The competition takes place on unequipped tracks. It is classified as an extreme sport.
Bikercross - the distance resembles a downhill course, the race involves downhill and overcoming obstacles; any intentional or unintentional contact between riders is considered a violation of the rules.
Freeride or free riding - it is used by cycling enthusiasts at the initial level of their development in cycling. The athlete overcomes a course on which there are natural obstacles and obstacles.

BMX race is a race whose main goal is to overcome the track in the minimum time and get to the finish line first.
BMX dirt is the name of the direction where athletes accelerate on a dirt track and do tricks and jumps on dirt springboards.
BMX vert is a type of extreme sport where a cyclist uses a U-shaped ramp as a springboard, freestyle, and jumps in the air on a springboard. A number of tricks are performed in the air, which poses a danger to the athlete.
Flatland.

Photo 5. BMX vert - a very spectacular and traumatic cycling discipline

BMX is popular among young people; they hold competitions at local and regional levels to determine the most skilled athlete who can perform dangerous and breathtaking stunts. There are special schools and interest clubs that offer to teach all the basics of craftsmanship. Clubs and sections of cycling enthusiasts date back to the times of the Soviet Union.

Famous world cycling competitions

In addition to the Olympic Games, athletes demonstrate their skill and endurance by participating in and winning international cycling competitions. The most popular of them:

Tour de France. In this competition, athletes ride road bicycles. The peculiarity of the race is that it is more than a hundred years old and, despite changes in the rules, the general principle remains unchanged. The competition is divided into 21 stages, meaning that one stage includes one day. Athletes who do not finish before the end of the stage will not be able to add up their total time on the course. The total duration of the race reaches 4,000 kilometers. As a result, victory goes to the racer whose total time for the stages is less than that of other participants. Based on the results of the race, three winners in the following categories are determined: best mountain racer, best sprinter, best young racer.
Giro d'Italia is included in the list of popular and major races, held once a year in Italy. Starts in May and lasts for 3 weeks. The main goal of the competition is to reach the finish line in the minimum amount of time. Over the history of the competition, there have been four deaths of athletes and a huge number of injuries. Cyclists suffer from fatigue or are injured when falling in crowds. The situation is dangerous because the falling athlete hits several other cyclists in a domino effect, causing a massive accident on the track.
Paris-Roubaix is a road bike competition that has one distinctive feature. Part of the route runs through cobblestones, which causes great discomfort for athletes and motivates bicycle developers to make new discoveries in the field of bicycle construction. It is important for them to develop a design for a road bicycle wheel that would not cause discomfort to the cyclist when riding, both on a flat road and on cobblestones, in the conditions of the old city. The course is of increased difficulty, and the winning athletes receive double points from the UCI World Ranking. Since 1977, in addition to cash prizes and rating points, participants and winners take a stone from the road along which they traveled as a souvenir.
Liege - Bastogne - Liege is one of the oldest road races held in Europe. The type of race includes overcoming one continuous section of the route, about 95 kilometers long, from Liberge to Bostoni and the road to Anse, 163 kilometers long. The route has many slopes and mountainous sections. Overcoming this race is a serious test for an athlete.

Photo 6. International cyclocross competition Giro d'Italia 2014, which started on May 9 in Belfast, UK

This is only a small part of the competitions that have become famous at the world level, but they are included in the list of the most popular, oldest and recognized. Brevets, marathons and other competitions are held in all countries, which give amateurs and professionals the opportunity to compete, show their level of skill and start a career in big-time sports.

Cycling in the Olympic Games

The first Olympic cycling competition took place in 1896. Athletes competed in the following disciplines:

sprint;
git at 333.3 meters;
10 kilometer race;
100 kilometer race;
cyclocross lasting 12 hours;
road race.

Photo 7. Summer Olympic Games sprint winner Nicole Cook

About nineteen athletes from five countries came to compete for first place. The competition plan, which is still used today, was approved back in 1928. Women began to compete for championship in the races starting in 1984. Athletes prepare for the Olympic Games, both physically and by completing a bicycle, because each type of competition requires a specific model of vehicle.

Photo 8. Road cyclist Denis Menshov, two-time winner of the Grand Tours Vuelta a España (2005, 2007) and Giro d'Italia (2009)

The Olympic Games continue to expand the level of categories and introduce new competitive disciplines:

Mountain biking (mountain biking);
Triathlon;
Racing on the track.

Photo 9. Four-time world champion in individual time trial Fabian Cancellara

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, athletes competed in eighteen cycling disciplines. This sport is becoming more popular and accessible to people in remote regions.

Famous cyclists

At a professional level, cycling requires not only physical effort, training and stress, but also financial costs. The main consumable category is a vehicle that meets all the requirements of the direction. But you also have to spend money on cycling uniforms, protection and shoes. Athletes who have received public recognition have achieved results in sports thanks to training and thorough physical preparation.

