Cycling History

All throughout the 19th century, the growth of population and prosperity in Europe led to a greater need for relaxation. This important fact made cycling one of the most popular sports of the century.

There were some major reasons for the bike's popularity. The first was speed; it was the fastest mode of transport, outside of the train. The second was that many were very attracted to the interstate races between local riders which gathered more than 40 bikes and 4,000 spectators.

Cycling is a very popular sport all over the world, but mainly in Europe. The most competitive and devoted countries are: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland, although the United States also has a high international standing, and many countries in the world have great professional cyclists.

As a sport it is governed internationally by the Union Cycliste Internationale in Switzerland (for upright bicycles) and by the International Human Powered Vehicle Association (for other HPVs).

The objective of a race is quite simple and a number of tactics can be employed to achieve this goal. Usually a rider or group of riders will try to break from the main body by attacking and riding away to reduce the number of riders competing for the win. If the break doesn't succeed and the body of cyclists comes back together the winner will often be someone whose strength is explosively sprinting past the bunch to reach the line first.

Races often feature difficult sections such as tough climbs, fast descents and sometimes technical surfaces to make the course more selective; stronger riders will be able to drop weaker riders during such sections to reduce the number of direct competitors able to take the win.

Teamwork between riders both pre-arranged and ad-hoc is important in many aspects as to prevent a break from getting away, helping riders in a break to get clear of the bunch, and in delivering a sprinter to the front of the field.

In all racing drafting is a very important concept where one rider can save a lot of effort by closely following the rider in front in order to stay in his slipstream. This can be used as strength or a weakness by competitors; riders can cooperate and draft each other to ride at high speed, or one rider can sit on a competitors wheel forcing him to do a greater share of the work to maintain the pace.