Cycling words · Intermediate

The words that make the commentary make sense. They build on the beginner words.

I · Intermediate · 44 words · Step 2 of 2

General terms

Neutralisation

A pause in the racing. On the road the race director may neutralise a race or stage after an exceptional accident or incident, with the commissaires' agreement. On the track, in a bunch event, a rider with a recognised mishap is neutralised for the laps nearest 1,250 m, then starts to lose laps, and may not return in the last kilometre.

Recognised mishap

An incident that entitles a track rider or team to a restart or a neutralisation. Every other incident is an unrecognised mishap.

Road racing terms

Attack

A sudden acceleration by a rider trying to break away from the group.

Bridge

Closing the distance between the main group and a breakaway ahead.

Also called: bridging the gap
See also: Breakaway

Lead out

A teammate riding at high speed to set up a sprinter for the final push toward the finish line.

Chase group

A group of riders trying to catch either the breakaway ahead or the peloton behind.

Gruppetto

A group of riders, often not competing for the overall standings, who ride together to survive tough climbing stages within the time limit.

Mountains classification

A classification that gives points to the first riders over categorised climbs. Ties are broken by the number of first places on the highest-category climbs, then the next category down, then the general classification on time.

Also called: king of the mountains, climber's classification
See also: General classification

Neutral service

Support cars that give technical help to any rider. Riders may get technical support only from their own team's personnel, a neutral support car or the broom wagon.

Broom wagon

The vehicle that follows the race and collects riders who drop out. A rider who abandons hands in their number and, unless injured or seriously sick, must travel in the broom wagon. They may not cross the finish line.

Also called: sag wagon

The ruleWhat happens when a rider punctures or crashes in a road race?

Earpiece

Radio links to riders are banned except in UCI WorldTour, ProSeries and class 1 elite events and in time trials. There a secure system, the earpiece, may be used for safety reasons and to assist riders. Its transceiver may not exceed 5 watts, and use is limited to exchanges between riders and the sports director and between riders of one team.

Also called: race radio

Time limit

The finishing deadline set in the race's own regulations. A rider who arrives outside it is disqualified. In exceptional cases of force majeure the commissaires panel may extend it, and then the points in the secondary classifications are withdrawn.

Mixed relay

A team time trial for mixed teams. At the world championships a team has six riders, three men and three women of the same nationality, and an incomplete team may not start. The men start first and relay to their women teammates.

Stage races

Prologue

A short individual time trial that opens a stage race. It may not exceed 8 km (it must be under 4 km for elite and junior women and junior men), and it counts towards the individual general classification.

Time bonus

Seconds taken off a rider's time in the individual general classification. At an intermediate sprint the first three riders get 3, 2 and 1 seconds, and at a stage finish 10, 6 and 4 seconds (6, 4 and 2 at the end of a half-stage). There are none in time trials, and they appear only in the individual general classification on time.

Also called: bonus seconds
See also: Sprint, General classification

Points classification

A secondary classification, led by the rider with the most points from sprints and finishes. A tie is broken by the number of stage wins, then wins in intermediate sprints that count, then the general classification on time.

Team classification

The day's team classification is the sum of each team's three best individual times that day. The general team classification adds each team's three best times over every stage ridden.

Rest day

A day without racing. An event of more than ten days of competition needs at least one, after at least five days of racing. The major tours must have two, spread evenly. A transfer does not count as a rest day.

Track cycling terms

200 m time trial

A race against the clock with a flying start from the 200 m line, used to select the riders and rank them for the sprint competition. A rider with a mishap takes one new start. A tie goes to the better time over the last 100 m, then to a draw of lots.

Also called: flying 200
See also: Sprint

Tempo race

A points race in which, after the first four laps, a sprint is held every lap and the first rider in each sprint gets one point. A rider who gains a lap gets 20 points and one who loses a lap loses 20. The points race rules apply otherwise.

Kilometre time trial

A standing-start race against the clock over 1,000 m at World Cups and World Championships. Two-up heats find the best eight riders, and in the finals each rider rides alone.

Track racing terms

Points race

A bunch race decided by points won in sprints and by taking laps. Sprints are every 10 laps on tracks shorter than 333.33 m and every 5 laps on longer ones. The first four riders in a sprint get 5, 3, 2 and 1 points, doubled in the last sprint. A rider who gains a lap gets 20 points and one who loses a lap loses 20. A tie on points is settled by the final sprint.

Elimination race

An individual bunch race in which the last rider across the line in each sprint is eliminated. A sprint is held every third lap on tracks under 200 m, every second lap on tracks of 200 m to under 333.33 m and every lap on longer tracks. A rider who is lapped or abandons between sprints is the one eliminated at the next sprint.

