History
A French engineer built the first known self-propelled, two-wheeled vehicle in 1693. A practical, commercially successful bicycle, then called a Velocipede, arrived in the mid-1800s. Paris, France hosted the first known organized bike race in 1868. The first modern stage race arrived in 1903 — a race around France. Today, we know it as the Tour de France. When the American public first became interested in bicycles, people enjoyed riding them for fun and not for racing. An organization known as the League of American Wheelmen (LAW) was formed in 1880 to share information and promote cycling throughout the United States. Bicycle riding became a craze in the 1890s as people of all ages experienced the thrill of speed. Soon they States, rivaling baseball’s popularity in the early 1900s.
The first recorded bicycle race in the United States took place May 24, 1878, in Boston, Mass. All of the racers were amateurs. Bicycle racing became a professional sport in 1894. Children exchanged trading cards featuring bicycle racers, much like kids today trade baseball cards. Eventually, though, riders from foreign countries were brought in to compete, and they soon became the best riders in the world. It was not until American Greg LeMond, who won the World Championships in 1983 and the Tour de France in 1986, 1989 and 1990, that the U.S. produced one of the dominant racers in the world. LeMond was the first American to win the Tour de France (1986), followed by another famous American cyclist, Lance Armstrong, who won the famed Tour de France a record seven straight times from 1999-2005. Public interest in bicycle racing continues to grow in America because of professional races such as the Amgen Tour of California. In its third year (2008), the Amgen Tour of California drew 1.6 million spectators, setting records for a single sporting event in the State of California, as well as any cycling event ever held on U.S. soil. The success of bicycle racing depends on public involvement and awareness. Much of this support comes from kids just like you! Did you know cycling is the second most popular recreational activity (only behind walking) in the U.S. with close to 65 million participants? With continued support and interest, cycling will continue to grow for many years to come.
