Road cycling at the Olympics consists of two separate events: the individual time trial and road race.
Read on for details about how both competitions will work at the Paris Games.
Watch NBC6 free wherever you are
WATCH HERE
Time trial
How many athletes will compete in the time trial at the 2024 Olympics?
Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP
The men's and women's individual time trials will each have 35 riders in the field. Each country is limited to a maximum of two athletes in each event.
This will be the first time in Olympic history that the men's and women's events have the same number of participants.
Will men and women compete on the same time trial course at the 2024 Olympics?
Yes, for the first time in Olympic history, the men's and women's time trial events in Paris will use the same exact course.
How long is the Olympic time trial course, and how long will it take riders to finish?
The time trial course for the Paris Games has a total length of 32.4 kilometers (about 20 miles) and is mostly flat. The starting point is at Esplanade des Invalides, and the route will take riders out to the Bois de Vincennes and then back toward the finish line on the Pont Alexandre III bridge.
It's estimated that most riders will complete the course between 35-40 minutes. In total, each competition is expected to last around 90 minutes.
How does the time trial event work at the Olympics?
Each rider will complete the course on their own, with athletes starting their rides in 90-second intervals. The cyclist with the fastest time through the course will be the winner.
If one rider catches another on the course, they are not allowed to work together in any way. Drafting — riding in the slipstream behind another rider — is not permitted, and the approaching rider must keep a 2-meter lateral gap between the two of them.
Road race
How many athletes will compete in the road race at the 2024 Olympics?
The men's and women's road races will each have 90 riders in the field. Each country is limited to a maximum of four athletes in each event.
This will be the first time in Olympic history that the men's and women's events have the same number of participants.
Will men and women compete on the same road race course at the 2024 Olympics?
No. Unlike the time trial, the road race in Paris will have different routes for men and women.
How long is the Olympic road race course, and how long will it take riders to finish?
The course for the men's road race has a total length of 273 kilometers (about 169 miles), while the women's course has a total length of 158 kilometers (about 98 miles).
The Trocadero will serve as the starting point and finishing point for both races. Both routes, which feature a variety of landscapes including wooded areas and urban segments, will take riders outside Paris and back into the city. Both routes also include three cobbled climbs up Butte Montmartre late in the race.
It's estimated that the winner of the men's race will finish somewhere above six hours, while the winner of the women's race will finish just over four hours.
How does the road race event work at the Olympics?
The road race features a mass start — all 90 riders leave the start line at the same time — and the first athlete to cross the finish line will be the winner.
Unlike the time trial, athletes are allowed to work together if they so choose.
Road cycling schedule for the 2024 Olympics
Road cycling events will take place across three days.
The men's and women's time trials will be held on July 27, the men's road race will be held on Aug. 3 and the women's road race will be held on Aug. 4.
Other Olympic cycling disciplines
Learn the rules and competition formats for other cycling disciplines at the Paris Olympics.