Derny

The motorised pacer in the keirin. It rides within the sprinters' lane, starting at 30 km/h and gradually increasing to 50 km/h, which must be reached at the latest when it leaves the track.

Sprinters' lane

The lane used by sprinters in the final sprint, where the keirin pacer rides and where riders line up at the start of bunch races. A rider may not challenge or pass on the left of an opponent riding in it, and may not drop into it from outside unless they have a clear cycle-length lead.

Also called: sprinter's lane
See also: Sprint, Keirin

Track rules

Relegation and disqualification

Penalties for fouls in track races. A rider who deliberately rides on the blue band for an advantage, or who intentionally causes a fall, is relegated or disqualified, depending on how serious the fault is. If a fall is caused on purpose in a sprint heat, the other rider is declared the winner.

False start and restart

In each round of a standing-start event a team or rider gets two starts. A restart is given only after a false start or a recognised mishap. A further fault in the qualifying round means elimination (DNF), in the first round relegation, and in the finals losing the final.

Standstill

In a sprint heat each rider may stop twice at most, for up to 30 seconds each time. After that the starter tells the leading rider to continue, and if they do not the race is stopped and the other rider is declared the winner.

Also called: track stand
See also: Sprint

Dead heat in timed events

A tie in a timed event. In the 200 m time trial the order goes to the better time over the last 100 m, then to a draw. In the individual pursuit, equal times to the thousandth of a second go to the rider with the better final lap.

Mountain biking (MTB) terms

Short track

A cross-country format over a course of at most 2 km, with a race of 20 to 30 minutes. The start and finish are in the same area.

Also called: XCC, cross-country short circuit
See also: Cross-country

The ruleWhat is short track mountain biking?

Eliminator

A cross-country format over a course of 500 m to 1,000 m with obstacles. A timed qualifying lap sends the best 32 riders to the main event of elimination heats, which ends with a small final and a big final. Intentional contact that makes another rider slow, fall or leave the course means disqualification.

Also called: XCE
See also: Cross-country

Four cross

An elimination event in which three or four riders (a heat) ride side by side on the same downhill course. Some unintentional contact is tolerated. A timed qualifying round decides who goes into the main event, which has at most 16 heats.

Also called: 4X
See also: Downhill

The ruleWhat is four cross, and what do the coloured cards mean?

Enduro

A race of several liaison stages and timed stages. The times in the timed stages, each of which is mostly descending, are added up to a total time.

Also called: EDR

Pump track

A track of rollers and steep turns in various sizes. Riders generate speed by pumping the bike, not by pedalling or by gravity, and large flat sections that invite pedalling are avoided.

Feed and technical assistance zone

The only place on a cross-country course where riders may be fed and given technical assistance. Assistance is repairs to or replacement of any part of the bicycle other than the frame, and bike changes are not allowed. A rider who turns back on the course to reach a zone is disqualified.

80% rule

A rule that pulls slow riders out of Olympic and short-track cross-country races. A rider whose time is 80% slower than the race leader's first lap must leave through the 80% zone at the end of the lap, unless on the final lap. It must be applied at the Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cups. Lapped riders also leave the race at the end of the lap on which they were lapped.

BMX terms

Moto

The first phase of a BMX race, made up of three rounds in which each rider races once in their heat. A rider scores their finishing position (1 point for first down to 8 for eighth), and the riders with the lowest totals move on.

Also called: motos

Qualifiers

The elimination phase of a BMX race, held when seventeen or more riders are entered. It runs in rounds from the 1/32 final to the 1/2 final, depending on the number of riders, and the top four in each heat move on to the next round or to the final.

Invalid result marks

The marks for a rider who does not finish a heat normally. A rider who does not finish (DNF) scores the number of riders who started, one who is relegated (REL) scores that number plus 2, and one who does not start (DNS) is scored 2 more than the number on the start list. Two DNS in the motos make a rider ineligible to go on.

Also called: DNF, REL, DNS
See also: Moto

Errors and deductions

In BMX freestyle each judge may deduct points for errors, interruptions or losses of control. In park, minor errors include flat landings, deck landings and light foot touches, medium errors a full stop or heavy foot touches, and major errors throwing away the bike or crashing.

General technique and equipment terms

Cadence

The rate at which a cyclist pedals, measured in revolutions per minute.

Gear ratio

The relationship between the front and rear gears, affecting how much effort is needed at a given speed.

Aero bars

Extensions fitted to the handlebars that let a rider rest on the forearms in a tucked, aerodynamic position, used in time trials.

Bonk

A sudden, severe loss of energy during a long ride due to depleted fuel stores.

Also called: hitting the wall

All Cycling words