Cycling at the Summer Olympics
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- 9 chapters
Related on Lably
Through Cyclo-cross
Women's road events were introduced to the Olympic programme at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Women's track events were added in 1988, and both types of events have been featured since then.
The 2012 Summer Olympics were the first at which men and women competed in the same number of events in all cycling disciplines, including track cycling, which previously had more men's and fewer women's events than the 2008 programme. However, women have shorter distances for some events.
It was proposed that cyclecross to be added in 2030 Winter Olympics, a move that was criticised by the Winter Olympic Federations as not being a ice or snow sport which would "dilute" the heritage and identity of the Winter Olympic Games.
Summary
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Track cycling
Men's events
Past events that occurred once or twice
- 50 kilometres: 1920, 1924
- 100 kilometres: 1896, 1908
Only at the 1896 Summer Olympics
- 12 hours
- 1⁄3 of 1 km time trial
Only at the 1904 Summer Olympics
- 1⁄4 mile
- 1⁄3 mile
- 1⁄2 mile
- 1 mile
- 2 miles
- 5 miles
- 25 miles
Only at the 1908 Summer Olympics
- 660 yards
- 5 kilometres (5000 metres)
- 10 kilometres
- 20 kilometres
- 25 kilometres
Women's events
Past events
- Points race: 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008
- Now part of omnium events after the 2008 Olympics
- Pursuit, individual: 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008
- 500 m time trial: 2000, 2004
Medal table
Sources:
Last updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics
Road cycling
Men's events
Women's events
Medal table
Sources:
Last updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics
Mountain biking
Events
Medal table
Sources:
Last updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics
BMX racing
Events
Medal table
Sources:
Last updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics
BMX freestyle
Events
Medal table
Sources:
Last updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics
Overall medal table
Sources:
Last updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics
Medalists
The top of the lists for most successful (by gold medals won) and most decorated (by all medals won) are dominated by recently active track cyclists from Great Britain, who rose to prominence from the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics, and then dominance from the Beijing 2008 Games, winning 22 gold medals in the velodrome between 2008 and 2020, as well as single golds in road racing, road time trial, BMX freestyle, BMX racing and mountain biking in that timeframe. This sharp rise was largely thanks to significant funding by UK Sport of British Cycling. The most successful Olympic cyclists of each sex are husband-and-wife couple Jason and Laura Kenny, with Jason winning seven golds and two silver medals and Laura five golds and one silver medal. Jason also holds the record of most decorated cyclist, with nine medals, and is the only cyclist to have successfully defended Olympic gold medals in three different cycling events. Laura Kenny shares the title of most decorated female cyclist, with six medals, with Dutch legend Leontien van Moorsel (four golds, one silver and one bronze) and Australia sprint star Anna Meares (two gold, one silver and three bronze medals). Laura Kenny holds the unique distinction of winning the inaugural gold medals in three different events - women's team pursuit and women's omnium (both 2012) and women's madison (2020).
Great Britain's Chris Hoy, the first Olympic cyclist to win six gold medals, holds the unique distinction of having won gold across four different track disciplines; the Kilo, the team sprint (twice), match sprint and keirin (twice) disciplines. Three cyclists share the record for gold medals in the same event with three; Jason Kenny in team sprint, compatriot Ed Clancy in team pursuit, and American Kristin Armstrong in time trial. All three achieved the feat between 2008 and 2016.
Cyclists who have won six or more Olympic medals.
- As of the 2024 Summer Olympics
Riders in bold still active.