Road Bicycle Racing

Cyclist going wild

Road bicycle racing is a competitive bicycle racing sport held on paved lengths of road which became an organized sport in 1868 and has been part of the Olympic Games since 1898. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCL), based in Switzerland, governs the sport internationally.


There are several types of races; Single-day races, Single-day (Nocturnal), Stage races, Ultra marathon. Major tournaments are the Tour de France (France), Giro D’Italia (Italy) and the Vuetta a Espana (Spain).

 

While the principle is that the first one to cross the finish line is the winner, most riders are grouped into teams, which are usually commercially sponsored. Notable teams are Lampre-ISD (Italy), Omega Pharma-Quick Step (Belgium) and Astana (Kazakhstan).Famous individuals are Lance Armstrong, seven time Tour de France champion (1992- 2011) and Kristin Armstrong, 2008 Olympic gold medalist (2001-2011).

Lance Armstrong winning another medal

Kristin Armstrong;Olympic gold medalist