Cycling at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification explained

For the cycling competitions at the 2020 Summer Olympics, the following qualification systems are in place.

Qualification summary

Nation Road Track MTB BMX Total
Men Women Men Women M W Men Women Q R
RR TT RR TT TS KE SP TP OM MD TS KE SP TP OM MD RC FR RC FR
2 1 3 2
1 1 1 3 3
4 2 4 2 X 2 2 X X X 1 1 X X X 1 1 1 1 2 1 35 29
3 1 1 X X 1 1 9 8
1 1 1
1 1 1 X X 5 4
5 2 3 1 X X X X 1 1 1 18 15
2 1 1 1 5 5
1 1 1
3 1 3 2 2 2 X X 2 2 X X 1 2 1 1 26 24
1 1 1 3 3
1 1 1 1 X 2 2 1 1 11 7
5 1 1 1 1 2 1 12 10
1 1 1 3 3
1 1 1
1 1 1
1 1 1
3 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 7
4 1 2 1 X X X X X 1 2 1 17 17
2 1 1 1 5 4
X 1 1
2 1 1 4 3
2 1 1 4 3
1 1 1
5 1 1 1 X 2 2 X X 2 2 X X X 2 2 3 1 2 32 28
4 2 4 2 X 2 2 X X X X 2 2 X X 2 2 1 1 33 28
4 2 2 1 X 2 2 X X X 1 1 X X X 1 1 1 1 1 1 28 26
1 X 1 3 3
1 1 1
1 2 2 X X 7 5
1 1 1 3 3
1 1 2 1
3 1 X X X X 8 7
1 1 1 3 2
5 2 4 1 X X X X X X 3 1 1 23 24
2 2 1 2 2 X 1 1 X X 1 1 1 1 1 1 20 16
3 1 1 1 X 7 5
2 1 1 1 5 4
1 1 X 2 2 X 8 5
2 1 1 4 3
2 2 4 2
1 1 1 X 2 2 X 1 1 11 7
1 1 1
1 1 1 1 4 4
5 1 4 2 X 2 2 X X X 2 2 X X 2 2 3 3 36 28
2 2 X 2 2 X X X 2 2 X X X 1 1 21 19
4 1 2 1 X 1 1 11 9
1 1 1
1 1 1
1 1 1
3 1 3 1 X 2 2 X X X 2 2 X X 1 1 24 17
2 2 X 1 6 4
1 1 2 2
1 1 2 2
3 1 1 X 2 2 X 2 2 X X 1 1 1 1 2 1 24 18
1 1 1
2 1 3 2
4 1 1 1 7 6
3 1 2 1 1 1 X 1 1 1 1 1 15 11
1 1 1 3 2
5 1 2 1 X X 2 1 14 12
1 1 2 1
1 1 1
4 2 1 1 X X X 3 3 2 1 1 21 20
1 1 1
1 1 1
1 2 2 5 3
2 2 2
1 1 X 2 2 1 8 5
2 2 4 2 X X 1 1 X X X 1 3 2 2 3 2 30 27
1 1 2 2
1 1 2 2
Total: 72 NOCs 130 41 67 26 8 30 30 8 20 16 8 30 30 8 21 16 38 38 24 9 24 9 631 530
Legend

Track cycling

Track cycling is done entirely through UCI nation rankings. The quotas per event are as follows:

Road cycling

Majority of the places in road cycling are attributed through the UCI nation rankings (122 for men, 62 for women), with special provisions for highly-ranked individuals whose nations do not make it. A small number of additional places are available through individual road race continental championships (2 men and 1 woman each for Africa, Americas, and Asia). Host nation Japan has obtained 2 guaranteed spots per gender in the road race. For the road time trial, the NOC must have qualified for the road race. The top 30 (men) or 15 (women) NOCs in the nation rankings may enter a time trial cyclist. The 2019 World Championships also afford 10 places per gender in the time trial. NOCs can have a maximum of 2 time trial entries if they qualify through each of those two methods.

Mountain biking

For mountain biking, 38 spots per gender are allocated. Thirty places will be allocated through the UCI nation rankings and three through continental championships with one each for Africa, Americas, and Asia. One spot per gender has been reserved for host nation Japan. The remaining four spots will be awarded to the top mountain bikers competing at the 2019 UCI World Championships, with two each in the elite and under-23, respectively.

