Riders compete in the cycling mountain bike men's cross-country race of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Mountain Bike Centre in Rio de Janeiro on August 21, 2016. / AFP / Pascal GUYOT (Photo credit should read PASCAL GUYOT/AFP via Getty Images)

Olympic Cross-Country Cycling (Men)

Riders set off from the same starting line and contest multiple laps around a loop on mountainous, rough terrain that tests their technique, endurance and stamina. Races feature a mass start and, in general, multiple laps. Riders take 1h20 to 1h40 to complete an intense course full of twists and turns, covering tens of kilometers during the event.

A general view Jolanda Neff of Team Switzerland rides and at the bottom you can see the Olympic symbols during the Women's Cross-country race on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Mountain Bike Course on July 27, 2021 in Izu, Shizuoka, Japan. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Olympic Cross-Country Cycling (Women)

Riders set off from the same starting line and contest multiple laps around a loop on mountainous, rough terrain that tests their technique, endurance and stamina. Races feature a mass start and, in general, multiple laps. Riders take 1h20 to 1h40 to complete an intense course full of twists and turns, covering tens of kilometers during the event.