Inevitably after the introduction of the bicycle, cycling competitions developed (independently) in many parts of the world. Despite early boneshaker races being fraught with injury, large races became popular during the 1890's "Golden Age of Cycling" across Europe, the U.S. and Japan. With the advent of the automobile’s industrialisation in the U.S. cycling became a minority sport, but continued in Europe as a fanatically supported sport, particularly in the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Italy.

As the bicycle evolved into its various forms, different racing formats developed. Road races may involve both team and individual competition, and are contested in various ways. They range from the one-day road race, criterium and time trial to multi-stage events, are used for track racing in Velodromes, while cyclo-cross races are held on rugged terrain. In the past 15 years offroad racing has also reached international popularity, and constitutes an Olympic discipline.
 
 

Road cycling

Open road race. A traditional road race, generally going from point A to point B, or in circle format which can include multi-laps, and can also refer to a race hosted wherein “everybody” may enter.

Mass start. A race in which all the competitors start together at the same time, as opposed to time-trials or pursuits. Mass-start races were illegal in Britain for many years, which is a major reason for the popularity of time trials in the USA. In South Africa massive road races are staged, and but riders are not set off all togeher, but according to their ranking/seeding, wherein a rider is grouped within a bunch similar in ability, and set off at pre-determined times.

Prologue. A short individual time trial before a stage race, used to determine which rider wears the leader's jersey on the first stage.

Funride.  A short race, generally under 50km.

Hill climb (race). A short distance uphill battle, usually an individual time trial over approx 3 - 5 km.

Handicap.  A style of road racing in Australia where riders are given time handicaps in bunches, with scratch being the last riders to leave and limit being the first riders to leave. The time intervals between groups, and the allocation of riders to groups is decided by the race handicapper, based on rider's ability, age and form. Race honours are usually awarded to the first 5 to 10 riders (depending on the size race) and to the fastest time.

Time trial (aka “TT”). A solo race in which competitors start one-at-a-time, usually at 30 second to five-minute intervals. The winner is the cyclist who completes the course in the shortest time. Since drafting is not allowed in an individual time trial, there are no team tactics; it is just the cyclist against the clock, hence the sobriquet "the race of truth." The cycling leg of a triathlon is a form of time trial. Bicycles made for time-trial use are designed to be as aerodynamic as possible, even at the expense of degrading handling characteristics and rider comfort. There are also team time trials, usually involving teams of 4 or more, taking turns leading and drafting each other. Team time trials require great precision in rotating position within the team. Time trials are held both on the road and on the track.

Century.  A race over 100 miles (161km). A "metric century" is 100 km (62 miles.) Similarly a double century refers to 200 units.

Criterium, or crit, is a type of bike race held on a short course (usually less than 5 km), often run on closed-off city centre streets. The length of the race can be determined by a number of laps or a total time, in which case the number of remaining laps is calculated as the race progresses. Generally the event's duration (commonly one hour) is shorter than that of a traditional road race [many hours, sometimes over the course of days or even weeks, as in a Grand Tour], though the average speed and intensity are appreciably higher. The winner is the first rider to cross the finish line (without having been "lapped"), and events often have prizes (called primes, usually cash) for winning specific intermediate laps (for instance, every 10th lap). Success in criteriums requires a mix of good technical skills - in particular the ability to corner rapidly and sharply - riding with a large group on a short circuit requiring exceptional fitness to attack, and to repeatedly accelerate hard from corners.

Criteriums are good for spectators, less popular with racers. A criterium bicycle will often have a somewhat higher bottom bracket than a road-racing bicycle, to allow pedalling through the turns (there are a lot of turns in a criterium!) Criterium bicycles are designed with a particular eye to manoeuvrability, because the peloton in a criterium is likely to be large and dense. Criterium bicycles are not usually built for comfort.  Criteriums are relatively easy to organize and do not require a large amount of space. They are the most common type of racing in the continental United States.

Classic. The classic cycle races are the most prestigious one-day professional cycling road races in the international calendar. The events all run in western Europe and have been fixtures on the professional calendar for decades. The oldest ones date back to the 19th Century. They are normally held at roughly the same time each year. The five most revered races are sometimes described as the 'Monuments'. From 2005, the Classics have formed part of the UCI ProTour run by the Union Cycliste Internationale. This competition also incorporates various stage races including the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España, Paris-Nice and the Critérium de Dauphiné Libéré and various non-Classic single day events. (The ProTour replaced the UCI World Cup series which contained only one-day races.)

Professional races commonly regarded as Classics include Omloop "Het Volk", Milan-Sanremo (La Primavera (The Spring)), The Ronde van Vlaanderen, Gent-Wevelgem, Paris-Roubaix, Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Rund um den Henninger Turm, Clásica de San Sebastian, Züri Metzgete, Paris-Brussels, Paris-Tours and the Tour of Lombardy.

