What are the rules of road cycling?

Road cycling rules are primarily intended to protect cyclists and make the competition more professional. Do you know which

What are the rules of road cycling?
What are the rules of road cycling?

Road cycling rules are primarily intended to protect cyclists and make the competition more professional. Do you know which are the most important?

Also known as road cycling, it is a demanding form of competition that takes place in different locations around the world. Next, we will tell you what are the main rules of road cycling.

The first recorded event that can be called "road cycling" took place in 1868, outside Paris. A year later, the first race was held between this city and Rouen. The first cycling associations were those of Italy, Holland, Great Britain and Spain. In 1892, the International Cyclists Association was created in London.

Until 1915 many road cycling events were born, and some of them are still being held today. The 1930s were very important in the history of road cycling in Spain and America; Due to the success of the competition, rules were created regarding the duration of the tests, distances and categories.

Main rules of road cycling

If you are interested in learning the rules of road cycling, either out of curiosity or because you want to compete, pay attention to the most important ones:

  1. Pass the central solid line

As the regulation indicates, a driver can pass the continuous central line, that is, the one that delimits the lanes on the road, in order to respect the lateral distance with the other cyclists when he wants to overtake.

In addition, to pass one or more cyclists, you must always pass on the left, as is the case with other vehicles in circulation. In this way, distractions or accidents and collisions will be avoided.

  1. Bicycle always attended

cyclistcan leave bicycle unattended under no circumstances. Not only because leaving it unattended can lead to theft, but also because it could cause some kind of accident when falling or being in an unsuitable place.

  1. Perform safe overtaking

The rules of road cycling are very clear at this point: overtaking should always be carried out taking into account the safety of yourself and other cyclists. To achieve this, whoever wants to carry out such a maneuver is required to significantly slow down. In this way, the cyclist must match the speed of the cyclists he wants to overtake.

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  1. Drive to the right

Although it is true that when a competition is held on the road it is closed to other vehicles that are not necessary for the race, it is very important to respect this rule. The same applies when you are training. Keeping a distance and always driving to the right is essential.

  1. Asphalt obstructions

Not all roads where you drive are in perfect condition, or there may even be an object that has been left in the middle of the pavement. To warn other cyclists about this, you must point with your right hand. This can be very useful to avoid and prevent  accidents.

On the other hand, cyclists are advised to do some research on the state of the road before hitting the road and any difficulties that may arise on the road.

  1. Group circulation

Under the  article 54 of the General Traffic Regulations, groups are authorized to circulate in columns of two of cyclists. On the contrary, when there are sections with poor visibility, curves, foggy areas or gradients, they should do it in single file - one behind the other - and as far to the right as possible.

  1. There are no exclusive lanes

One anotherrule  of the road cycling has to do with the "shared" use of the roads enabled for circulation. This means that, even on roads with more than one lane, the cyclist will have to use the one on the right and not exclusively. Therefore, other vehicles (cars, motorcycles, trucks, among others) will also be able to circulate on it.

Finally, other road cycling rules indicate that cyclists must wear an approved helmet and ride below the limit established on each road. As you will see, all are fundamental questions for the practice of this discipline, so it is totally advisable to be aware of them before starting pedaling.