| Competitions in cycling at the Athens Olympics in 1896 consisted of a road race and five events on the track. The track events took place on a newly built and by standards of the day, most modern cycling track, Neo Phaliron with seating for 7,000 spectators. The cycling competitions were attended by athletes from five countries and the competitions allegedly were subject to great audience interest.
Track races were dominated by France, as French riders triumphed in four of the five events. Paul Masson won three competitions in the short races, a one lap (333 m) time trial, 2000m match sprint and a 10km mass start race. A race over 100 km, 300 laps, was won by Leon Flameng of France and a race for 12 hours of Austrian Adolf Schmal. In both races only two athletes completed.
Road race was settled on a route from Athens to Marathon, where the riders had to deliver a signature, and then back along the same road to Athens, a total of 87 kilometers. Seven athletes participated in the race, three of whom completed. The race was after about three hours cycling won by Konstantinidis of Greece, despite that he underway overturned three times and had to change bike twice.
Cycling is one of the few sports that has been on the program at all Olympic Games since 1896, but the events have obviously changed significantly over the years. Track racing and road races for men have been on the program every time. In 1984 competitions for women were added to the program, in 1996 mountain bike race was introduced and from 2008 there has been BMX-biking on the program. |
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