Knowing how to ride bikes is a good way to start for someone who is looking begin with cycle races. However, choosing the right race to compete in is also very important. This is not just because of their fundamental differences, but also because of the type of training that one requires to win or at least get close to winning a bicycle race.

There are two common types of bicycle races: road and track races. In road races, cycling can be done either as individuals or as a team and over long distances, stretching for hundreds of kilometres. The longest recorded road race was Lotoja where cyclists covered about 332 kilometres. Such races are usually done within villages or towns and in a circuit, where the starting point is also the finishing point. Some road races are also organised from town to town.

On the contrary, track races usually take place on velodromes or banked tracks. Although they can also be done by individuals or teams, one striking difference is that they are often done by using bicycles without freewheels or brakes. The speeds in track races are usually higher than in road races.

The choice of race to compete in, therefore, depends on individual interests, preferences, and tolerance. For instance, riding at very high speeds on velodromes with no breaking mechanism can be scary to a first-time rider, and but it can also be thrilling and adventurous. Riding over long distances and in different environments, on the other hand, can be tiring and as such requires even more stamina, but it has its own merits as every hill has a valley, and as such, is not boring and the bicycles are not as tampered with as in the case of the track races. Overall, it is a great sport to participate in.