Photo 10. Six-time world champion in road and track cycling, Honored Master of Sports Olga Slyusareva

Road cyclist Alberto Contador Velasco has gained popularity all over the world. Despite his young age and athletic lifestyle, he was diagnosed with a blood clot in the brain at age 22. During the race, he fell and convulsed for a long time, after which he was taken to the hospital. The disease did not confuse the athlete and did not force him to give up his goal; he continued training. A year later he returned to the track and took part in the Tour Down Under race and won. Currently, the athlete has been stripped of some of his titles for doping.

Spanish native Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver also specializes in road racing. Since 2010, he has represented the Russian team called Katyusha. He continues to race and get victories. In 2010, he received the title of cyclist of the year for his excellent handling of difficult sections of the course in races that were not easy for other competitors to overcome. Over the chronological period from 2012 to 2016, he received many victories in various competitions.

A famous Russian athlete is Denis Menshov, who won the famous multi-day race “Tour of Baskonia”. At the same time, he managed to beat the competition favorites and local celebrities on the track. After that, he began to rise through the ranks and win one victory after another. During his sports career, he became a famous Russian athlete in the field of cycling competitions. In 2013, he was forced to leave the sport.

Photo 11. Schools and extreme sports clubs are becoming increasingly popular among young people (pictured - BMX club for children and teenagers in Lilydale, Australia)

Many future stars are interested in cycling for sporting purposes; they attend cycling sections. Special classes lay the foundation for development in the world of sports. Achieving success, athletes show that any heights are available to them. A striking example is Cadel Lee Evans, who at the age of 34 took first place in the Tour de France, although he had not previously received high awards. Four more years later, another victory in the Tour Down Under appeared on his record. In 2009 he was awarded the title of cyclist of the year. To this day he continues to participate in competitions.

Fabian Cancellara. His name is included in the lists of the best cyclists from famous world publications. He devoted his entire life to road cycling. Fabian began his career in 1998 and since then not a single year has passed without prizes and victories. In good years, he managed to grab luck by the tail and win several cups in important races. He was lucky enough to take part in the 2008 Olympic Games in the individual track race, in which he received a gold medal, first place and recognition from the world community. The press and judges suspected him of cheating, since in 2010 he broke away from other participants in the race by a considerable distance. The media drew attention to this, accusing him of having a motor somewhere in the vehicle. This man has exceptional willpower and endurance, which helped him overcome difficult and dangerous routes. In 2016, the athlete officially retired.

Photo 12. The official symbol of the Russian Triathlon Federation, which includes disciplines such as triathlon, duathlon and winter triathlon

There are also representatives of the fair sex among the athletes - Russian road cyclist Olga Slyusareva. Among her achievements is participation in the Olympic Games in track races. She took part in the Tour de France, where she covered hundreds of kilometers at speed. The woman does not forget about family and raising children, continuing to participate in competitions.

The bicycle as a vehicle has been refined and improved throughout its existence in order to give the athlete comfort when moving and the ability to gain greater speed. In less than a hundred years since its founding, it has entered the list of Olympic sports, and still remains popular.

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Cycling is a discipline in which participants compete with each other for championship. As in standard running events, players use skill and skill to prove their level of strength and endurance.

Cycling comes in several varieties: speed competitions, specialty sports and motocross. Each of them uses its own type of bicycle: for high-speed competitions - racing, in special areas (freeride, cross-country) - MTB bicycles, for motocross - BMX.

The beginning and development of cycling

Viktor Kapitonov - the first USSR champion in cycling at the 1960 Games

The bicycle has its origins in the first half of the 19th century. Of course, at that time it was not considered as a sports equipment, but was used only as a low-speed vehicle. Over time, the bike was improved more than once until it came close to its usual appearance. This happened in the second half of the 19th century, when the geometry of the frame changed, a Gall chain was used to transmit torque, and solid tires were replaced by inflatable tubes and tires.

The first competition took place in 1869 in France, at the Paris-Rouen distance of 120 km. The winner of the cycling race was able to reach a speed of 11 km/h, which at that time was beyond the limit of possibility.

The first cycling race in the Olympic Games dates back to 1896. France took first place, then Italy, Germany, and later the USSR took the winners' cup. The distances grew from game to game. If in 1896 it was only 87 km, then at the 1912 games it was 320 km.

In Russia, sport dates back to 1883, with the first competition in Moscow. Since then, cycling has emerged as a separate area. This was quite justified, since in our country in the first third of the twentieth century. there were several dozen large cycling clubs. In the Soviet Union, the first bicycle race took place in 1918. From that time on, they were carried out with enviable consistency. However, only in the 50s the USSR managed to enter world cycling competitions.

In 1960, bicycle racing was divided into team and group racing. Until 1996, cycling was an exclusively men's sport, then women's competitions were included: road running and individual races. In the same year, MTB was admitted to the Olympic Games program.

The road bike has undergone few changes since the first races. The ancestor of the sports cycling trend was the race on road bikes of the “who is faster” type. Much later, a special mountain bike appeared, which rapidly changed both externally and technically. MTB sports have become widely popular in the last two decades.

