Answer: 1982
In 1982 the first edition of the "Great American Bike Race" was held and it was organized by the cyclist John Marino. The tour began in Santa Monica, CA and ended at the Empire State Building in New York, where the winner arrived 9 days, 20 hours and 2 minutes after the start of the race. There were four participants in the race, one of them being the organizer. In 1983 the race was renamed as "Race Across America" or "RAAM" and the participants had to undergo qualifying tests.
From Quiz: Going Around the World!
Answer: 1940s
During World War II, there was a ban on group cycling events on Britain's roads, but a keen enthusiast called Percy Stallard defied the rules and organised an event. This took place between Llangollen and Wolverhampton. Due to its success, a new organisation called the British League of Racing Cyclists was formed.
From Quiz: The Tour of Britain
Answer: Nurburgring
The winner of this race was Alfredo Binda.
From Quiz: Cycling Road World Championships
Answer: Eddy Merckx
The Milan-San Remo was first run in 1907, and was first won by Lucien Petit-Breton. It is held in the northern portion of Italy. The course is 298km in length, making it the longest professional one day race. It is traditionally held in March. A nickname of the race is the "la classica di Primavera", which translates into "the Spring classic". Eddy Merckx was the first rider to ever win it seven times. Eddy Merckx won it in 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, and 1976.
From Quiz: Let's Race the Classics!
Answer: Tour Down Under
The Tour Down Under (the only non-fictitious name of those listed) was won in its inaugural year (1999) by Australian Stuart O'Grady. In 2008 the Tour Down Under became the first non-European UCI Pro Tour Event. As Adelaide is quite flat, the race involves little climbing, and typically ends with a tight sprint finish.
Despite being a new race on the circuit, the Tour Down Under has already developed a number of traditions. There is a companion event, called the Be Active Tour, which allows recreational riders to cover the course ahead of the professionals. Australian fans have established the practice of choosing an unknown rider, who must be non-English speaking and one of the lowest-ranked members of his team, to be the hero of the year. In 2010, Arthur Vichot from the team Francaise des Jeux, got the superstar treatment, with his name painted on the road, and mobs outside his hotel room cheering and begging for autographs.
From Quiz: Cycles
Answer: Milan-San Remo
First run in 1907, Milan-San Remo is the first "Monument" on the calendar. It was not held in 1916, 1944, and 1945 because of war. Lucien Petit-Breton was the first winner. Alfredo Binda was the first rider to win Milan-San Remo while wearing the World Championship rainbow jersey in 1931.
From Quiz: The Monuments of Cycling
Answer: Eddy Merckx
Eddy Merckx (who rode from 1965-1977), is generally regarded as the best rider to ever pedal a bike. He was not the best sprinter, time trialer, or climber, but his ambition and motivation was matched by none. He won well over 400 races and was known to attack the field even when leading the race. He was the only rider to ever win all three jerseys at the same time, doing so when he won his first Tour de France in 1970. This impressive drive to win everything prompted one of his fellow riders to call him the Cannibal.
From Quiz: Famous Cycling Nicknames
Answer: Vuelta a Espagna
It's one of the hardest climbs in the whole cycling world. The stage in 2002 was won by Roberto Heras (US Postal).
From Quiz: Famous Climbs
Answer: 3
In 1994, 1997 and 1998.
From Quiz: Cycling
Answer: France
From Quiz: World Leading Cyclists II
Answer: Germany
From Quiz: World Leading Cyclists I
Answer: Ride from the West to East coast of America
The RAAM is an endurance bicycle race across the United States. The route may change but the direction is always from West coast to East coast of the United States. It is a 3,000 mile course that crosses state borders, mountain ranges, plains, deserts and rivers - among them Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio. RAAM is one of the longest cycling races in the world.
From Quiz: Going Around the World!
Answer: Milan and San Remo
The Milan - San Remo race was first held in 1907, when it was won by Lucien Petit-Breton. It is sometimes called "the sprinters' classic", as it often ends in a sprint finish. Because it is so early in the season, it is more a test of the sprinters' fitness than their speed, and the hills near the finish can prove a stringent test of fitness. The great Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx won this 298-km race seven times in his career. More recently, the German Erik Zabel has won it four times, with a heartbreaking second place in 2004 when he raised his hands to celebrate victory just before the finish line, and was overtaken by the Spaniard Oscar Freire. Paris is in France, Munich in Germany, and Madrid in Spain.
From Quiz: Cycles
Answer: Mark Cavendish
Cavendish followed up his outstanding 2008 with a great run in 2009. He took 2 stages in both the Tour of Qatar and Tour of California before out-dueling Heinrich Haussler for the Milan-Sanremo crown.
