

History of Mountain Biking
In the 1970s, mountain biking developed as a fringe sport in California. Taking a bike off-road was nothing new but the development of a new bike that relished such terrain was. The bikes had fatter tyres, rapid-shift gears, drum brakes and ground-breaking suspension. They gave thrill-seeking cyclists much more freedom.
The members of the Velo Club Mount Tamalpais in California generally receive the credit for establishing mountain biking as a sport. They invented the Repack Downhill race, held regularly between 1976 and 1979 just across the famous Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. The races attracted riders from near and far, and the media soon started taking an interest.
The first national championships in mountain biking were contested in 1983 in the United States. The sport soon took off in Europe and Australia and the first Mountain Bike World Championships recognised by the UCI were organised in 1990.
Mountain Biking at the Games
Cross-country Mountain Bike made its Olympic debut at the Atlanta 1996 Games.
Venue: Hadleigh Farm, Essex
Dates: Saturday 11 – Sunday 12 August
Gold medals up for grabs: 2 (1 men, 1 women)
Athletes: 80 (50 men, 30 women)
Where can I try Mountain Cycling?
Aylesbury Cycling Club
High Wycombe Cycling Club