Paris 2024 Olympics: history, practices, athletes... All you need to know about cycling

Running, fencing, wrestling, shooting... Certain sports have always had pride of place at the Olympic Games. But did you know that cycling has also been one of the nine sports featured since the very beginning of the modern Olympic Games? As early as 1896, cycling was present in the Olympic arenas. Athletes competed in three disciplines: sprint, cross-country and the 12-hour race!

By 2024, there will be five cycling-related disciplines (and even six, if we consider triathlon). At the Paris Games, you can watchtrack cycling (August 5 to 11, at the Vélodrome national de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines), road cycling (July 27, then August 3 and 4 at the Pont d'Iéna, in Paris), mountain biking (July 28 and 29 at Colline d'Elancourt), BMX freestyle (July 30 and 31 at Place de la Concorde) and BMX racing (August 1 and 2 at Stade BMX in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines).

In 1816, Baron Karl Von Drais invented the draisienne, the forerunner of the bicycle. 50 years later, Frenchman Pierre Michaux came up with the idea of adding a pedal to this innovative machine. Modifications and improvements continued to transform the bicycle throughout the 19th century. The two-wheeled steed became both a sporting and a leisure tool, and soon conquered the whole world. The first cycling clubs were founded in the 1870s, and the very first bicycle race took place in 1868, in the Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris.

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Cycling was included in the Olympic Games from 1896. Women were allowed to take part in road events for the first time in 1984, almost a century later.

A variety of disciplines are contested around the bicycle. Here's how they differ from one another:

• Track cycling: racing in a velodrome, individually or in teams. Various events can be organized, from sprint races to endurance races and team pursuits.
• Road cycling: this race takes place outdoors. In the "road race", riders compete in a grouped start over a distance of more than a hundred kilometers, while the "time trial" is a solo race of around 50 kilometers.
• Mountain biking: mountain biking takes place on hilly terrain, in a loop where riders have to show their endurance and adaptability to a circuit full of obstacles.
• BMX freestyle: this is an extreme sport organized in a park. Athletes must perform tricks and jumps, demonstrating their creativity and technique.
• BMX racing: a race on a track lined with bumps, obstacles and turns.
  
  

Europe dominates the Olympic cycling records. The current Olympic speed champion, Jeffrey Hoogland, medaled at the Tokyo Games.

However, the French are no strangers to podium finishes: championships, Tours de France, classic races, Tours of Italy and Spain... Over the years, Les Bleus have made their mark. What about 2024? We're hoping for fine performances fromAxelle Etienne (BMX racing), Joris Daudet (mountain biking), Juliette Labous (time trial), Romain Mahieu (BMX racing), Corentin Ermenault (time trial), Dorian Foulon (individual pursuit), Alexandre Leaute (track cycling)...

Want to become the next great French cycling star? A large number of clubs are open throughout the Île-de-France region: to choose yours, first find the discipline you like best, then register with a club near you. The French Cycling Federation has listed them on this interactive map.

Where to learn and practice BMX racing in Paris and the Ile-de-France region
Very popular with the younger generation, BMX is an acrobatic and very impressive cycling sport, requiring a great deal of technique, both in its racing and freestyle versions. There are a number of clubs in the Paris region with tracks where you can try out the discipline! [Read more]