Cycling
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189 free Cycling trivia questions with answers — sports quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
50 free cycling trivia questions with answers. Think you know everything about cycling? Put your knowledge to the test with our comprehensive cycling trivia quiz. From legendary cyclists to bike mechanics and Tour de France history, this quiz covers all aspects of the sport. Challenge yourself and discover how much of a true cycling expert you really are.
30 of 189 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01Which 1,910 m 'Bald Mountain' hosted the Tour de France's first penultimate-day summit finish in 2009?
Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux, the 'Giant of Provence', rises to about 1,910 m; Tom Simpson collapsed and died near its summit during the 1967 Tour, and a memorial marks the spot.
Q 02What color jersey is worn by the leader of the general classification in the Giro d'Italia?
Pink
Pink: the maglia rosa, introduced in 1931, matches the pink newsprint of La Gazzetta dello Sport, the newspaper that founded the race.
Q 03What color jersey designates the leader of the general classification in the Vuelta a España?
Red
Red has been the Vuelta leader's colour since 2010, the 'maillot rojo'.
Q 04Which classic one-day cycling race is known as 'The Hell of the North' for its cobbles?
Paris-Roubaix
Paris-Roubaix's brutal stretches of pavé are raced one week after the Tour of Flanders as the final cobbled classic; it is also called 'the Queen of the Classics'.
Q 05What is winning the Giro, the Tour de France and the Road World Championship in one year called?
The Triple Crown of Cycling
The Triple Crown of Cycling: Eddy Merckx first achieved it in 1974, Stephen Roche in 1987 and Tadej Pogačar in 2024.
Q 06Which cyclist holds the record for most Grand Tour victories, with 11?
Eddy Merckx
Five Tours, five Giros and a Vuelta make 11; he also won all five Monuments, three world titles and the hour record.
Q 07Which Spaniard won five Tours de France in a row from 1991 to 1995?
Miguel Indurain
Miguel Indurain, 'Big Mig', built every win on his time-trialling and never won a road stage that wasn't against the clock in those five Tours.
Q 08What is the primary purpose of a 'domestique' in professional road cycling?
To work for their team leader
To work for their team leader: shielding them from the wind, fetching bottles, even handing over a wheel; the word is French for 'servant'.
Q 09What is the term for the main group or pack of riders in a road bicycle race?
Peloton
Peloton is French for 'platoon'; riding in the middle of a well-formed pack can cut aerodynamic drag by as much as 95%, which is why group tactics get so complex.
Q 10Which French rider, a five-time Tour de France winner, was nicknamed 'Le Blaireau' (The Badger)?
Bernard Hinault
Hinault embraced the badger for its aggression, and as the peloton's 'patron' he policed races with the same temperament until his retirement in 1986.
Q 11What is the name of the steeply banked oval track used for track cycling events?
Velodrome
A velodrome is a purpose-built arena for track cycling, featuring a steeply banked oval track designed for high-speed racing.
Q 12In cycling, what term describes the crank's rotational speed in revolutions per minute?
Cadence
In cycling, cadence refers to the pedaling rate, or the number of revolutions your pedals make per minute. It's a key metric for efficiency and performance.
Q 13What component connects the pedals to the chainring(s) on a bicycle?
Crankset
Americans say crankset, the British say chainset; it turns the up-and-down of a rider's legs into the rotation that drives the chain.
Q 21Which Grand Tour was first organised in 1935 but has only been held every year since 1955?
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta's early editions were interrupted by the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War; it now closes the Grand Tour season in late summer.
Q 22Which German baron built the 1817 'running machine', the first reliable precursor to the bicycle?
Karl Drais
Karl Drais's Laufmaschine had no pedals; riders pushed along with their feet, and the press dubbed the steerable two-wheeler the draisine.
Q 23What is the primary purpose of bicycle clipless pedals?
To prevent feet from slipping off
Q 14Which bicycle braking system squeezes pads against the wheel itself rather than a rotor or hub?
Rim brake
Rim brakes are a common type of bicycle brake where pads are pressed against the wheel's rim to create friction and slow down or stop the bike.
Q 15A bicycle designed to be ridden by two people, one behind the other, is commonly known as what?
Tandem
A tandem bicycle is specifically designed for two riders who sit one behind the other, both contributing to the pedaling effort.
Q 16What component on a bicycle moves the chain between sprockets so a rider can change gears?
Derailleur
Derailleur comes from the French for 'derail', which is exactly what it does to the chain, on purpose.
Q 17In what year was the first official Tour de France race held?
1903
1903's inaugural Tour has been held annually since, except from 1915 to 1918 and 1940 to 1946 because of the world wars.
Q 18Which British cyclist has Olympic golds on both the track and the road?
Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Wiggins won track golds in the individual pursuit (2004, 2008) and team pursuit (2008, 2016), then the road time trial at London 2012 — five Olympic golds in all.
Q 19Which Monument, raced in October, is nicknamed the 'Classic of the falling leaves'?
Giro di Lombardia
Giro di Lombardia, the 'Classic of the falling leaves', closes the Monument season in October; its route traditionally climbs past the Madonna del Ghisallo chapel, a shrine to cycling.
Q 20What type of cycling races over mud, grass and obstacles, typically in autumn and winter?
Cyclocross
Cyclocross is a form of bicycle racing that combines elements of mountain biking and road cycling, featuring short circuits with diverse terrain and obstacles that sometimes require dismounting.
Clipless pedals secure the rider's feet to the pedals, improving power transfer and preventing feet from slipping, especially over rough terrain or during hard efforts.
Q 24In which track cycling event do two riders start on opposite sides and race a set distance?
Individual Pursuit
In the Individual Pursuit, two cyclists start on opposite sides of the track and race to complete a specified distance in the fastest time, or to catch their opponent.
Q 25What term describes the technique where a cyclist rides closely behind another to reduce air resistance?
Drafting
Drafting, or slipstreaming, lets a rider sit in the low-pressure pocket behind the wheel in front and save a big share of their energy.
Q 26Which material, laid up in resin-bonded sheets, makes most modern professional racing frames?
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber allows manufacturers to create lightweight, stiff, and comfortable frames by manipulating the fiber layup, making it a popular choice for racing bikes.
Q 27What is the primary function of a bicycle helmet?
Head protection
Bicycle helmets are designed to protect the rider's head from impact in the event of a fall or collision.
Q 28In what year was the first Giro d'Italia held?
1909
1909: the Giro was created to boost sales of La Gazzetta dello Sport, six years after the Tour de France was launched for the same reason.
Q 29Which year's Tour de France first allowed derailleurs instead of flipping the rear wheel?
1937
1937: until then a rider had to stop, take the rear wheel out and turn it round to switch between an uphill cog and a downhill cog; organiser Henri Desgrange had long resisted gears.
Q 30What form of cycling focuses on off-road trails with rugged terrain, roots and rocks?
Mountain biking
Mountain biking involves riding bicycles specifically designed for off-road conditions, navigating natural obstacles and varied landscapes.