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Bicycle Racing 101

Bicycle competitions encompass a wide range of events. On any given weekend in the spring, summer, and early fall, fans can find races on city streets and mountain trails, at sites all over the world. Cyclists soar from ramps to perform dazzling tricks, summon every reserve of energy and muscle power to battle their way up steep, rocky hills, and negotiate treacherous downhill slopes. Interest in professional cycling increases every year, and Maxxis is a strong supporter of this growing sport.
Categories of bicycle competition discussed here include:

Mountain Bike Endurance Events
Mountain Bike Gravity Events
Road
Cyclocross
BMX Racing
BMX Freestyle

We've also provided helpful links for terminology, rules, and other useful information. General Jargon/Terminology
What do racers mean when they use certain slang terms and racing jargon? You'll find good resources at the links below:

Rules

Each section has a link for rules specific to a particular discipline, but you can find good general references for official rules and downloadable manuals by following these links:

Mountain Bike

Mountain biking events fall into one of two categories: endurance and gravity.

Mountain Biking Endurance Events

Cross Country
As the name suggest, cross country events are held in wooded and/or mountainous areas. Courses are generally between five and nine miles long, and the length of the race varies with the category of the riders competing. Categories are determined by factors including skill level, age and sex.

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Short Track

A shorter, more intense version of cross country racing, short track is timed to last 20-30 minutes. Cyclists ride laps on courses which are generally no longer than one mile.

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Mountain Biking Gravity Events

Downhill

Usually held on ski slopes, downhill races are brief and intense, and almost never last more than six minutes. Runs can be highly technical, and the extreme terrain and hazardous conditions mean that racers must wear special safety equipment, including full-face helmets and body armor.

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Mountain Cross/Dual Slalom

In mountain cross and dual slalom racing, cyclists race in an elimination format, with two racers competing simultaneously in the dual slalom and four racers competing in mountain cross.

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Super D

Super D races consists of one run, with both small climbs and downhill often included. The course is seldom overly technical, and these races usually last 10-20 minutes. Related Links for Mountain Biking

Road

Road racing is divided into three categories: road races, time trials, and criteriums. A road race involves a pack of cyclists racing from either one point to another or around a circuit. A time trial is a race against the clock, and can be either an individual or a team event. Racers leave the start separately, and the cyclist with the fastest time wins. Criteriums, or "crits," take place around a small circuit, typically a city block, and are a timed event. For example, a 60 +3 crit would mean 60 minutes plus three laps. A stage race may include several types of racing. In a stage race, times are added to determine one general winner and multiple stage winners. Rules
You can find official rules and downloadable manuals for road at the following link: http://www.uci.ch/includes/asp/getTarget.asp?type=FILE&id=34028.

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