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Road bicycle racing is a sport in which riders race each other on their bicycles and the fastest to reach the line at the end of course is declared the winner. The sport takes place on paved roads.

Road bicycle racing started off as an organized sport in 1868. The first-ever world championship took place in 1893. Cycling became a part of Olympics in 1895. The modern form of road racing came into being in 19th century. The few initial races were Tour de France and Tour of Flanders. These races provided foundation for modern road racing around the world.

The objective is clear: to be the first one to reach the finishing line. Cyclists make use of various tactics to reach the finishing line such as decreasing the pedal effort by following the slipstream of the front rider. Riding in the main field that saves around 40% of the energy employed in the forward motion in comparison to riding alone.

Riders form groups and separate themselves from the peloton to gain more freedom and more speed. The group needs to work with high coordination and teamwork in order to maintain high speed and achieve other objectives of breaking away from peloton.

Some notable bicycle racers of all times are Jan Ullrich, Lance Armstrong, Fausto Coppi and Felice Gimondi.

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Similar Sports

• Track Cycling — bicycle races conducted on velodromes or other specially designed tracks that feature a steep banking.
• Cycling Time Trials — a bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock.
• E-Bike Racing — cycling races on electric bicycles (e-bikes)
• About all Cycling Sports

Related Pages

• Cycling at the Olympics
• About the Tour de France and other cycling major events
• Complete list of sports
• The Encyclopedia of Sports