| Competitive cycling at the highest level is dominated | | | | Indeed the yellow cycling jersey of the Tour de |
| by European based professional teams, complete | | | | France has become one of the most famous |
| with masseurs, coaches, cycling managers, directors, | | | | symbols within cycle sport, however, cycling the |
| PR officials and of course highly conditioned cyclists | | | | Tour de France only constitutes one month of a |
| who earn their living racing for a team sponsor. | | | | professional cyclist's calendar. Of course the event is |
| The managers run the business aspects of the team, | | | | the biggest race, and to the sponsor it is the most |
| while the director sportif handles the riders during | | | | important, but many riders concentrate their efforts |
| training and racing. Seasons are planned out according | | | | on the spring and autumn classicsa series of one day |
| to targeted races and according to the strengths of | | | | races which award points towards the cycling world |
| the team. Often a sponsor will determine where a | | | | cup. |
| team races, as it is the aim of exposure to a target | | | | Late in the season the World Championships serve to |
| market that the sponsor is driving toward. This is | | | | find a pair of shoulders worthy of baring the rainbow |
| done through winning races, or showing prominence | | | | stripes of the world champion cycling jersey. The |
| as a team in front of the media and fans. | | | | deciding race is usually held on a circuit which makes |
| Road cycling has often been compared to chess in | | | | for a spectator friendly event. A world champion |
| that it is a highly tactical sport, with many scenarios | | | | reigns for one year, and there are titles awarded for |
| to be encountered and dealt with during the course | | | | the winners of the road race and time trail |
| of a race. Slipstreaming, bunch riding, solo attacks, | | | | respectively. |
| teamwork and the ability to read a race all come into | | | | The time trial, often referred to as the race of truth, |
| play when a race unfolds. Of course the physical | | | | is an individual test of a rider's strength, speed and |
| fitness or condition of the cyclists plays a massive | | | | concentration. Each rider sets out alone on the |
| role in determining the outcome of a race, however | | | | course, with 2-3 minute gaps separating riders' start |
| the strongest climber cannot win on top of a | | | | times. The fastest time of the day determines the |
| mountain if he is not at the front of the race (or at | | | | world time trial champion. |
| least close enough to the front) when the road goes | | | | Professional cycling is governed by the International |
| up. Often a weaker rider can outfox the stronger by | | | | Cycling Union, the UCI, which awards points to riders |
| escaping the bunch when the strong teams are not | | | | according to their performance in UCI ranked events. |
| concentrating, or they simply underestimate the | | | | There are many races around the world which make |
| danger of a break away rider or group. | | | | up the UCI calendar. |