Cycling at the Summer Olympics

Cycling has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics, at which a road race and five track events were held. Mountain bike racing entered the Olympic programme at the Atlanta Olympics, followed by BMX racing in 2008 and freestyle BMX in 2021. Before the 2020 Summer Olympics, all events were speed races, but the 2020 programme featured BMX freestyle for the first time.

Cycling at the Summer Olympics
Governing bodyUCI
Events22 (men: 11; women: 11)
Games

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.[1] However, women have shorter distances for some events.

Summary

GamesYearEventsBest Nation
118966  France
219003  France
319047  United States
419086  Great Britain
519122  Sweden
6
719206  Great Britain
819246  France
919286  Denmark
1019326  Italy
1119366  France
12
13
1419486  France
1519526  Italy
1619566  Italy
GamesYearEventsBest Nation
1719606  Italy
1819647  Italy
1919687  France
2019727  Soviet Union
2119766  West Germany
2219806  Soviet Union
2319848  United States
2419889  Soviet Union
25199210  Germany
26199614  France
27200018  France
28200418  Australia
29200818  Great Britain
30201218  Great Britain
31201618  Great Britain
32202022  Great Britain
33202422

Track cycling

Men's events

Current program
Event960004081220242832364852566064687276808488929600040812162024Years
KeirinXXXXXXX7
MadisonXXXXX5
OmniumXXXX4
Pursuit, teamXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX25
Sprint, individual (details)XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX28
Sprint, teamXXXXXXX7
Past events
Event960004081220242832364852566064687276808488929600040812162024Years
14 mileX1
13 mileX1
12 mileX1
1 mileX1
2 milesX1
5 milesX1
25 milesX1
660 yardsX1
5 kilometresX1
10 kilometresX1
20 kilometresX1
25 kilometresX1
50 kilometresXX2
100 kilometresXX2
12 hoursX1
Points race (details)XXXXXXXX7
Pursuit, individualXXXXXXXXXXXX12
TandemXXXXXXXXXXXXX13
1 km time trial (details)X[a]XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX19
Total527704444444445554455558875566

Women's events

Current program
Event960004081220242832364852566064687276808488929600040812162024Years
KeirinXXXX4
MadisonXX2
OmniumXXXX4
Pursuit, teamXXXX4
Sprint, individual (details)XXXXXXXXXX10
Sprint, teamXXXX4
Past events
Event960004081220242832364852566064687276808488929600040812162024Years
Points race (details)XXXX4
Pursuit, individualXXXXX5
500 m time trial (details)XX2
Total000000000000000000001234435566

Medal table

Source:[2]
Last updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Great Britain (GBR)33262079
2  France (FRA)28201967
3  Italy (ITA)249740
4  Australia (AUS)12171847
5  Germany (GER)1291334
6  Netherlands (NED)11161037
7  United States (USA)11151339
8  Denmark (DEN)66921
9  Soviet Union (URS)64616
10  East Germany (GDR)45413
11  West Germany (FRG)43310
12  Belgium (BEL)34512
13  Spain (ESP)3339
14  Russia (RUS)24410
15  China (CHN)2338
16  Canada (CAN)22610
17  Czechoslovakia (TCH)2215
18  New Zealand (NZL)1449
19  United Team of Germany (EUA)1315
20  Switzerland (SUI)1214
21  Austria (AUT)1023
22  Argentina (ARG)1001
 Estonia (EST)1001
 Norway (NOR)1001
25  South Africa (RSA)0336
26  Greece (GRE)0303
27  Japan (JPN)0235
28  Ukraine (UKR)0224
29  Poland (POL)0123
30  Malaysia (MAS)0112
 Mexico (MEX)0112
32  Cuba (CUB)0101
 Uruguay (URU)0101
34  Hong Kong (HKG)0022
 ROC0022
36  Belarus (BLR)0011
 Colombia (COL)0011
 Jamaica (JAM)0011
Totals (38 entries)172172171515

Road cycling

Men's events

Current program
Event9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
Road race, individual (details)XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX21
Time trial, individual (details)XXXXXXXXXXXX12
Past events
Event9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
Road race, team (details)XXXX4
Time trial, teamXXXXXXXXXXXXXX14
Total10002222222222222222222222222

Women's events

Event9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
Road race (details)XXXXXXXXXX10
Time trial (details)XXXXXXX7
Total00000000000000000001112222222

