Key facts

Venue: The Mall (Road Race); Hampton Court Palace (Time Trial)

Dates: Saturday 28 July – Wednesday 1 August
Medal events: 4
Athletes: 212 (145 men, 67 women)

According to popular legend, the first ever bicycle race was held in Paris in 1868, and was won by a 19-year-old cyclist from Suffolk named James Moore. It goes without saying that the sport has grown since these humble beginnings. More than 140 years after Moore’s triumph, Road Cycling events draw huge crowds and enormous TV audiences around the world, and the four Olympic medal events at London 2012 should see the streets of London and Surrey packed with passionate fans.

The basics

The Olympic programme includes two Road Cycling events for both men and women. For the Road Race (approximately 250km for men, 140km for women), all competitors start together, and the first rider to cross the finish line wins gold.

For the shorter Time Trial (44km for men, 29km for women), the riders start 90 seconds apart, and the winner is the rider with the fastest time over the course. Great stamina, astute strategy and powerful acceleration are essential to success in both events, with teamwork also playing a big part in the Road Races.

The men's Road Race will take place on 28 July, with the women's held on 29 July. Both events will begin on The Mall, before the riders head south-west through the city. They will then cross the Thames at Putney Bridge and continue out through Richmond Park and past Hampton Court Palace. The Surrey section of the course incorporates several circuits of a challenging loop around Box Hill (nine for the men’s Road Race, two loops for the women’s equivalent), before the riders head north through Leatherhead, Esher, Kingston, Richmond Park and back to The Mall for a dramatic finish.

Held on 1 August, the Time Trials will begin and end at historic Hampton Court Palace in south-west London, and will incorporate sections of Richmond, Kingston-upon-Thames and Surrey. Both events are held over a single lap, with the variations in the men’s and women’s courses reflecting the different distances.

Olympic Road Cycling, past and present

Road Cycling featured at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, with an 87km race that started and finished in Athens. There was no Road Cycling event at the next three Games, but the discipline was reintroduced in 1912 and has been a permanent part of the Olympic programme ever since.

At London 2012, the streets are sure to be packed for the four Road Cycling events. With Nicole Cooke planning to defend her Road Race gold medal from the Beijing 2008 Games and Mark Cavendish expected to be among the riders in the men’s equivalent, great British support will be guaranteed at what should be a memorable competition.

Jargon buster

• Breakaway: A rider or group of riders that has left the main group behind.
• Lead-out: A rider who sacrifices his chances for the benefit of his team leader at the end of a Road Race.
• Peloton: The main group of riders.

See the London 2012 Olympic Games competiton schedule

Get involved

Cycling is a great way to keep fit, as well as an environmentally-friendly means of transport.

British Cycling’s club development programme, called Go-Ride, is aimed at encouraging clubs to help young cyclists enjoy their cycling in a safe, off-road environment.

For more information, see British Cycling and Union Cycliste Internationale.