BMX

In the BMX race, twenty-four spots are available for each gender, with one reserved for host nation Japan. Eighteen places will be awarded to the highest-ranked NOCs through the UCI qualification rankings, three through the UCI individual rankings, and the remaining two through the 2020 UCI World Championships. In the BMX freestyle events, nine spots are available for each gender, with one reserved for host nation Japan, six for the highest-ranked NOCs through the UCI rankings, and the remaining two for those competing at the 2019 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships.

Timeline

The following is a timeline of the qualification events for the cycling events at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Event Date Venue
Road
2019 African Continental Championships March 15–20, 2019 Ethiopia
2019 Asian Continental Championships April 27–28, 2019 Tashkent
2019 Pan American Continental Championships May 2–5, 2019 Mexico
September 22–29, 2019 Harrogate
Establishment of the UCI World Rankings by Nations October 22, 2019
Track
Establishment of the UCI Olympic Track Ranking 2018–2020
(at end of 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships) 		March 2, 2020
Mountain biking
2019 Pan American Continental Championships April 3–7, 2019 Aguascalientes
2019 African Continental Championships April 12–14, 2019 Windhoek
2019 Asian Continental Championships July 25–28, 2019 Kfardebian
August 28 – September 1, 2019 Mont-Sainte-Anne
Establishment of the UCI Olympic qualification ranking May 18, 2021
BMX
2019 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships November 6–10, 2019 Chengdu
UCI Individual Rankings (BMX race) June 1, 2021 rowspan=3
Establishment of the UCI Rankings by Nation (BMX race) June 1, 2021
Establishment of the UCI Rankings by Nation (BMX freestyle) June 8, 2021

Road cycling

Men's road race

Event Ranking by nation Qualified Athletes per NOC
Host nation 1
UCI World Ranking 1 to 6




5
7 to 13





4
14 to 21






3
22 to 32









2
33 to 50
















1
1 to 2
1
1 to 2
1
1 to 2
1
Reallocation of unused quota
1
Total 130
* Quota reduced by one to accommodate for the individual qualifiers

Men's individual time trial

Event Ranking by nation Qualified Athletes per NOC
UCI World Ranking 1 to 30




























** 		1
1 to 10








1
Invitational place 1 1
Reallocation of unused quota 1
Total 41
** Qualified as a continental representative

Women's road race

Event Ranking by nation Qualified Athletes per NOC
Host nation 1
UCI World Ranking 1 to 5




4
6 to 13 3






2*
14 to 22







1*
Individual top 100















1
2019 African Championships 1 1
2019 Asian Championships 1 1
2019 Pan American Championships 1 1
Reallocation of unused quota
1
Total 67
* Quota reduced by one to accommodate for the individual qualifiers

Women's individual time trial

Event Ranking by nation Qualified Athletes per NOC
UCI World Ranking 1 to 15













**		1
1 to 10








1
Invitational place 1 1
Reallocation of unused quota 1
Total 26
** Qualified as a continental representative

Track cycling

Track cycling quotas were released by the UCI in March 2020.[1]

Men's sprint

Event Ranking by Nation Qualified NOC Athletes per NOC
NOCs qualified for team sprint —






up to 2
2018–2020 Olympic track ranking 1 to 7





1
NOCs qualified for Keirin —





1
Total 30
* Qualified as a continental representative

Men's Keirin

Event Ranking by Nation Qualified NOC Athletes per NOC
NOCs qualified for team sprint —






up to 2
2018–2020 Olympic track ranking 1 to 7





1
NOCs qualified for sprint —





1
Total 30

Men's Madison

Event Ranking by Nation Qualified NOC Athletes per NOC
NOCs qualified for team pursuit —






1
2018–2020 Olympic track ranking 1 to 8






1
Total 16

Men's Omnium

Event Ranking by Nation Qualified NOC Athletes per NOC
NOCs directly qualified for Madison —






1
2018–2020 Olympic track ranking 1 to 12









*
1
Total 20
* Qualified as a continental representative

Women's team sprint

Event Ranking by Nation Qualified NOC Teams per NOC
2018–2020 Olympic track ranking 1 to 8






1
Reallocation of unused quota 1
Total 8

Women's sprint

Event Ranking by Nation Qualified NOC Athletes per NOC
NOCs qualified for team sprint —






up to 2
2018–2020 Olympic track ranking 1 to 7





1
NOCs qualified for Keirin —





1
Total 30
* Qualified as a continental representative

Women's Keirin

Event Ranking by Nation Qualified NOC Athletes per NOC
NOCs qualified for team sprint —






up to 2
2018–2020 Olympic track ranking 1 to 7





1
NOCs qualified for sprint —





1
Total 30

Women's Madison

Event Ranking by Nation Qualified NOC Athletes per NOC
NOCs qualified for team pursuit —






