WHAT IS A BICYCLE RACE

While many might associate cycling competitions with "keirin" racing, cycle road racing involves covering long distances of over 100 km on public roads. The winner is the one who crosses the finish line first.

Cycle road racing is a straightforward individual competition where over 100 riders start simultaneously and race to see who can reach the finish line first. However, in practice, it functions as a team competition with each team aiming to secure a win for their strongest rider.

The reason it becomes a team effort is due to the significant impact of "air resistance" in cycle road racing. To mitigate this, teammates create a formation, riding in front of their ace to reduce air resistance, allowing the ace to conserve energy for the final push. The key to victory lies in how well the team can preserve the ace’s strength until the last moments of the race.

In the final stretch, the ace, having conserved their energy, makes an all-out effort to secure the win for the team. The strategic interactions with other teams, such as when the ace decides to make their move to the front, are a highlight of cycle road racing. Though the rules categorize it as an individual sport, its essence as a team competition is one of its defining characteristics.

The primary metric of success in cycle road racing is "producing a winner from one's team, or achieving a high-ranking finish." Teams participate with six members, and if a team produces the winner, even if the other five members retire during the race, that team receives the highest evaluation. Conversely, if all six members finish the race but the top finisher from the team ranks low, the team's overall evaluation is poor.

In addition to the standard road races mentioned above, there are other types of cycle road races:
Criterium: This race takes place on a closed circuit, typically 1 to 3 kilometers long, on park paths or public roads with traffic restrictions. Riders compete by completing multiple laps and aiming for the best position.
Individual Time Trial: In this race, each rider competes individually against the clock on a specified course, with the fastest time determining the winner.
Team Time Trial: Similar to the individual time trial, but teams of riders work together, racing against the clock to achieve the fastest overall team time.