ACOG - Cycling - IBM

History of Cycling-Road

Six cyclists were on the road from Athens to Marathon and back again at the first Modern Olympic Games in 1896. One hundred years later, the picture has changed. Forty male riders will be swooping en masse through the streets of Atlanta with their eyes on the gold. And 25 women will follow.

Though women have been riding bikes as long as bikes have been around, it wasn’t until the Los Angeles Games in 1984 that women’s cycling events were added to the Olympic Programme. The road race finish was one to remember. American CONNIE CARPENTER-PHINNEY managed to catch favorite Rebecca TWIGG, also of the United States, 3 meters before the finish. Neck-and-neck, she threw her bicycle forward to give her the edge she needed to capture the gold. She had practiced the move, taught to her by her bicyclist husband, Olympian Davis PHINNEY, proving that even in a sport of speed, practice makes perfect.

Top Cycling Medalists

France64
Germany54
Italy49
Great Britain44
United States36
Netherlands28
Soviet Union24
Belgium22
Australia20
Denmark20

Recordholders

Road Race - Individual
Men
1. CASARTELLI , FabioITA4-35:21
2. DEKKER , ErikNEDat 1 second
3. OZOLS, DainisLATat 3 seconds
Women
1. WATT, KathrynAUS2-04:42
2. LONGO-CIPRELLI , JeannieFRAat 20 seconds
3. KNOL, MoniqueNEDat 21 seconds

This is an official publication of The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Jennifer Knight.


Olympic Factoid
The Mother Nature was kind to Olympic athletes and spectators. The average high temperature during the Games was 89 degrees with an average low of 72 degrees. Highest temperature registered (20 July) - 99 degrees. Lowest high temperature registered is 79 degrees (28 July).