From Quiz: The Monuments of Cycling
Answer: Milano - San Remo
It's not the last climb in the "primavera". But the Cipressa and the Poggio di San Remo are decisive hills in this race. It was won by Mario Cipollini in 2002.
From Quiz: Famous Climbs
Answer: Domo-Farm Frites
Servais Knaven won, followed by Johan Museeuw and Romans Vainsteins.
From Quiz: Cycling
Answer: Italy
From Quiz: World Leading Cyclists II
Answer: Latvia
From Quiz: World Leading Cyclists I
Answer: The Tour de France is a stage race and RAAM is a continuous time-trial
Once the clock starts in RAAM it does not stop until the finish line; the distance to be covered per day and resting periods for eating or sleeping are not specified. RAAM is a non-stop endurance. The Tour de France changes its route annually, but it has a circuit of about 2,300 miles and it is divided into daily stages that must be covered over about three weeks.
From Quiz: Going Around the World!
Answer: Concerns over safety
The race in 1994 saw a car driver ignore the warnings of police officers and purposely drive in to the lead peloton, causing minor injury and damage. Two cyclists withdrew from the race because of this. 1998 saw the death of a police officer who was riding approximately five minutes ahead of the peloton when his motorcycle hit the back of a car.
From Quiz: The Tour of Britain
Answer: Sean Kelly
Aside from the spectacular three way photo finish declaring the winner, the 1983 Giro di Lombardia race also featured Greg LeMond who was going after the "Super Prestige Pernod Trophy".
Also in the hunt for the trophy and racing the Lombardia were Dutchman Jan Raas; Italian Guiseppe Saronni; and Irishman Sean Kelly. LeMond could do no worse than second to win the trophy.
In the mountains LeMond struggled to keep up with the leaders as Pedro Munoz led a breakaway that dropped Saronni out of contention. Over the 'San Fermo delia Battaglia' Munoz attacked again; however, this time he was pursued by the hard driving Stephen Roche. Greg LeMond was in trouble again but managed to hold on and even contend as LeMond was a great descender. Munoz was caught three kilometers to the finish line and the contenders began their journey home.
In the hunt, five hundred meters from the line were Moser, known for long sprints to the finish line, Hennie Kuiper, LeMond, Van der Poel, and Sean Kelly. The winner of the race by photo finish, was declared to be Irishman Sean Kelly.
Greg LeMond came in second ahead of Van der Poel that day and won the 'Super Prestige Pernod Trophy' as the "Best Rider of the Year".
The 1983 Giro di Lombardia win was the beginning of Sean Kelly's "King of the Classics" reign. Kelly earned twenty-two cycling classics; only Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault have more wins in classic and major tour events.
The race started one hundred fifty-one cyclists and forty-six of them crossed the finish line.
From Quiz: 1980s and 90s Great Road Cycling Moments
Answer: Alexandr Kolobnev
Breschel was third in 2008 (Varese). Valverde was second in 2003 (Hamilton), second in 2005 (Madrid), and third in 2006 (Salzburg). Anthony Geslin was third in 2005 (Madrid).
From Quiz: Cycling Road World Championships
Answer: Deinze
The year the start of the Gent-Wevelgem was moved was the 70th anniversary of the race. In 2010, the race began in Deinze. The Gent-Wevelgem was first run in 1934, and first won by Gustave Van Bell. The first two editions of the Gent-Wevelgem were held for juniors. The next three editions were available for only amateurs. Finally in 1945 the race became available for professionals to compete in. The first four riders to win the Gent-Wevelgem three times were Robert Van Eenaeme, Rik van Looy, Eddy Merckx, and Mario Cipolini.
From Quiz: Let's Race the Classics!
Answer: Tour of Flanders
Most commonly known by its Dutch name (Ronde van Vlaanderen), the Tour of Flanders is the most important of the six races called the Flanders Classics. Tour des Flandres is its French name. The inaugural race, in 1913, was won by the Belgian Paul Deman. In its early years, it was run on the same day as the more important (at the time) "spring classic" in Italy, which meant that the best French and Italian riders did not compete. Before World War II, there was only one non-Belgian winner. Now the Tour of Flanders is held in early April, a week before the Paris-Roubaix race. The course has changed many times over the years: originally it started and finished in Ghent, before changing to finish in the village of Meerbecke, from 1977 to 1997 it started in Sint-Niklaas.