1
2018–2020 Olympic track ranking 1 to 8






1
Total 15

Cycling Canada declined to enter a team in the women's madison due to a lack of competitive experience in the event, and the event being prior to the omnium in the Olympic program.[2]

Women's Omnium

Event Ranking by Nation Qualified NOC Athletes per NOC
NOCs qualified for Madison —






1
2018–2020 Olympic track ranking 1 to 13











1
Rellocation 14 [3] 1
Total 21
* Qualified as a continental representative

Mountain biking

Quotas were released in May 2021.[4] [5]

Men's cross-country race

Event Ranking by nation Qualified Athletes per NOC
Host nation 1
2020 UCI Olympic qualification ranking 1 to 2
3
3 to 7



2
8 to 21












1
2019 African Championships 1 1
2019 Pan American Championships 1 1
2019 Asian Championships 1 1
2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships (elite) 1 to 2
1
2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships (under-23) 1 to 2
1
Total 38

Women's cross-country race

Event Ranking by nation Qualified Athletes per NOC
Host nation 1
2020 UCI Olympic qualification ranking 1 to 2
3
3 to 7



2
8 to 21












1
2019 African Championships 1 1
2019 Pan American Championships 1 1
2019 Asian Championships 1 1
2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships (elite) 1 to 2
1
2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships (under-23) 1 to 2
1
Total 38

BMX

Racing quotas were released on June 4, 2021.[6] [7]

Men's BMX race

Event Ranking by nation Qualified Athletes per NOC
Host nation 1
UCI Olympic qualification ranking 1 to 2
3
3 to 5

2
6 to 11





1
UCI BMX individual ranking 1 to 3

1
World Championship Re-Allocation 1 to 2
1
Total 24
** Qualified as a continental representative

Women's BMX race

Event Ranking by nation Qualified Athletes per NOC
Host nation 1
UCI Olympic qualification ranking 1 to 2
3
3 to 5

2
6 to 11




1
UCI BMX individual ranking 1 to 3

1
World Championship Re-Allocation 1 to 2
1
Total 24
** Qualified as a continental representative

Men's BMX freestyle

Event Ranking by nation Qualified Athletes per NOC
Host nation 1
UCI Olympic qualification ranking 1 2
2 to 5


1
2019 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships 1 to 2
1
Total 9

Women's BMX freestyle

Event Ranking by nation Qualified Athletes per NOC
Host nation 1
UCI Olympic qualification ranking 1 2
2 to 5


1
2019 UCI Urban Cycling World Championship 1 to 2
1
Total 9

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Athletes Quota Places for Track Cycling At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. 1 March 2020. www.uci.org/. Union Cycliste Internationale. 4 June 2021.
  2. Web site: Cycling Canada Amended XXXII Olympic Games Team Selection Policy. 5 May 2021. www.cyclingcanada.ca/. Cycling Canada. 4 June 2021. Due to the risks inherent in the event, its place prior to the Omnium in the Olympic program and the lack of athletes with sufficient competition experience, Canada will not be entering the women’s Madison.
  3. https://www.ltok.lt/tokijo-olimpinese-zaidynese-dalyvaus-dar-viena-lietuve-startuos-dviratininke-o-baleisyte/ Tokijo olimpinėse žaidynėse dalyvaus dar viena lietuvė: startuos dviratininkė O. Baleišytė
  4. Web site: Mountain Bike Athletes quota for Cycling – Mountain Bike men's events. 19 May 2021. www.uci.org/. Union Cycliste Internationale. 4 June 2021.
  5. Web site: Mountain Bike Athletes quota for Cycling – Mountain Bike women's events. 19 May 2021. www.uci.org/. Union Cycliste Internationale. 4 June 2021.
  6. Web site: BMX Racing Athletes quota for Cycling – BMX Racing men's events. 4 June 2021. www.uci.org/. Union Cycliste Internationale. 4 June 2021.
  7. Web site: BMX Racing Athletes quota for Cycling – BMX Racing women's events. 4 June 2021. www.uci.org/. Union Cycliste Internationale. 4 June 2021.

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