Bicycle racing is an incredibly diverse sport with opportunities for all types of competitors. Road races, criteriums, time trials and hill climbs take place on public or private roads. Ontario’s only Velodrome near Delhi provides track facilities. Cyclo-cross and mountain bike events are held on off-road courses. Within the confines of each type of racing there are events for riders with endurance, speed, power, and combinations of these abilities. Here is a brief guide to the various events.
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ROAD
Mass Start Road Race
Competitors begin together on either a large circuit of roads or a point-to-point course, with the first rider over the finish line winning the event. Terrain and weather conditions take their toll on the riders, as does the length of the race. A common tactic in road racing, as for many cycling events, is to take advantage of the phenomenon of "drafting". The leading riders are usually doing 20-30% more work to overcome wind resistance than the riders following them closely. Because of this, small groups of riders can often be seen trying to "break away" from the main group or "peleton". The riders in the "break" share the work, each taking a short turn at the front and then dropping back to rest; in this way they hope to stay away from the chasing group and improve their chances for victory. At the same time, their teammates in the bunch will try to block chase efforts by latching on the back of chase groups and refusing to share the lead. Should a chase group catch a break; the teammates who were blocking can be expected to launch counter-attacks. Critical moments in road races occur when riders use steep climbs or other difficult conditions to launch a "break", and, of course, at the end of the race when finishing groups of riders muster their strength and courage for the final sprint. The rider that can share the work in the breakaway and out sprint all rivals in the finish or, even better, break away for a solo victory, is a true champion.
Ontario’s Steve Bauer captured the silver medal at the 1984 Olympics in the Men’s Road Race while Linda Jackson, from Nepean, ON. won the bronze medal at the 1996 World Road Race Championships. Steve also won medals at the 1984 and 1988 World Championship Road Races. Sue Palmer-Komar of Hamilton won silver at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England. Most recently, Ontario's Michael Barry finished 7th at the 2003 Road World Cycling Championships in Hamilton, ON.
Ontario's Provincial Road Race Championships is usually held in August and is part of the prestigious Road Ontario Cup Series.
Criterium
A Criterium is a massed start road race consisting of multiple laps on a short, 1 to 2 km circuit. Originating on the city streets of Europe, "crits" are exciting races to watch, as the riders are in almost constant view. From a rider’s perspective, these races place a premium on speed and nerve as tight corners demand bike-handling skill and rapid acceleration from the corner exits into the straights. High speeds become higher when the race organizers include "primes" or special sprints for prizes. These events can often finish in mass sprints of 50 riders or more.
Ontario's Provincial Criterium Championship is part of the Road Ontario Cup Series.
Time Trial
In these events the individuals race against the clock, commonly over distances of 15 to 40 km. Known as the "race of truth", the time trial demands the utmost stamina and concentration from riders, where discipline, conditioning and technique are the traits leading to a victory. Time trials also can be ideal introductions to competition for novice riders who are still learning the basics of group riding and may not be confident enough to participate in massed-start events. Efficient riding technique and good aerodynamics are essential and make time trials one of the most technically exacting of cycling events. Ontario’s Anne Samplonius won the silver medal in the Senior Women’s ITT at the 1994 World Championships.
Ontario's Provincial Time Trial Championship is usually the only time trial component of the Road Ontario Cup Series.
Stage Races
Everyone has heard of the world’s most famous stage race, the Tour de France, especially after Lance Armstrong’s record six consecutive wins since 1999. Canadian cycling fans remember Steve Bauer defending the Maillot Jaune during an extended stay as leader of the Tour in 1990. Stage races incorporate elements of all of the types of races described above. Each event is known as a stage. Racing over a different distance day after day is only for the fittest of the fit. The winner with the lowest aggregate time is the winner. There is a winner for each stage, and of course an overall winner. A crafty, consistent rider may win a stage race without ever winning a stage.
Hill Climbs
Point-to-point time trials in which the finish line is at a considerably higher altitude than the start line are commonly referred to as hill climbs. The steepest, toughest climbs in Ontario are sought out for these events, which pit the riders against both the clock and the hill.
Track
Track racing is an especially exciting, spectator-friendly form of cycling competition in which riders’ race on a steeply banked oval track, or velodrome. The bicycles used for Track racing are very different from regular Road bikes in that they have single-speed "fixed gears", no shifting and no brakes. Fixed gears allow a rider to come to a complete stop on the track and balance indefinitely, which can be a useful tactic in certain events such as the Match Sprint. Currently there is one 250m-asphalt velodrome in the province at Windham Centre, just north of Delhi that is used both for a Track League series of events and a Provincial Championships each season. Ontario has managed to produce many medal winners at World Championships and Olympics over the past 30 years in the track events!
500m/1000m Time Trial
This event pits the rider against the clock for one standing-start, flat-out kilometre for men and 500m for women. The rider needs the right gear, a fast start and most important, the ability to fight through the pain of the last few hundred metres. Gord Singleton and Jocelyn Lovell are two of Canada’s’ (and Ontario’s) World Championship medal winners in this event. Curt Harnett’s first Olympic medal, in 1984, was also in the Kilo.
Match Sprint
In the sprint, two or sometimes three riders jockey for position before a final mad dash to the finish. This jockeying lends the event a strange atmosphere as riders crawl around the track or even stop and balance while trying to force their opponent into a disadvantageous position. Tactical skill, nerve and finally sheer power are the main requirements for a sprinter. Curt Harnett, and Gord Singleton, both of Ontario, won many medals for Canada in the match sprint, including silver medals at the World Championships. A related type of sprint event, the Keirin, is a crowd-pleasing track event in which up to 7 or 8 riders draft up to speed behind a motor-pace vehicle before sprinting for the finish in the last few laps. Gord Singleton is the 1982 World Keirin Champion. Curt Harnett also holds the world record in the Flying 200m event, used a qualifying event for the Sprint. His record time is 9.865 seconds, averaging approx. 73 kmph.