From Quiz: Cycles
Answer: The Giro's winner was a team instead of a cyclist
The 1912 Giro d'Italia was the first Giro to have its leader be a team and not an individual cyclist. The 1912 Giro started on May 19 and ended on June 2. It consisted of nine stages over a length of 2443 km. The winner of the 1912 Giro d'Italia was Team Atala. Team Atala consisted of four riders, Carlo Galetti, Eberardo Pavesi, and Giovanni Micheletto. Luigi Ganna was also a member of the team, but dropped out in the fifth stage.
From Quiz: The Grand Tours of Cycling
Answer: 7
Over 11 years from 1966-1976, Merckx entered Milan-San Remo 8 times. In 1970, he came in 8th. He won it in 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, and 1976.
From Quiz: The Monuments of Cycling
Answer: Clasica San Sebastian
First World Cup race after the Tour of France. Won by Laurent Jalabert.
From Quiz: Famous Climbs
Answer: 1999
When he won in 1999, he was a relative unknown and surprised the favourites such as Francesco Casagrande, Jan Ullrich and Frank Vandenbroucke.
From Quiz: Cycling
Answer: Germany
From Quiz: World Leading Cyclists II
Answer: Italy
From Quiz: World Leading Cyclists I
Answer: 21
In 2017 the Tour de France had 21 stages - 21 day-long segments. The bicycle race occurs mainly in France, occasionally starting or passing through other countries, and always ends in Paris.
From Quiz: Going Around the World!
Answer: 94
94 riders took part in the event which started in Manchester and followed a five stage route which also took in Leeds, Nottingham, Newport and London. The overall winner at the end was a Columbian, Mauricio Ardila, who finished the stages in just over five hours.
From Quiz: The Tour of Britain
Answer: Fabian Cancellara
The Tour of Flanders was held on April 4. Fabian Cancellara beat Thor Hushovd by two minutes to win the event. The Paris-Roubaix was held on April 11. Cancellara beat the second place finisher, Tom Boonen, by 1:15. This was the second time Cancellara had won the Paris-Roubaix, as he previously won the Paris-Roubaix in 2006. This was the first time that he had won the Tour of Flanders or Ronde Van Vlaanderen.
From Quiz: 2010 Professional Cycling Season
Answer: Belgium
Belgium had 25 gold, 11 silver, 11 bronze.
From Quiz: Cycling Road World Championships
Answer: A mounted cobblestone
The Paris-Roubaix was first raced in 1896. It was first won by Josef Fischer, a German. The race originally started in Paris, but in 1966 the start was moved to Chantilly. Eleven years later the start was moved to Compeigne. The Paris-Roubaix is famous for its 28 cobbled sectors that appear over the 260km course. There are several nicknames that the Paris-Roubaix has; "The Hell of the North" and the "Queen of the Classics" are just a few. Roger de Vlaeminck was the first rider to win four editions of Paris-Roubaix. He won the race in 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1977.
From Quiz: Let's Race the Classics!
Answer: a cobblestone
The Paris-Roubaix is one of the three "cobbled classics", so called because of the large amount of the course which is over challenging cobbled streets. Dealing with the rough riding conditions, including the incidence of punctures and mechanical damage, is one of the main features of this race. It is in reference to this that the winner gets a sett, which is the proper name for the shaped stones used in the roads, which are often referred to as cobblestones.
The Paris-Rubaix race, third of the European Monuments, was first run in 1896, when it was won by the German Josef Fischer. This is considered one of the most difficult one-day races, and has been nicknamed "The Hell of the North", "A Sunday in Hell", "Queen of the Classics" and "The Easter Race".
From Quiz: Cycles
Answer: Tony Rominger
Tony Rominger was also the first rider to win the Vuelta a Espana three times. Tony won the 1992, 1993, and 1994 Vuelta. In the 1993 Vuelta, Espana Tony won three classifications, the General, Points, and King of the Mountains classifications. This was the first time for a rider to win all three of those classifications in one Vuelta.
From Quiz: The Grand Tours of Cycling
Answer: Short, steep cobblestone hills
While each year the course is slightly different, the Muur-Kapelmuur is traditionally the penultimate hill. Meanwhile, Koppenberg with its 22% maximum gradient is the most feared.
From Quiz: The Monuments of Cycling
Answer: HEW Cyclassics
It's the only climb in the easiest world cup race.
From Quiz: Famous Climbs
Answer: Jaan Kirsipuu
Armstrong won the prologue, before Kirsipuu took it off him after taking time bonuses on the flat stages. Armstrong then recaptured it in the mountains and held it all the way to Paris.
He was stripped of this win, and his other wins, in October 2012.
From Quiz: Cycling