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Cycling covers several competitive disciplines on a bike: road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. Depending on the discipline, the goal is either to cover a distance as fast as possible or to finish best placed within a pack of riders. It is both an individual and a team sport, where team tactics matter greatly on the road.

Cross the finish line ahead of opponents, or set the best time over the required distance depending on the race format.

• •The first to cross the finish line wins (pack races); in a time trial, the best time wins.
• •Stay on the marked course and follow the race direction.
• •Deliberately obstructing an opponent or causing a crash is forbidden.
• •Drafting (riding in a rival's slipstream) is allowed in mass-start races but banned in individual time trials.
• •An approved rigid helmet is mandatory in competition.
• •Follow the instructions of the commissaires and race signage.

Results are measured either by finishing order at the line, or by time (time trial, pursuit). In a stage race, the general classification sums each rider's time across all stages, with the lowest total leading. Secondary classifications (points, mountains) award points at specific spots (sprints, summits) according to the event's regulations.

The format varies widely by discipline: a road race may last several hours, a track sprint a few seconds, and a grand tour spans three weeks over many stages. Mountain bike and cyclo-cross events are often run over a set number of laps or a fixed duration.

You win by crossing the finish line first (mass-start race) or by setting the best time (time trial, pursuit). In a stage race, the winner is the rider with the lowest cumulative time.