THE 18 EVENTS

Men

Track (5 events): Individual sprint, team sprint, team 4km pursuit, keirin and omnium

Road (2 events): Individual road race and individual time-trial

Mountain biking (1 event): Cross-country

BMX (1 event): Individual race

Women

Track (5 events): Individual sprint, team sprint, team pursuit, keirin and omnium

Road (2 events): Individual road race and individual time-trial

Mountain biking (1 event): Cross-country

BMX (1 event): Individual race

MILESTONES

1816

The "Draisienne", the ancestor of the bicycle, is invented by the German Karl Friedrich 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 Olympiad.

1903

1st Tour de France.

1937

Gears become standard on most cycles.

1953

A Californian student, James Finley Scott, creates a prototype which enables cross-country riding. The mountain bike is born.

1996

Professionals are authorised to compete at the Atlanta Games.

1996

Mountain biking debuts at the Atlanta Games.

2008

The BMX event makes its Olympic debut in Beijing.

STARS

Fausto Coppi (Italy)

The "Campionissimo". Twice winner of the Tour de France, 5-time winner of the Tour of Italy, including 2 doubles in 1949 and 1952 (TDF and Tour of Italy). World road race champion (1953) and world pursuit champion (1947, 1949). The Italian also won 1 Paris-Roubaix, 5 Tours of Lombardy, 1 Flèche Wallonne and 3 Milan-San Remo races. One of the greatest of all time and also held the 1hr record for 14 years.

Eddy Merckx (Belgium)

"The Cannibal". 50 victories on average between 1970 and 1973. 5 Tour de France wins (between 1969 and 1974), 5 Tours of Italy, 3 world road racing titles, 7 Milan-San Remo, 5 Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 3 Paris-Roubaix, 3 Paris-Nice, 3 Flèche Wallonne, 1hr record... the greatest record in the sport. Daniel Morelon (France)

King of the track. Three Olympic gold medals, seven amateur world speed champion titles.