Cycling at the Summer Olympics

History

The sport of cycling has been a part of the Summer Olympic Games since the modern sequence started in 1896. The inaugural Games in Athens saw a single road race, an 87km journey from Athens to Marathon and back. The first track cycling events were included in the 1896 Olympics, with a 333 1/3m track built in the newly constructed Olympic Stadium.

Track Cycling

Track cycling events have been organized at all the editions of the Summer Olympics since 1896, except at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, where only the road race was contested. The events were originally men's only but women's events were added to the program at the 1988 Summer Olympics.

Track Cycling Events

Track cycling events fit into two broad categories: sprint races and endurance races. Riders will compete in different types of race, depending on their specific skills. The sprint races include the individual sprint, team sprint, and keirin. The endurance events include the individual pursuit, team pursuit, and Madison. Points races and omnium are multi-event races that have both sprint and endurance elements.

Road Cycling

Road cycling events have been present at the Summer Olympics since the birth of the modern Olympic movement. The men's road race, initially a time trial, was one of the nine events at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, in 1896. With the exception of the time trial from 1912 to 1924 and the team time trial from 1960 to 1992, it has been included in every Games since.

Road Cycling Events

The program of road cycling events at the Summer Olympics includes the road race and individual time trial. The road race is a mass-start event where riders compete over a course with a variety of terrain. The individual time trial is a race against the clock, with riders starting at regular intervals.

Mountain Bike Cycling

Mountain bike cycling was introduced to the Summer Olympics at the Atlanta Games in 1996, with a cross-country event for men and women. The event has a mass-start format, where riders compete over several laps of a hilly, technical course.

BMX Cycling

BMX cycling was introduced to the Olympic program for the 2008 Beijing Games. The format of BMX at the Olympics involves a series of races over a purpose-built track. It is one of the most high-adrenaline events at the Games, with eight riders racing over a course of jumps, tight bends and obstacles.

Participation and Performance

Cycling events at the Summer Olympics have seen a wide range of nations competing. Many countries have a strong tradition in certain types of cycling, but the nature of the sport ensures that no nation can dominate across all events and disciplines. The most successful nation in Olympic cycling is Great Britain, followed by France and Italy.