Some past Classics are no longer run. These include the gruelling 560km, partly motor-paced event, Bordeaux-Paris (run from 1891 to 1988).

The grand tours. A "grand tour" refers to one of the three major European professional cycling stage races, being the Tour of France, Giro d'Italia ( Tour of Italy)  and  the Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain ). Collectively they are termed the Grand Tours, and all three are multi-week races with daily stages. The stages are a mix of long, mass-start races (including both mountain- and flat stages) as well as individual and team time trials and non-competitive exhibition and rest days. Nowadays races are generally 23 days long and include two rest days.

The prizes include the individual General Classification, the team classification, the King of the Mountains, the points competition, and often a ‘ best young rider’ classification, in addition to other less-known classifications.

Along with the Tour de France and the World Cycling Championship, the Giro d'Italia makes up the Triple Crown of Cycling.

The 'monuments' of road racing. Milan-Sanremo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and the Tour of Lombardy.

Randonnée. The French word "randonnée" is not exactly translatable into English. The closest is probably "hike", which is not commonly used in bicycle contexts. A randonnée is an organized group ride, with some emphasis on speed, but it is not a race. Riders will typically be on road-racing or light-touring bicycles. Randonnées are often quite long, but do not normally involve stopping for the night away from the start. Some randonnées run all night. One of the most famous (and most rigorous) is the quadrennial Paris-Brest-Paris ride, 1200 kilometres, (750 miles) and Boston-Montreal-Boston, stopping only for meals and catnaps.  To be eligible to ride in major randonnées, a rider must qualify by riding a series of shorter randonnées called "brevets" and riders must navigate a prescribed course while passing through intermediate checkpoints within certain time limits.

Brevet. A long distance event used to qualify a rider to enter an even longer randonnée.  This is a French word translatable as "diploma," "certificate" or "patent." brevet: The typical brevet series has rides of 200, 300, 400 and 600 km. Pronounced "brevay."

Audax: Sometimes uses as a synonym for randonneur. More formally, audax cycling is when a group rides a randonnee in unison at a steady pace of about 22 kph.

Cyclovia. A fun day event wherein a major road is closed to motorized traffic, bringing “Life to the street!” With barely a car in sight bicyclists of all ages can ride at their leisure, and these events claim to be the largest bicycling events in the world.

Did you know? Only three riders, all Belgians, have won all five 'Monument' one-day races during their careers: Roger De Vlaeminck, Rik Van Looy and Eddy Merckx. With victories in all the other Monuments, Seán Kelly almost joined this group, finishing second in the Tour of Flanders in 1984.
 
 

Cyclocross

Cyclocross is a type of off-road race using bicycles that resemble road bikes. Cyclocross courses are very rough and muddy affairs, designed to force competitors to dismount and run with their bicycles several times per lap.  Cyclocross originated as a winter training activity for road racers, and (originally) was done on retired road bicycles, modified for off road use. Gradually, competitive pressures caused the development of purpose built 'cross bicycles’. Races take place typically in the autumn and winter (the international or "World Cup" European season is September-January), and consists of many laps of a short (2–3 km) course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and obstacles requiring the rider to quickly dismount, carry the bike whilst navigating the obstruction and remount in one graceful motion. Races for senior categories are generally between 30 minutes and an hour long, with the distance varying depending on the ground conditions. The sport is strongest in the traditional road cycling countries such as Belgium and France (and particularly so in Flanders).

Cyclo-cross has some obvious parallels with cross-country mountain bike and criterium racing. Many of the best cyclo-cross riders cross train in other cycling disciplines. However, cyclo-cross has reached a size and popularity that racers are specialists and many never race anything but cyclo-cross races. Cyclo-cross bicycles are similar to racing bicycles: lightweight, with narrow tires and drop handlebars. However, they also share characteristics with mountain bicycles in that they utilize knobby tread tires for traction, and cantilever style brakes for clearance needed due to muddy conditions. They have to be lightweight because competitors need to carry their bicycle to overcome barriers or slopes too steep to climb in the saddle. The sight of competitors struggling up a muddy slope with bicycles on their shoulders is the classic image of the sport, although unridable sections are generally a very small fraction of the race distance.
 
 

Mountainbiking

Point to point racing. A race starting in one point and going to another, but can start and finish at the same point. This format focuses on climbing and distance.

Short course. A mtb 3 to 5 km loop with no real obstacles and run along the same lines as a road criterium (a certain amount of time and laps, with lapped (passed) riders removed from the track).

Cross-country. Colloquialism for a mtb race consisting of multiple laps of a 6-7 km off road course. It is still considered the jewel in the crown of mountain biking despite the media attention given to downhill racing.