Pursuit
In the pursuit, two riders, or two teams of four riders in the Team Pursuit, begin on opposite sides of the track and attempt to catch each other over a 3000m or 4000m distance. As the riders are usually well matched, they seldom do catch each other, and so the event becomes a time trial with the fastest rider or team winning. Karen Strong-Hearth of Ontario won World Championship medals in individual pursuit.
Cyclo-cross
Part cycling, part cross-country running and, in some cases, part madness, Cyclo-Cross is hybrid sport, combining the elements of road racing with mountain bike racing for the autumn season. The events, roughly one hour in length, begin with a massed-start race with the course held off-road over playing fields, farmland, brush, pumpkin patches, conservation areas, etc. Ideally stretches of grass, tracks, roads (usually gravel), streams, logs, leaves, mud and woods are included in the circuit to provide as much variety as possible. A feature of 'cross racing is the "carries", when riders are forced to dismount and carry their bikes up hills or over obstacles.
'Cross racing enhances bike-handling skills while offering a good way to stay in shape during autumn. The repeated dismounting also helps tri-athletes train for the transition period of a triathlon.
Cyclo-Cross provides for tremendous spectator enjoyment as the course is roughly 5-7 minutes in length (sometimes in full view of the Start/Finish). This intimate atmosphere allows spectators to easily follow the race without moving about the grounds.
Ontario has two cyclo-cross series': Southern Ontario Cyclo-Cross Series and the Eastern Ontario Cyclo-Cross Series.
Click here for the CCA Rulebook for up-to-date requirements regarding equipment permitted in cyclo-cross races.
Mountain Bike
Mountain Bike racing is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. It offers many ways to have fun while challenging the individual physically and mentally. There are a wide variety of events offered in Ontario, to suit all abilities and experience levels.
Cross-Country
These events are held on a circuit comprised of single and double-track trails, often with some gravel road sections for passing. Riders compete against each other according to their age and relative ability. Riders complete a set number of laps on the course. They may be individual or mass start events and, depending on the type of start, either the rider with the fastest time or the first rider across the finish line wins.
Cross country races may also be held in team relay format, where each rider on a team completes a set number of laps. Again the winning team can be determined by either the fastest team time, or the team whose rider first crosses the finish line. Chrissy Redden of Campbellville, Ontario, along with National Team riders Adam Coates, Ryder Hesjedal and Roland Green won the Gold Medal in the Team Relay at the 2001 World MTB Championships, and Canada repeated as winners in 2002.
Ontario is home to the Plastiglas Ontario Cup Series.
Downhill
Downhill races are individual timed events. Riders descend toward a finish line at a lower altitude than the start line. Competitors depart the start line at timed intervals (e.g. 30 seconds). The rider with the fastest time wins. Jack Pine Hill (North Bay), Calabogie Peaks (Calabogie - near Ottawa), Blue Mountain (Collingwood), Horseshoe Valley (Barrie) and Kelso Conservation Area (Milton) have hosted Downhill events in the past.
4X
The minimum age required to race "gravity fed" 4X courses would be raised to the same as DH racing, 15yr old by dec 31 2007. only on bmx tracks kids can be 10 yr old by dec 31 2007
BMX
BMX racing is one of the fastest growing sports in North America, and has been in Ontario for over 15 years. It is a family sport, with riders aging from 4-64, from all abilities. There are over 3000 licenced riders across Canada, and 40 tracks.
BMX stands for bicycle moto-cross - a sport in which racers ride bicycles with 20 or 24 inch wheels over a course which is carefully designed to challenge the participants but with the safety of the riders very much in mind. BMX racing is a participation sport where competitors are matched against others of the same age and proficiency level.
BMX is a great sport for everyone and anyone can learn how to ride. It takes place on a dirt track consisting of a starting gate atop a hill with rollers, jumps, berms and other obstacles packed into a few hundred meters to test the bike handling skills of the riders and providing an exciting show for the spectators.
A race consists of 3 motos (qualifying heats) in which up to six riders compete. After a rider races each moto, they are pointed as they cross the finish line and trophies are awarded at the end of the day according to the total amount of points (money awarded to A-Pro, AA-Pro and 16+ Girls). A typical local race lasts only a few hours.
There are several different levels of BMX racing to suit all abilities. Local racing is the most common, where tracks (4 tracks in Ontario) run a weekly race series and practice. There is also a Provincial series, Eastern Canadian Series, Western Canadian Series, National Championships and finally the World Championships. Each series is open to all riders.
Other
Trials
These are not races but competitions. The riders must make their way through a variety of "sections" either manmade or natural. Points are penalized to riders when some part of their body touches the ground. For example a rider can receive 1 point because one foot touched the ground or they could receive 5 points if both feet touched the ground. In some instances a rider can earn negative points for performing well in a difficult section. The rider with the fewest points wins. There are usually two categories which are based on wheel size. "Stock" refers to 26" wheels and "Modified" refers to 20" wheels. From these two categories can be "Beginner", "Sport" and "Expert". There are no age categories in Trials.
Duathlon
This race is similar to the mountain bike cross-country race, although riders dismount and run a portion of the course as part of the event.
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