Types Of Bike Racing Sports Entering The Olympics

Types of sepda racing (Freepic)

YOGYAKARTA - Cycling is one of the sports that is quite popular in Indonesia. This bicycle sport has many health benefits. In addition, bicycle racing is also one of the sports in the Olympics. There are several types of cycling in the Olympics.

Cycling racing competitions can be carried out on several types of tracks, starting from public roads or highways, the Velodrome arena (specific bicycle racing crossings), and on mountain tracks. The bicycle racing championship was held for the first time in 1893 and was included in the Olympics since 1986. So what are the types of cycling racing?

The cycling sport in the Olympics consists of four classes, namely Road, Track, Mountain Bikang, and BMX. The following is the explanation of each type of bicycle racing:

At the inaugural Olympics in 1896, the Road cycling race was held on the marathon. Participants had to go through two rounds with a total distance of 87 kilometers. Only after a century, in 1984 to be precise, women were allowed to participate. And 12 years later, at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, the Time Trial category was introduced.

The Road race and Time Trial, both for men and women, now consists of four categories in the Road Race Olympic program. The Road Race starts with a mass start, with a distance of 239 kilometers for men and 120 kilometers for women. In Time Trial, the time is measured at an interval of 90 seconds, with a distance of 46.8 kilometers for men and 31.2 kilometers for women.

In the Track cycle, the riders only surround a lane that has a slope of up to 42 degrees called the Velodrom. The helmets, clothes, and bicycles used are different from the bicycles used in regular cycling.

Track bike racing includes individual categories, sprints, teams, endurance races, time trials, pursuits, and first-over-the-line finishes. Time Trial, sprints, point races, and individual pursuit categories are available for both men and women. Meanwhile, the 4000 meters, Keirin, Madison, and Olympic sprint teams are only available for men.

Mountain Bikang is recognized as one of the types of bicycle sports thanks to an effort from Velo Club Mount Tamalpais. They hold regular Repack Downhill competitions from 1976 to 1979, which take place from the Golden Gate to San Francisco bridges. In 1990, this competition became a professional sport with the implementation of the World Championships.

Mountain Bike is generally done in hill areas that have moderate to steep slopes, often involving mountain lanes or natural trajectories. Racers are faced with various challenges such as crossing trees, tree branches, rocks, and even small rivers. The race distance for men ranges from 40 to 50 kilometers, while for women ranges from 30 to 40 kilometers.

Bicycle Motocross (BMX) began in the late 1960s in California, together when Motocross became a popular sport in America. In April 1981, the BMX International Federation was founded and the first Championships were held in 1982. BMX quickly developed into a unique sport and imposed a number of regulations similar to cycling rather than Motocross.

The BMX competition was held at a 350 meter circuit with many obstacles and obstacles. The eight riders competed, with the top four racers automatically qualifying for the next round, such as the preliminary round, quarter-finals, semifinals, and finals.

Such are the reviews of the types of bicycle racing sports that are included in sports at the Olympics. Each bicycle racing class has differences both in terms of equipment, track, regulations, and others.

Stay up to date with the latest domestic and other overseas news on VOI. You present the latest and most updated nationally and internationally.