| Bicycle racing has been around for a long time - since | | | | bike race covers almost two thousand miles, and |
| the mid nineteenth century. However, it didn't take | | | | consists of twenty different stages between specific |
| the form it has today until around the beginning of | | | | towns. The winner is the person with the shortest |
| the twentieth. Now, some of the first races that | | | | times in each stage. The other Grand Tours are the |
| were established for cyclists are still among the most | | | | Giro d'Italia (sometimes just Giro), which was |
| prestigious. In general, the world's most famous | | | | founded in 1909, and inspired by the Tour de France. |
| bicycle races include the Grand Tours, races at the | | | | In Spain, a similar race is the Vuelta a Espana. |
| Olympics, and professional races under the Union | | | | The Olympics |
| Cycliste Internationale, or UCI. These are road bicycle | | | | Cycling has been a part of the Olympics since the |
| races. Other types of bike racing that aren't as well | | | | 1896 games, in which a 12 hour race was attempted. |
| known include mountain bike racing (first recognized | | | | Many Olympic cycling events of the past have now |
| in 1990) and cyclo-cross racing (originally developed | | | | been forgotten, including 1908's 660 yard bicycle |
| for road racers in the off season). | | | | sprint. Today, bike competitors in the Olympic games |
| Grand Tours | | | | compete in track cycling, road cycling, mountain bike |
| There are three Grand Tours of cycling, of which the | | | | races, and BMX or off-road competitions. The races |
| most famous is the Tour de France. This multi-stage | | | | are divided by gender, and in some cases are done in |
| race takes three weeks, and passes through France, | | | | teams. |
| ending up in Paris traditionally. Founded in 1903, this | | | | |