Road cycling at the Paris 2024 Olympics

Cyclists, including eventual winner Anna Kiesenhofer, compete in the women's road race at Tokyo 2020Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Austria's Anna Kiesenhofer (front) was a shock winner of the women's road race at Tokyo 2020

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Road cycling is one of the original modern Olympic events, featuring on the programme of the 1896 Games.

Here is all you need to know about the sport at Paris 2024.

What are the road cycling events at Paris 2024?

Road cycling at the Olympics comprises two events for both men and women - the road race and the time trial.

What is the road race?

At Paris 2024, the men’s road race is held over 273km (2,800m of ascent), while the women’s route is 158km long (1,700m of ascent).

Both routes start at the Trocadero and take in famous Parisian sights including the Louvre and the Eiffel Tour. From there, the pelotons will leave the city, catching a glimpse of the Chateau de Versailles as they head out towards the challenging terrain of the Chevreuse Valley.

On the return into Paris, riders will tackle three laps of the Cote de la Butte Montmartre - a cobbled climb - before a downhill finale on to the Pont d'Iena bridge and a sprint towards the Trocadero finish line.

What is the time trial?

The time trial is a solo effort, where riders set off in a staggered order and race against the clock over a flat 32.4km.

They will start on the Esplanade des Invalides and finish on the Pont Alexandre III.

It marks the first time men and women will race the same time trial course over the same distance in Olympic history.

Road cycling schedule at Paris 2024

27 July - men’s and women’s time trials

3 August - men’s road race

4 August - women’s road race

Who has won the most medals in Olympic road cycling?

Italy have won the most Olympic medals in road cycling with 20 (nine gold), although the Netherlands have won more gold medals (10).

Great Britain have won 16 road cycling Olympic medals, two of which were gold - Nicole Cooke in the women's road race at Beijing 2008 and Sir Bradley Wiggins in the men's time trial at London 2012.

Team GB Olympic road cycling team for Paris 2024

Men's road: Ethan Hayter (time trial), Tom Pidcock (road race), Josh Tarling (time trial and road race), Stevie Williams (road race), Fred Wright (road race).

Women’s road: Lizzie Deignan (road race), Pfeiffer Georgi (road race), Anna Henderson (time trial and road race), Anna Morris (road race).