About Bicycle Racing

Bike racing is challenging and exciting. It requires riders to be fit and to have endurance, coordination, strength and strategy. The sport divides into three main categories: road races, track races and off-road races. There are numerous events in each category. Category 1 races are reserved for elite riders while Category 4 and Category 5 are beginning levels for men and women, respectively.

Road events

Road events take place on paved roads and can be staged in a variety of places. Races are commonly a combination of rural and urban settings. Topography ranges from flat to mountainous, creating a wide variety and style of racing. Every continent hosts racing events, and the most common is the road race. It involves a mass start held on open roads where the traffic is temporarily suspended. Riders look for tactical opportunities to break away in the races that can be as long as 100 miles. Other popular road races include the Criterium, a short race with high speed cornering and sprinting, and the Time Trial, where riders race against the clock.

Track events

Track racing takes place in a banked facility known as a velodrome. The track is steeply banked and speeds are extremely fast. Riders must have intense concentration and skill. A simple bike with a fixed gear, one-speed and no braking system is used. Favorite events include the Madison relay, which is a tag team event requiring riders to sling shot the next rider onto the track and the Pursuit, where riders are staged at areas along the track and attempt to catch one another.

Off-road racing events

These are racing events that aren’t on paved roads.  The races are conducted over various lengths, surfaces and difficulty levels to suit various abilities and experience levels. Popular events include BMX races that include several jumps and the Dual Slalom, where riders race each other twice, once on each side of the course. The slowest rider is eliminated and the fastest rider continues on to the next round.