THE 18 EVENTS
Men (9 events)
Track (5 events): Individual sprint, team sprint, keirin, team pursuit and omnium
Road (2 events): Individual road race and individual time-trial
Mountain biking (1 event): Cross-country
BMX (1 event): Individual race
Women (9 events)
Track (5 events): Individual sprint, team sprint, keirin, team pursuit and omnium
Road (2 events): Individual road race and individual time-trial
Mountain biking (1 event): Cross-country
BMX (1 event): Individual race
MILESTONES
1817
The "draisienne", the ancestor of the bicycle, is invented by the German Karl Drais.
1880
The first bike chain appears and the back wheel becomes the motor of the bike.
1887
The tyre is invented by John Boyd Dunlop.
1896
Cycling is included in the programme for the first modern Olympics.
1903
The first Tour de France is held.
1937
Gears become standard on most cycles and are authorised at the Tour de France.
1953
A Californian student, James Finley Scott, creates a prototype for cross-country cycling. The mountain bike is born.
1996
Professionals are authorised to compete at the Atlanta Games.
1996
Mountain biking makes its Olympic debut in Atlanta.
2008
BMX cycling makes its Olympic debut at the Beijing Games.
STARS
Fausto Coppi (Italy)
"Il Campionissimo". 2-time winner of the Tour de France and 5-time winner of the Giro d'Italia, including 2 Giro-Tour doubles in 1949 and 1952. World road race champion (1953) and world pursuit champion (1947, 1949). He also won 1 Paris-Roubaix, 3 Milan-San Remo, 5 Tours of Lombardy and 1 Flèche Wallonne. One of the greatest of all time, Coppi also held the hour record for 14 years.
Eddy Merckx (Belgium)
"The Cannibal". An average of 50 victories per year between 1970 and 1973. 5 Tour de France wins (1969-1974), 5 Giro d'Italia, 3 world road racing titles, 7 Milan-San Remo, 5 Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 3 Paris-Roubaix, 3 Paris-Nice, 3 Flèche Wallonne, and the hour record. The most decorated cyclist of all time.
Chris Hoy (Great Britain)
The most decorated British athlete at the Olympics, with 6 gold medals (1km time trial, individual sprint, team sprint and keirin) across three Games (2004, 2008, 2012). Knighted in 2009, Sir Chris is also an 11-time world champion. The Scot is unquestionably the king of the track.