150th Anniversary of Road Cycling Races

Road cycling races leave a century and a half behind. The first road race officially recorded was staged in France on 31 May 1868.

Road cycling, one of the most popular sports of today, has been organized for 150 years. The first official race on 31 May 1868 was held over a distance of 1200 metres between the fountains and the entrance gate of Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris, and was won by James Moore, an 18-year old British expatriate in Paris. Moore was also victorious at the first city to city race that was run from Paris to Rouen a year later.

Road cycling has been part of the Olympic Games programme since its first edition in 1896.