Performance cross-country. Most mountain bikers ride cross-country, which usually involves a mix of terrain and equal parts of uphill and downhill riding. Performance cross-country refers to racing over such terrain. The bikes in this category are designed to be efficient and fast. They tend to have quick steering and little suspension. Most hardtail bikes fall into this category, but increasingly riders are finding that the advances in rear suspension are creating more efficient bikes with little pedal bob on the hills and increased contact with the ground over the rough stuff. It is now common to find between one to three and a half inches of rear travel on many performance cross-country race bikes.

Multiple day-stage racing. Point to point racing conducted over several days. Cape Epic and the Sani2C are fine examples of this format of racing.

Trials.  A form of bicycle acrobatics, in which the object is to navigate a course that is as close to un-rideable as possible, without putting a foot down (known as "dabbing.")  Trials are sometimes done on more-or-less standard mountain bicycles, but more often with purpose-built trials bicycles.  A trials bike is a one speed, geared very low, with a tiny chainwheel both for low gearing and improved clearance. Tyres are usually fat 20" or 24" size, with aggressive tread. Frames are small, equipped with a very low saddle. Trials riders never actually sit on the saddle, but a saddle is required as a safety measure.  The major technique involves locking the wheels up with the brakes, and bouncing the bike up and down in the manner of a pogo stick. This category seems to be gaining in advertising popularity, and the default category for most of us. The bikes in this category are meant to climb and descend equally well, however they are more forgiving than the performance bikes with a more stable wheelbase and less snappy steering. They tend to average around four inches of rear travel with a range between 3.5 and 5.5. The industry markets these bikes as endurance riders that provide more comfort during epic rides.

All-mountain.  With rear suspension bikes ranging from 5.5 to 7in, this category is the cloudiest. Actually, the only difference between a trail and all-mountain categories seems to be the amount of suspension travel, and one could argue that these two categories should be one. Surely climbing and descending a mountain constitute being "all over the mountain?"

Freeride. You probably won't find anyone that will agree on a pure definition of freeriding, but it encompasses all the disciplines of mountain biking, and was probably fathered by Hans Rey. It often involves plunging off the side of cliffs without a parachute. It involves stuntriding, and hairraising manoeuvres.

• North Shore free ride is a specialised version of freeriding that focuses on manmade structures above the forest floor, the higher the better. Originated in Canada on the northern shoreline’ forests above Vancouver.
• Urban free ride utilises man made structures such as buildings, walls, fountains, shopping malls and stairs. Technical-trail-features (TTFs) define this genre with drops, gap jumps, and chutes being some of the obstacles set in the course of these riders. Although the bikes are capable of going uphill, they are best at home with gravity and often have travel greater than seven inches. While freeriding seems to have started with the idea being about just riding the bike across the mountain over any obstacles that get in the way, it has grown to be defined by man-made features.

Downhill. Just get on a monster machine with maybe 10 inches of suspension and bomb on down the mountain. This category is about speed. There is no need for the bike to be able to go uphill as most are satisfied with lift access trails or ride in groups setting up shuttle runs with their cars to get back up to the top of the hill. Negotiate a very technical mountainside to get to the bottom as fast as possible. Rider with the best time is the winner. Eina!

Dirt Jumping. Full throttle maniacs who actually prefer to get their hardtails in the air, allowing tricks, twists and turns that involve taking feet off pedals and hands off bars during airtime / hangtime. 

BSX / Mountain Supercross /4X. Bicycle Supercross / Mountainsupercross, an adult version of BMX using mountain bikes on a downhill course similar to a BMX track.

Also known as "Four cross" or "4X" Mountain bike riders compete on a specially designed highly challenging course. The races last between 25 seconds and one minute and are usually fast and frenzied. The courses are a mix of natural and man-made obstacles covering a steep descent.

The array of obstacles includes triples, doubles, tabletops, step-ups, drop offs, bermed or off-camber corners and gap jumps. The difficulty of getting over these obstacles at high-speed whilst being jostled by three other competitors means there are plenty of crashes. The 4X competition starts with a limited number of riders competing in knockout rounds.

The knock-out rounds can be decided by a series of heats called 'Motos' with riders competing three times before moving on to quarters, semis and final. The final consists of the last four riders left in the competition. The winner is the last man standing.

 
 Velodrome track cycling

Track races are a showcase for powerful, fast and skilful cycling, and dates back to before the previous century (formal records date back to 1895). This cycling discipline involves several different races that are broken down into two categories, sprint and endurance races. Track cycling has a World Championship each year and is an Olympic discipline.

Did you know? Track bikes have a fixed gear ratio and do not have brakes, which can make it dangerous to mix road and track bikes. Track groups ride in similar gear ratios and travel the same speed in the pace line, whereas road bikes are inclined to be ‘over geared’ for such a group. Not only does the road bike have a concertina effect on the track’s pace line, but the track bike (without brakes) cannot stop nearly as fast as the road bike (being brake assisted).

