The term road bicycle is used to describe bicycles built for traveling at speed on paved roads. Some sources use the term to mean racing bicycle. Other sources specifically exclude racing bicycles from the definition, using the term to mean a bicycle of a similar style but built more for endurance and less the fast bursts of speed desired in a racing bicycle; as such, they usually have more gear combinations and fewer hi-tech racing features. Certain of these bicycles have been referred to as 'sportive' bicycles to distinguish them from racing bicycles.
The first cycling race recorded in history was held in June 1868 in England at Hendon, Middlesex. By 1893, there was a world championship race, and in 1896, cycling was added to the Olympic Games. The Tour de France was introduced in 1903. Some 60 riders rode about 1,553 miles, or 2,500 km, over a 19-day time frame. The idea behind the race was not to promote the sport of cycling but to increase sales of L'Auto newspaper. It worked, with the paper destroying its rival, Le Velo. The race was marred by poor behavior and cheating. The Tour, considered the pinnacle of road racing, has continued to have its share of controversies over the years, such as the 1998 doping scandal. The route also has evolved. In 2010, the race was 2,263 miles, or 3,642 km, and made up of one prologue, or time trial, and 20 stages. Other races followed the Tour de France. For example, the Tour of Britain was introduced in 1951.
Lance Edward Armstrong (born Lance Edward Gunderson[4] on September 18, 1971) is an American former professional road racing cyclist. Armstrong is the 1993 professional world champion, and won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005. However, in 2012, he was banned from sanctioned Olympic sports for life as a result of long-term doping offenses. As part of those sanctions, all results going back to August 1998, including his seven Tour wins, were voided.