Medal table

Source:[3]
Last updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Netherlands (NED)105318
2  Italy (ITA)97420
3  France (FRA)84618
4  United States (USA)54413
5  Soviet Union (URS)5038
6  Belgium (BEL)44614
7  Sweden (SWE)35816
8  Switzerland (SUI)34310
9  Russia (RUS)3148
10  Great Britain (GBR)28616
11  Germany (GER)26210
12  Denmark (DEN)2518
13  Australia (AUS)2125
14  East Germany (GDR)2103
 Spain (ESP)2103
16  Kazakhstan (KAZ)1102
 South Africa (RSA)1102
18  Slovenia (SLO)1012
19  Austria (AUT)1001
 Ecuador (ECU)1001
 Greece (GRE)1001
22  Poland (POL)0426
23  West Germany (FRG)0224
24  Canada (CAN)0123
25  United Team of Germany (EUA)0112
26  Colombia (COL)0101
 Portugal (POR)0101
28  Norway (NOR)0022
29  Czechoslovakia (TCH)0011
 Latvia (LAT)0011
 Lithuania (LTU)0011
Totals (31 entries)686865201

Mountain biking

Events

Event9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
Men's cross countryXXXXXXX7
Women's cross countryXXXXXXX7
Total00000000000000000000002222222

Medal table

Source:[4]
Last updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  France (FRA)4116
2  Switzerland (SUI)25310
3  Italy (ITA)2013
4  Germany (GER)1113
5  Czech Republic (CZE)1102
6  Netherlands (NED)1012
7  Great Britain (GBR)1001
 Norway (NOR)1001
 Sweden (SWE)1001
10  Canada (CAN)0213
11  Poland (POL)0202
12  Spain (ESP)0134
13  Belgium (BEL)0101
14  United States (USA)0022
15  Russia (RUS)0011
Totals (15 entries)14141442

BMX racing

Events

Event9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
Men's racingXXXX4
Women's racingXXXX4
Total00000000000000000000000002222

Medal table

Source:[5]
Last updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Colombia (COL)2136
2  Latvia (LAT)2002
3  United States (USA)1225
4  Netherlands (NED)1124
5  France (FRA)1102
 Great Britain (GBR)1102
7  Australia (AUS)0101
 New Zealand (NZL)0101
9  Venezuela (VEN)0011
Totals (9 entries)88824

BMX freestyle

Events

Event9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
Men's parkX1
Women's parkX1
Total00000000000000000000000000002

Medal table

Source:[6]
Last updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Great Britain (GBR)1012
2  Australia (AUS)1001
3  United States (USA)0101
 Venezuela (VEN)0101
5  Switzerland (SUI)0011
Totals (5 entries)2226

Overall medal table

Last updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  France41262693
2  Great Britain383527100
3  Italy35161263
4  Netherlands23221661
5  United States17222160
6  Australia15192054
7  Germany15161647
8  Soviet Union114924
9  Denmark8111029
10  Belgium791127
11  Switzerland611825
12  East Germany66416
13  Russia55919
14  Spain55616
15  Sweden45817
16  West Germany45514
17  Canada25916
18  China2338
19  Colombia2248
20  Czechoslovakia2226
21  Austria2024
 Norway2024
23  Latvia2013
24  New Zealand15410
25  South Africa1438
26  United Team of Germany1427
27  Greece1304
28  Czech Republic1102
 Kazakhstan1102
30  Slovenia1012
31  Argentina1001
 Ecuador1001
 Estonia1001
34  Poland07411
35  Japan0235
36  Ukraine0224
37  Malaysia0112
 Mexico0112
 Venezuela0112
40  Cuba0101
 Portugal0101
 Uruguay0101
43  Hong Kong0022
 ROC0022
45  Belarus0011
 Jamaica0011
 Lithuania0011
Totals (47 entries)264264260788

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 6 or more Olympic medals.
As of the 2020 Summer Olympics§

Riders in bold still active.

#CyclistCountryGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Jason Kenny  Great Britain (GBR) 7 20 9
2Bradley Wiggins  Great Britain (GBR)5128
3Chris Hoy  Great Britain (GBR)6107
4Laura Kenny  Great Britain (GBR)5106
5Leontien van Moorsel  Netherlands (NED)4116
6Burton Downing  United States (USA)2316
7Anna Meares  Australia (AUS)2136

§ : currently ongoing.

