Basics of Road Racing
Road Racing is the most famous form of cycle racing. The idea behind a road race is very simple. A bunch of cyclists start at the same place and the first among them to cross a finish lines win. This type of race is called a mass start. There are however a ton of different formats of races that are available that are a lot more complicated then just your basic mass start.
There are the races like the incredibly famous European tour races such as the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France which are stage races around a country. The biggest is the the tour de France which lasts 21days and covers 2500 miles. The only sporting events that are larger then the tour de France is the Olympics and the world cup. There are around 50 professional teams in Europe with about 1000 members who are pretty much the best in the entire world.
If you are an American looking to get into road racing, our season lasts from February to October with the biggest months being May June and July. Most road races that you will be competing in are organized by local clubs or leagues. These races are governed by the United States Cycling Federation. For beginner racers there are a ton of short races around 20 to 35 miles that you can do. Some of these occur on dedicated circuits while others are changed every week. Organization for these events is very low key and informal but do not think that means you can compete if you are not in at least some type of shape. If you are racing on open roads where traffic needs to get through, there will be a limit on the number of competitors so expect to have to register ahead. If you are in a racing on a closed circuit as many people as would like to enter can enter.
There are the races like the incredibly famous European tour races such as the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France which are stage races around a country. The biggest is the the tour de France which lasts 21days and covers 2500 miles. The only sporting events that are larger then the tour de France is the Olympics and the world cup. There are around 50 professional teams in Europe with about 1000 members who are pretty much the best in the entire world.
If you are an American looking to get into road racing, our season lasts from February to October with the biggest months being May June and July. Most road races that you will be competing in are organized by local clubs or leagues. These races are governed by the United States Cycling Federation. For beginner racers there are a ton of short races around 20 to 35 miles that you can do. Some of these occur on dedicated circuits while others are changed every week. Organization for these events is very low key and informal but do not think that means you can compete if you are not in at least some type of shape. If you are racing on open roads where traffic needs to get through, there will be a limit on the number of competitors so expect to have to register ahead. If you are in a racing on a closed circuit as many people as would like to enter can enter.
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