Speak like the pros do...

In any sport, the sport-specific terms are essential in understanding and communicating with the enthusiasts. Cycling is no different and it has its own unique lingo! Check out the essentials below as a refreshers course or to learn them for the first time. Even keep it as a cheat sheet for the scheduled event dates: Tim Hortons Road National Championships (June 27th - 29th) and the Hamilton 2003 Road World Championships (October 6th - 12th).

UCI: The mission of the International Cycling Union or l'Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is to develop and promote all aspects of cycling without discrimination of any kind, in close cooperation with National Federations and major associates.

By all aspects of cycling we mean:
- Sport with its natural and universal values of competition, effort and character-building, well-being and fair-play;
- A healthy form of recreation as tourism and leisure;
- An economical (affordable), ecological and environmentally friendly means of transport that helps to solve the mobility problems of modern society.

C.C.A: The Canadian Cycling Association is Canada's oldest sport and active living governing bodies. The Association was known as the Canadian Wheelmen's Association when it was founded in 1882. The goal of the Canadian Wheelmen's Association was to promote, organize and represent cycling in Canada, discover touring routes and preserve the bicyclist's right to the road. The Canadian Wheelmen's Association kept its name from 1882 to 1967. In 1968, it was officially named the Canadian Cycling Association (Association Cyclist Canadian). Today more than a century later, the Canadian Cycling Association continues to pursue its mission to lead and support the development and growth of cycling in Canada.

Road Race: A road race is a mass start event held on an open road from one point to another or on a circuit longer than five kilometers. The first rider across the finish line is the winner. A common feature of road racing is riders on the same team pacing one another. Teammates and sometimes rivals exchange the lead to provide protection from the wind or to open a gap to gain an advantage over the rest of the field. A break occurs when one rider or group of riders accelerate to "break" away from a larger group or "pack".

Criterium: A criterium is a short road race of several laps on a circuit- usually city streets - closed to traffic. The distance per lap varies from 0.5 kilometers to 3 kilometers.

Time Trial: A time trial is an individual race against the clock over a fixed distance. Distances vary from one kilometer to 50 kilometers.

Pack or Peloton: The main field or fields of riders in a race. Often times this is splintered into many small packs or chase groups in a hard race. Packs form because of the efficiency of drafting.

Tactics: The strategic efforts of a rider or team to control the outcome of a race and increase their chances of winning. Tactics often include, blocking, chasing and leading out other riders.

Drafting: Even more than in auto racing, drafting is critical to bike racing. Racers at the front of the race have to work much harder than the riders following in their slipstream or draft. This gives the riders behind a significant advantage by saving them energy that can be used later in the race.

Breakaway: A rider or group of riders that tries to escape from the main field in order to win the race. A solo breakaway is one of the most difficult yet glamorous ways to win, and sometimes necessary if a strong rider doesn't have a fantastic sprint.

Lead Out: The efforts of a rider or team to help a sprinter win. By accelerating with the sprinter in their draft, the lead out rider measures their effort to use all their strength getting the sprinter to the front before the finish. A good lead out makes the sprint easier for the sprinter and harder for others.

Blocking: A subtle, but effective, tactic of a rider or team to slow the race down or interfere with a chase so that a teammate can gain more distance from the pack or chase group. Blocking is legal as long as there is no physical contact and the rider does not cause a crash.

Attack: To accelerate away from the pack with the hopes of forcing a selection in the race or inspiring counter attacks to split the field up. Often used to wear down riders in the draft and create a breakaway.

Solo: A single rider attempting to win the race alone. This is the hardest way to win a race because the rider receives no benefit from the draft. It is also the most glamorous form of victory.

Hammer: A slang term for going fast or used in regard to someone that is a very powerful rider.

Bonk: The process of using up ones energy stores and having nothing left over to fuel the body.

Echelon or Pace Line: A series of cyclists riding close together in varying formations to shelter each other from the wind, contributing to a faster speed for the group than any one rider could attain alone.

Spin: The characteristic of a fluid, efficient pedal stroke that allows the rider to do more work and use less energy.

Bridge: An attempt by a rider or riders to quickly cross a gap between groups of riders.

Pull: To take a turn at the front of a group of riders working together to break the wind for other riders.

Roll a tire: The process of having a tire come off the rim usually resulting in a crash. This is caused by heat build up from excessive braking that weakens the tire glue, also caused by an improperly glued tire.

Centerline Rule: In American racing when roads are not closed to oncoming traffic, a rider can be penalized or disqualified for crossing the centerline of the road unless it is to avoid an accident.

Neutral Support: A race mechanics vehicle or station that is not affiliated with any one team but services any athlete with a mechanical difficulty.

Free Lap Rule: A condition where a rider in a criterium is allowed to receive mechanical support after a crash or puncture and is allowed to rejoin the race one lap later without penalty.

Hold your line: This is an instinct racers develop over time. As riders are usually only inches apart, instead of trying to tell someone you are in their blind spot, a rider will instead tap them with the back side of a hand or elbow to let them know not to move over.

Categories: The C.C.A. ranks all licensed riders by category. The following is a listing of C.C.A. Road Cyclist Categories:


MEN

Youth
This category shall comprise of riders 16 years or less. National Federations shall govern youth cycling.

Categories Age as of December 31, the year of the competition:
- Under 13: ages 10-12
- Under 15: ages 13-14
- Under 17: ages 15-16

It is possible for a rider to race in a category other than his own. The rider must have a letter of permission from his provincial association and show it at registration. All upgrading must be approved by the provincial association for provincial races and approved by the Canadian

Cycling Association for national sanctioned events.
*In Quebec it isn't possible for a rider from another province to race in a higher category unless a letter from the Quebec Federation due to rules in the Regie de la Securite des Sports.

Juniors
This category shall comprise of riders 17 and 18 years old.

Under 23 years
This category shall comprise of riders 19 to 22 years old. A rider of this age belonging to a Trade Team shall be qualified ipso facto "Elite". Once the rider ceases to belong to a Trade Team, he shall be reclassified as an Under-23 category rider.

NOTE: As per the UCI Management Committee, an Espoir rider belonging to a UCI Trade Team III, shall retain the classification of Under-23.

Elite
This category shall comprise of riders aged 23 years and above.

Masters
This category shall comprise of riders 30 years and above who elect this status. The choice of the

Masters status shall not be open to a rider belonging to a Trade Team:
- Masters 30 to 39
- Masters 40 to 49
- Masters 50 to 59
- Masters 60 +


WOMEN

Youth
This category shall comprise of riders 16 years or less. Youth cycling shall be governed by
National Federations.

Juniors
This category shall comprise of riders 17 and 18 years old.

Elite
This category shall comprise of riders 19 years and above.

Masters
This category shall comprise of riders 30 years and above who elect this status.

Professional: The pinnacle of the sport, professionals are under contract with a team that pays their salary and expenses in addition to performance bonuses. A professional license is required for European races like the Tour de France and since 1996 pros are also eligible for the Olympics. Professional Teams (Trade Teams) are divided into 3 divisions for men and only 1 division for women.

Domestique: a cyclist that is part of the competing team, who acts as the team aid with equipment failures and food and beverage retrieval. The domestique is available for use anytime throughout the race for equipment assistance, with the exception of the last kilometer. Food and beverage assistance is prohibited in the first 50km and last 20km of a race.