Road and track racing

According to the rules of the game, competitions on racing bikes are divided into the following types:

standard (long distances);
time trials;
individual;
team;
track.

Standard road cycling competitions begin at a general start. All participants are pre-divided into standard teams. The breakdown is done according to the principle “age – level of strength training – endurance”. Teams start and must cover the required distance. For men it is 239 km, for women’s races it is 120 km. The winner of the group is the player who rode his bike to the finish line before everyone else. Places may be distributed among the winners at short distances.

A time trial is an easy way to prove your opponent's level of endurance. The distance for men is 1000 m, for women – 500 m. At the start, a countdown of 90 seconds is set, the cyclist’s task is not only to meet this interval, but to come first.

A type of time trial is a sprint. A group of cyclists completes three laps, but the speed clock is only counted for the last 200 m. In addition to strength and endurance, in the sprint you need to be smart and choose a good position before finishing.

Track - a cyclist competition on an oval closed circle. The angle of inclination of the frame and body should be 42 degrees. Traditionally, the track surface is wooden or concrete. The distance depends on the size of the competition and varies from 1 to 40 km.

Movement at an incline in track competitions

Individual races are divided into two types: time trial and pursuit.

A time trial race shows the absolute capabilities of each cyclist. With each lap the player must show better results. The total distance for men is 48.6 km, for women – 31.2 km. The start delay for the next participant is 90 s.

A pursuit race is a competition in which one participant catches up with another and shows the best result. Players start from different sides of the circle. The race is for one winner and is divided into a standard competition, a semi-final and a final race. Distance length: 4 km – men, 3 km – women. In team pursuit, groups of three catch up with each other. The position is determined by the third rider.

Cycling racing categories:

Candidate for master of sports (from 13 years old);
MS – Master of Sports (from 15 years old);
MSMK – master of sports of international class (17 years and older).

Standards for cyclists by discipline. The title of MKMS is divided into I, II and III categories

MTB cycling: cross-country, freeride, trial

The sport of mountain biking continues to gain momentum. Even ordinary lovers of rides have probably heard about them. If earlier MTB sports were purely entertaining and “backyard” in nature, today they are full-fledged disciplines. The main sports areas on mountain bikes:

bicycle trial;
freeride;
cross country

Trial – cycling using a mountain bike. The birthplace of this trend is Spain. The origins of the trial date back to the mid-70s. Now this sport is purely European in nature, although some of it exists in our country.

Features – extreme driving with obstacles. Speed, dexterity and ingenuity are the key points of discipline. Classic competitions - climbing trails in mountainous areas. New trial - street version - stunt driving within the city. Includes elements of extreme BMX discipline.

Freeride (from Free Ride - free riding) - MTB sport with the passage of complicated mountain trails. Sections may be “unprepared” for the surprises of the road; they may have cliffs, U-turns, piles of stones, sharp ascents/descents, thickets and dirt. Freeride is both freedom of movement and knowledge of cycling tricks at the same time. Within the direction there is a division by .

Requirements for the bicycle: high frame strength, comprehensive shock absorption and 100% safety level.

Freeride bike for extreme racing

Cross-country - passing trails at speed. The competition venue is mountain tracks with road obstacles and long climbs. Unlike freeride, this direction is safer. Thanks to this, country music has gained great popularity among cycling enthusiasts.

Cross-country is the first MTB cycling sport to be included in the Olympic Games. Divided into three options - XCO, XCM, XCE:

classic (1 – 2 hour race);
marathon (2 – 8 hours);
short knockout races, duration – 1-2 minutes.

Cross country competition

The bicycle is a lightweight mountain bike. The light weight of the frame and canopies allows you to reach high speeds. At the same time, the structure must be serviceable and durable.

Sports direction BMX

BMX cycling uses a bicycle of the same name. The specific design of the bike is designed for jumping and performing various tricks. Riding such bikes is symbolic.

Types of BMX sports:

BMX Racing– competitions for the speed of passing the track. The start begins at an elevation of up to 9 m; on the way, cyclists will encounter several obstacles: a “table”, double and triple jumps, stairs. 8 people participate in the race.

Vert– jumping inside the ramp. Exercises include rolling along the curved surface of the structure, jumping on the edges and inside the ramp. This includes the most difficult BMX tricks that will take years of practice to master. Participants compete in terms of efficiency and quality of technique and jump height.

The most spectacular sport on BMX

A variation of Vert is Dirt. The difference is that the cyclist does not ride inside the ramp, but makes turns on hilly terrain.

Flatland– execution of turns on flat surfaces. This type of BMX cycling is popular among amateurs. It is easier to learn and safer. An advanced option is to perform stunts on obstacles in the city. This subspecies is called BMX-Street.

Cycling is a vast area that unites all areas. Developing along with the bicycle, it is gaining an increasing number of fans and active participants. Bike sport is relatively simple and allows everyone to realize their potential. At the same time, it allows you to improve the health of the velonation and increase the level of culture.