Nations

Nation9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
 Albania (ALB)11
 Algeria (ALG)21123
 Andorra (AND)232
 Antigua and Barbuda (ANT)232315
 Argentina (ARG)561268109848781084104618
 Armenia (ARM)11
 Aruba (ARU)212
 Australia (AUS)242136611914910121012171621272428273123
 Austria (AUT)162108448566975991065420
 Azerbaijan (AZE)132
 Bahamas (BAH)21
 Bahrain (BRN)41
 Barbados (BAR)43212117
 Belarus (BLR)765845
 Belgium (BEL)161159881211713101514712867913911161425
 Belize (BIZ)265515
 Benin (BEN)21
 Bermuda (BER)312
 Bohemia (BOH)152
 Bolivia (BOL)1111116
 Brazil (BRA)31126787846591014
 British West Indies (BWI)11
 Bulgaria (BUL)7105514661322113
 Cambodia (CAM)61
 Cameroon (CMR)44654
 Canada (CAN)52516766232691113111515151215151923
 Cayman Islands (CAY)66614
 Central African Republic (CAF)41
 Chile (CHI)435444227152353216
 China (CHN)7965361212149
 Chinese Taipei (TPE)45123112111212
 Colombia (COL)878101011778129813171515
 Costa Rica (CRC)511122228
 Croatia (CRO)3223
 Cuba (CUB)16663414434312
 Czech Republic (CZE)68131210126
 Czechoslovakia (TCH)484466698151111131214
 Cyprus (CYP)11114
 Denmark (DEN)8665611111328121313111113911129815101324
 Dominican Republic (DOM)11
 Democratic Republic of the Congo (COD)5433
 East Germany (GDR)10111113175
 Ecuador (ECU)441231228
 Egypt (EGY)3413
 El Salvador (ESA)5111216
 Eritrea (ERI)112
 Estonia (EST)37564227
 Ethiopia (ETH)454558518
 Fiji (FIJ)11
 Finland (FIN)5412511144615542522119
 France (FRA)258231213118881110111414141514917161820262128232227
 Georgia (GEO)11
 Germany (GER)539111041251718252220222915
 Great Britain (GBR)21362613121271110121212121411111216171619222225252627
 Greece (GRE)91312134544312
 Guam (GUM)62114
 Guatemala (GUA)5415612119
 Guyana (GUY)11123217
 Hong Kong (HKG)444512145510
 Hungary (HUN)5418657741101411253119
 Indonesia (INA)11
 Iran (IRI)447772433310
 Iraq (IRQ)212
 India (IND)9553
 Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA)51
 Indonesia (INA)4213
 Ireland (IRL)25342355555444315
 Israel (ISR)222
 Italy (ITA)714121012101112111214141615141021181821181315131926
 Jamaica (JAM)163253318
 Japan (JPN)415151359121281011149916
 Kazakhstan (KAZ)7783236
 Kenya (KEN)11
 Kosovo (KOS)11
 Kyrgyzstan (KGZ)1113
 Laos (LAO)11
 Latvia (LAT)454579255410
 Lebanon (LIB)1121226
 Lesotho (LES)11
 Libya (LBA)72114
 Liechtenstein (LIE)1211326
 Lithuania (LTU)2451389844510
 Luxembourg (LUX)154444162122332316
 Madagascar (MAD)11
 Malawi (MAW)2443
 Malaysia (MAS)9241121134211
 Malta (MLT)3443
 Mauritius (MRI)1113
 Mexico (MEX)3544109126685592222418
 Moldova (MDA)52114
 Monaco (MON)11
 Mongolia (MGL)45414
 Morocco (MAR)44344
 Namibia (NAM)112235
 Netherlands (NED)5101011211961312101112716131716182426242623
 Nicaragua (NCA)412
 North Korea (PRK)31
 Norway (NOR)64424316781059610886719
 New Zealand (NZL)11126155847131417171616211919
 Oman (OMA)11
 Pakistan (PAK)224245
 Peru (PER)4315116
 Philippines (PHI)43143217
 Poland (POL)811458101211111198101611121717
 Portugal (POR)46442467
 Puerto Rico (PUR)11114
 Republic of China (ROC)112
 Romania (ROU)5651121119
 Russia (RUS)1819202217166
 Russian Empire (RU1)101
 Rwanda (RWA)3123
 Samoa (SAM)11
 San Marino (SMR)42112117
 Saudi Arabia (KSA)632
 Serbia (SRB)2223
 Serbia and Montenegro (SCG)11
 Sierra Leone (SLE)11
 Slovakia (SVK)10794226
 Slovenia (SLO)11646677
 South Africa (RSA)4151123565564489717
 South Korea (KOR)23246210154935410815
 Soviet Union (URS)1012131215151213189
 Spain (ESP)1967844131418222218161215
 Sri Lanka (SRI)11
 Suriname (SUR)112
 Sweden (SWE)21244445484446566118975985425
 Switzerland (SUI)991111101454106101291313161614111520
 Syria (SYR)11
 Thailand (THA)87761127
 East Timor (TLS)11
 Togo (TOG)322
 Trinidad and Tobago (TRI)11376212211112
 Tunisia (TUN)4113
 Turkey (TUR)444611328
 Uganda (UGA)21
 Ukraine (UKR)121416161076
 Unified Team (EUN)191
 United Team of Germany (EUA)1014133
 United Arab Emirates (UAE)64114
 United States (USA)117299541269910141615151320192023261824242126
 Uruguay (URU)975585551323221116
 Uzbekistan (UZB)11124
 Venezuela (VEN)144565244653412915
 Vietnam (VIE)466215
 Virgin Islands (ISV)112
 West Germany (FRG)14171220155
 Yugoslavia (YUG)44441545246612
 Zimbabwe (ZIM)32114
No. of nations57211161424271330333630484052544934546276685561667480
No. of cyclists1972189712310313914966175188215161297303329359295230359422451477462464508501523
Year9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620

See also

References

External links

Media related to Cycling at the Olympics at Wikimedia Commons