It is already known that the 2028 Olympic Games will take place in Los Angeles. But for those who want to mark it in their calendar now: the exact dates for the road races, track events, mountain bike races, and BMX competitions have also been announced.
It was already clear that the next Olympic Games will be held in July, specifically from Friday, July 14 (with the opening ceremony) through Sunday, July 30, 2028.
There is now more clarity about the different Olympic cycling events. Let's start with road cycling. The time trials (elite women and men) will take place on Wednesday, July 19, 2028, while the road races for women and men will follow on the weekend of July 22 (Saturday) and 23 (Sunday).
For mountain bikers, Monday, July 17, and Tuesday, July 18, should be circled in red, as the rainbow jerseys will be awarded in the Cross-country races then. The men go first, followed one day later by the women.
These are the days cyclists will be in action
Road cycling: Wednesday, July 19 (time trials), Saturday, July 22 (women's road race), and Sunday, July 23 (men's road race)
Mountain biking: Monday, July 17 (men) and Tuesday, July 18 (women)
BMX: Saturday, July 15 (qualifiers) and Sunday, July 16 (finals)
Track cycling: Tuesday, July 25 through Sunday, July 30
Furthermore, track cyclists and BMX riders now know when they will compete. The BMX tournament will take place in three years on the weekend of July 15 and 16. The track event at the Carson Velodrome will be held later. Track cyclists will only get into action in the final week, from Tuesday, July 25 through the very last day of the Olympic Games, Sunday, July 30.
Headache for UCI en ASO?
The cycling calendar in 2028 is likely to become seriously tangled. The Olympic Games in Los Angeles will, as mentioned earlier, take place from July 14 to 30. However, there is a problem: the Tour de France traditionally takes place in the first three weeks of July.
The UCI now seems to face the difficult task of devising an interim solution for 2028. The Tour is by far the biggest race of the year with corresponding media attention. But this will clash with media companies as the Olympics will generate higher viewership and therefore claim more broadcast time. Moreover, the Games take place on another continent, meaning riders who want to compete in the Tour will also have to deal with jet lag.
In previous Olympic years, the Tour was moved to the end of June: this was the case for the last Paris Games (2024) and Tokyo (2021). However, shifting the Tour de France to late June also impacts the cycling calendar. In June, several other prestigious races are scheduled, including the national championships and, before that, races such as the Tour de Suisse and the Critérium du Dauphiné.