Sprint events

Matchspint. This race dates back to the 1895 world championship in Cologne in 1895. Riders' times are measured from a line that is 200m before the finish, and explains why the race is sometimes called "the 200m sprint". Qualifying heats determine which riders will be matched against one another in the match sprint rounds. The times that are set in the qualifying rounds are of crucial importance. Usually the fastest rider competes against the rider that set the slowest qualifying time. In most international competitions the two riders that are matched against one another will ride the best out of three heats before continuing to the next round. Races are contested over a distance of one kilometre. Tactics play a key role in the match sprint, and sometimes in the early part of the race both riders come to a complete standstill This is known as the 'track stand'. The reason for this is that the front rider is trying to force the rear rider to move to the front. It is generally a disadvantage to have the lead going into the final 200 meters, since the high speeds attained by track racers make the slipstream advantage a significant factor. The match sprint is the showcase of most track cycling meetings

Bunch race.  The bunch rolls over the start line and the racing starts as the start pistol is fired. Sprinters and endurance riders fancy their chances equally, but endurance riders will often try to break away early to upset the sprinters. The 1st rider that crosses the line first after 1500m of racing wins.

Time trial 1000 metres men / 500m women. This is one of the toughest track disciplines- this event is a pure test of power - as riders accelerate as quickly as possible from a standing start. Once maximum speed is attained the fight to maintain it lasts until the finish line, and the times are taken to determine the winner of the competition.

Olympic sprint / team sprint. The Olympic sprint is also so known as the team sprint, and is a three-man time trial held over three laps of a velodrome. Two teams race against one another starting on opposite sides of the track. At the end of the first lap, the leading rider in each team pulls up the banking leaving the second rider to lead for the next lap. At the end of the second lap, the second rider does the same, leaving the third rider to complete the last lap on his own. This race favours a team with three strong sprinters since it is important to get up to speed quickly and to finish strong.

Keirin. This race originated in Japan being a 2000m motorcycle (derny) paced event with a field of eight riders (being led faster and faster around the track), while the riders jockey for position behind it. The derny paces the riders for 1400 metres and then pulls off the track, at which time the cyclists begin a furious sprint to the finish. Keirin racing has traditionally been practised in Japan where it has been a professional sport for over 20 years, and in which Pari-mutuel betting on the riders is permitted. Top Japanese Keirin riders do not participate in the World Championships - the only Japanese rider to win the Keirin at the World Championships was Harumi Honda in 1987 (at Vienna) – as their focus is financial. There are a few differences between the Japanese Keirin and the international discipline, as Japanese tracks are banked less steeply, and all-weather asphalt surface allows Keirin racing in the rain.

Endurance events

Pursuit : A type of track racing for two cyclists or two teams, who start 180 degrees apart on the track. The race ends when one rider or team passes the other, or, after a fixed number of laps, with the victory going to the rider or team who has gained on the other.

• Individual pursuit 4000m for men / 3000m for women. Two riders contest a pursuit, starting from points marked half way along the opposing straights of the track. The purpose is to catch the other rider. If a rider catches his or her rival before the designated race distance, the race ends immediately; alternatively the rider who completes the distance in the shorter time decides the pursuit.
• Team Pursuit - 4000m for men. This event is similar to the individual pursuit, but wherein two teams of four each start at opposing sides of the track. The teams ride in a tight line through and off formation making turns to pace at the front. The time of the third rider is counted each lap until the finish. This allows one rider to take the burden of the work in the closing stages of the race and then drop off as the team is approaching the finish. The team catching the other, or riding the fastest time, wins.

Points races (40km for men & 24km for women.) A bunch sprints for points at the end of “points laps”, and the rider with the most points in total is the winner. Points are awarded 5, 3, 2 & 1 for the first four across the line in each sprint lap, and riders that lap the main bunch gain 20 points. If riders are tied on points at the end of the race the rider that finished in front of the other will be the winner.

Elimination race. This race is commonly known as "The devil takes the hindmost". It is a bunch race where riders get eliminated from the race at the end of every bell lap. The rider whose front wheel crosses the line last at the end of the bell lap is eliminated, and such elimination continues until only two riders remain. A bell sets off the final sprint.

Madison. This is a relay race “invented” at Madison Square Gardens (NY), where several teams of two race around the track at the same time, trying to gain a lap on their rivals. At any one time only one member of the team is involved in the cycling (racing at the bottom of the track) whilst the other “sits out” riding high, usually for one and a half laps. The resting rider joins the race when his team mate “slingshots” him in with either a hand sling or a firm push on the seat. The object of the Madison is to complete more laps than any other team. Points are scored by contesting sprints at specified marks during the race. If two or more teams finish the race on the same lap the one with the greatest points total wins.