JO PARIS 2024 – Rules, origins, champions and lexicons: immerse yourself in the world of road cycling.
What is the origin of this sport in the Olympic Games?
The cycling has always been part of the Olympic Games since the first edition in 1896 in Athens. The first road cycling event to see the light of day during these Olympics is the road race. Besides three absences between 1900 and 1908, road cycling has not missed a single edition of the Olympic Games since then. The entry of women into this event did not arrive until late at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
It was in 1996 that this sport took a completely different turn on the Olympic scene. Until now reserved for amateur runners, the competition will finally open up to professionals as well. The enthusiasm around this discipline will therefore return. But it is not only thanks to the arrival of new athletes, it is also with a new event: the race against time. With this new format, this Olympic sport will attract many more people and gain popularity even more quickly.
Who are the best runners?
The reigning Olympic champion is the Ecuadorian runner, Richard Carapaz on the road race event. During the time trial, it was the Slovenian Primoz Roglic who was crowned. To try to win this title for them, Wout van Aert (agent medalist in 2020) and Tadej Pogacar (bronze medalist) will obviously be there. We will also have to count on Jonas Vingegaard and Mathieu Van der Poel, who are in good shape this season.
In women, it is Annemiek van Vleuten who had triumphed in the time trial event and who also won the silver medal in the road race. Anna Kiesenhofer was therefore ahead of the Dutchwoman as well as Elisa Longo Borghini who completed the podium.
What are the rules of road cycling?
The online race : After a 5 km parade passing through the Trocadéro, the runners will leave in groups from rue Gay-Lussac in the Latin Quarter. The runners will set off on a 225 km loop passing through the Chevreuse valley. The final sprint will be done once back in Paris at the end of this large loop which presents significant relief. There will be two laps of 18.4 km to complete at the Montmartre hill before rushing back towards the Trocadéro for the final sprint. It is on the Pont d’Iéna that the cyclists will be crowned after this endurance test.
The race against time : The 35 runners will complete the same route for the first time in the history of the Games. From the Esplanade des Invalides, the athletes will take turns setting off for these 32.4 km where the goal is to be the fastest. This time it is towards the south-east of Paris that all the runners will head. Passing through the Bois de Vincennes, they will discover several cult French sports venues such as the INSEP or the Jacques Anquetil Vélodrome. After this loop, it will be time again to return to Paris to arrive on the Alexandre III bridge for the finish of this timed race.
Also read: BMX racing: everything you need to know about this sport
Road cycling vocabulary:
Bâcher : give up.
Backpacker : said of a cyclist who is used to escaping for long kilometers.
Saddle beak : position of a rider sitting very forward on his saddle.
Dancer : movement of a cyclist who is no longer seated on his saddle to pedal.
Make the accordion : be left behind, then catch up with the group before being left behind again.
Escape : runner or group of runners having widened the gap with the peloton.
Start the sprint : at the end of the course, you have to choose the right moment to start this final acceleration so as not to be caught up by the runners who had saved some energy.
Peloton : group of runners who ride together.
