PARIS HERE WE COME!

With the 2024 Olympics in France fast coming around, we take a quick dive into the history of mountain biking at the Games, plus explain what to expect, how to watch and who to keep an eye on this year

- Steve Thomas

BICYCLES ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED WITH THE MODERN OLYMPICS

It all goes back to 1850, when stern-faced men with big moustaches and long shorts raced the original big-wheelers (penny farthings) around Much Wenlock in Shropshire, as part of the inaugural Wenlock Olympics. Believe it or not, this event would go on to inspire the eventual reincarnation of the then defunct ancient Olympics as the modern-day Games in 1896 (which is why the London 2012 mascot was named Wenlock). And cycling has been included ever since.

It would be another 100 years until mountain biking would make its Olympic debut, though.

While people had been riding off-road for decades, the first recognisable 'mountain bikes' emerged in the mid-1970s and thriving race scenes had become established across the globe by the mid-1980s, it wasn't until 1990 that the UCI (International Cycling Union) deigned to take this scruffy young sport under its wing.

Which is when the racing side of things got a whole lot more serious.

Usually, it takes many years, and at least a demonstration event, before a 'new' sport makes the Olympic roster, and yet - perhaps because of its huge popular appeal, with a bike on every kid's Christmas list - mountain biking made the cut as a title event at Atlanta 1996, in the form of men's and women's cross-country (XC) races.

Bring on the Brits!

That first race was perhaps the all-time pinnacle of the sport - or of XC, at least - in terms of popularity, with the flat-bar gold rush being led by lofty flying Dutchman Bart Brentjens and glitzy Italian star Paola Pezzo.