A Comprehensive Guide to the Sport of Bicycle Racing

This kind of sport originated from bicycle tourism. The growing popularity of this vehicle led to its variations – among others, racing bikes were the most popular ones. In a while, bicycle racing is a separate kind of sport appeared. Nowadays, bicycle racing is both a professional kind of sport and a way to spend free time.

Competitions

When it comes to bicycle racing, there are Olympic competitions, World Championships, and general events. Each of these groups is further represented by separate racing variations with their own rules and peculiarities. In general, all the competitions can be subdivided into two main groups: stadium and road races.

Individual Road Races

It refers to mass-start events with an equal distance for all the participants. Winning places are awarded in accordance with the order of how they finished. If it is impossible to determine a winner (a so-called dead race), claiming athletes should compete in an additional 1000-meter race.

Multi-Stage Tours

These events consist of a few separate stages. If their number is high, the participants are given one day-off after every 3-4 racing days. These events are also represented by numerous stages with the individual, team, and mass starts.

At the end of each day, each participant obtains the corresponding rating. To determine an overall winner, the organizers should summarize all the participants’ results in the whole multi-stage tour. If the finishing line is crossed by a large group of participants (it does not refer to the first three racers), they are said to finish simultaneously. With this, the best three racers obtain premium seconds i.e. so-called bonification.

When it comes to team events, a team is said to have finished when the finishing line is crossed by its third representative. In these events, team members are allowed to help one another in any way; it is allowed even to borrow and lend bicycles.

These events are attended by the most experienced racers only because they are quite difficult for unprepared athletes. In addition to that, experienced racers participate in sponsor advertising.

Turnback Races

These competitions take place on circle distances of 800-5000 meters that are to be overcome by races a few times in a row. In a particular number of laps, transitional finishes happen. At these events, the first 4 racers obtain 5, 3, 2, and 1 point correspondingly. At the last finish, however, the prize points double. Thus, a victory is awarded to an athlete who managed to earn the highest number of points. If it happens that two or more athletes have the same number of points, the victory is given to a more successful one at the last finish. In these events, athletes are allowed to change their bicycles.

Circuit Races

These events also occur at close circles with distances of 800-5000 meters. Racers should overcome these distances several times, while transitional races influence the final results. It means that winners are decided on the basis of the last race.

These competitions are easy for spectators to watch; that is why they are so popular among the usual fans. If a racer is going to have a difficult season, circuit races together with traditional training exercises are a good way to get in shape. These competitions also help athletes develop and train their speed of reaction.

There are both team and individual races here. As for individual events, athletes start with 1 or 2-minute intervals. Teams also start after intervals, but they take 2-3 minutes this time. A victory is given to a racer or a team who spent the shortest period of time to come to the finish. As for the teams, the result of a particular crew is determined by the third racer.

Cross-Country Races

These events can take place at any season only if there is no ice-slick and temperature is at least 10 degrees Centigrade. That is why these races usually happen from October till March. When athletes compete on 2-km tracks, their 75% should be represented by flat roads, while the other 25% can be hilly areas. In these races, athletes are allowed to change their vehicles. Those athletes who are comparatively light and who can run, jump, climb, and carry their bicycles have a particular advantage on these races. However, the regulations do not stipulate that there should be areas where the participants must carry their vehicles.

Motor-Paced Races

In these events, participants try to chase a motorcyclist or another athlete who drives a motor-paced bicycle.

Track Races

A group of these races is a part of the Olympic program. Thus, these races are sprint races, 1-km races from rest, individual and team 4-km pursuit races, and tandem bicycle races. When it comes to amateur competitions, however, the list of possible races can be greater.

Sights

As is clear, bicycle races can take place one open and close racing tracks. Open tracks can be of various lengths. For example, there are 250, 285, 714, 333.33, 400, 454.45, 494.45, and 500-meter tracks. In addition to the various lengths, these tracks can differ in surface (wood, concrete, plastic), width, and angles of curves.

When it comes to close tracks, however, there is no such great diversity here. They should be at least 150 meters long and 5 meters wide. Furthermore, a radius of the turning circle should be 9.5 meters.

Equipment

It should be quite clear that various bicycle racing events require different kinds of vehicles. Thus, there can be road and track bicycles.

Road Bicycles

It should be mentioned at once that these bicycles are quite different from the other variations of this vehicle. Some of their details are smaller, while others are bigger than usual. With this, there are still some characteristic features that distinguish these bicycles.

Thus, flasks with water and food are attached either to handlebar or the frame. To make it easier for athletes to overcome hills, minimize the effect of crosswind, and to gain an advantage on straight parts of the track, these bicycles are equipped with gear switch systems. As for switches themselves, they are attached either to the frame or to the handlebar.

Vehicles with 10 gears (two front and five back gear wheels) are the most requested nowadays. According to the safety regulations, every road bicycle should be equipped with two independent brakes, tail and stoplight, ring, and so on. If a competition takes place at night, the participant must use spotlights. When it comes to cross-country races, however, the bicycles are different. They are lighter, and the number of gears is also smaller.

So, these vehicles weigh approximately 8.5 kilos, while each wheel is about 360 g. There should be a pressure of about 7-10 atmospheres in them. Depending on the road surface, it is also allowed to use different wheels.

Track Bicycles

These vehicles are not equipped with brakes or gear switches. If athletes need to stop during or after an event, they should either stop spinning the pedals or take the wheel with their hands that are in special gloves protecting skin from possible injuries.

These bicycles are much lighter in comparison with road ones. To be more exact, they weigh about 6 kilos, while wheels are 110-220 g. When it refers to winter competitions, they should withstand a pressure of 11-13 atmospheres. In the summertime, a pressure of 9-11 atmospheres is enough. These vehicles do not have special places for pumps.