The rainbow jersey is the distinctive jersey worn by the reigning world champion in a cycling discipline, since 1927. The jersey is predominantly white with five horizontal bands in the UCI colours around the chest. From the bottom up the colours are: green, yellow, black, red and blue; the same colours that appear in the rings on the Olympic flag. The tradition is applied to all disciplines, including road racing, track racing, cyclo-cross, BMX, Trials and the disciplines within mountain biking. A world champion must wear the jersey when competing in the same discipline, category and speciality for which the title was won. For example, the world road race champion would wear the garment while competing in stage races and one-day races, but would not be entitled to wear it during time trials. Similarly, on the track, the world individual pursuit champion would only wear the jersey when competing in other individual pursuit events. In team events, such as the team pursuit, each member of the team must wear the rainbow jersey, but would not wear it while racing in, say, points races or other track disciplines. If the holder of a rainbow jersey becomes leader of a stage race or a category within it, that leadership jersey takes precedence. Failure to wear the rainbow jersey where required carries a penalty of a fine.
National road cycling championships are held annually by host nations in each cycle racing discipline. The annual events can take place at any time of the year. European nations usually holds their annual events in June, during a designed break in the professional calendar.
The UCI Track Cycling World Championships are the set of world championship events for the various disciplines and distances in track cycling. They are regulated by the Union Cycliste Internationale. Before 1900, they were administered by the UCI's predecessor, the International Cycling Association (ICA).
Most of the 2006 national road cycling championships took place in June.
The UCI World Championships are annual competitions promoted by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to determine world champion cyclists. They are held in several different styles of racing, in a different country each year. Championship winners wear a white jersey with coloured bands around the chest for the following year. The similarity to the colours of a rainbow gives them the colloquial name of "the rainbow jersey." The first three individuals or teams in each championship win gold, silver and bronze medals. Former world champions are allowed to wear a trim to their collar and sleeves in the same pattern as the rainbow jersey.
The 2009 national road cycling championships began in January in Australia and New Zealand. Most of the European national championships took place in June.
Rohan Dennis is an Australian former cyclist, who competed professionally in the track and road disciplines of the sport for five different teams.
The 2010 national road cycling championships began in January in Australia and New Zealand. Most of the European national championships take place in June.
The 2005 national road cycling championships began in January in Australia and New Zealand. Most of the European national championships take place in June.
The 2011 national road cycling championships began in January in Australia and New Zealand. Most of the European national championships take place in June.
The European Road Cycling Championships are the set of European championship events for the various disciplines and distances in road cycling and have been regulated by the European Cycling Union since 1995. The championships are for under-23, junior and Elite riders. The championships include a road race and an individual time trial since 1997, with women's events shorter than men's and junior's events shorter than under-23's. Championships are open to riders selected by their national cycling governing body. They compete in the colours of their country. As with national road race championships and the UCI Road World Championships, the winners are entitled to wear a special champion's jersey when racing throughout the year; in the case of the European Championship, a white jersey with blue bands and yellow stars, modelled on the flag of Europe, a symbolism and design adopted by both the Council of Europe and the European Union and widely used to represent the continent in sport.
The 2013 national road cycling championships began in Australia with the time trial event on January 9.
The 2014 national road cycling championships began in Australia with the time trial event on January 8, as is tradition.
The 2017 national cyclo-cross championships were held from September through to January and are organised by the UCI member federations. They began in Australia in September 2016.
The Israeli National Time Trial Championships are held annually to decide the cycling champions in the individual time trial discipline, across various categories. The winners of each event are awarded a symbolic cycling jersey, just like the national flag, these colours can be worn by the rider at other road racing events in the country to show their status as national champion. The champion's stripes can be combined into a sponsored rider's team kit design for this purpose.
2020 national road cycling championships were held throughout the year of 2020, organised by the UCI member federations. They began in Australia with the time trial event on 8 January.
Matthew Richardson is a track cyclist who represented Australia until August 2024 and Great Britain from September 2024 onwards. He competed in the men's keirin, individual sprint and team sprint at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. His most successful event was the team sprint, where the Australians came fourth. He also competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics, again in the keirin, individual sprint and team sprint. Here he placed second in the sprint and keirin, missing out on gold in both to Dutch rider Harrie Lavreysen. The Australian team also placed third in the team sprint.
The 2022 national road cycling championships are being held throughout the year and are organised by the UCI member federations. They began in Australia with the men's and women's time trial events on 12 January.
The 2023 national road cycling championships are being held throughout the year and are organised by the UCI member federations. They began in Australia with the Australian National Road Race Championships events on 7 January.
The European Gravel Championships are the set of European championship events for gravel races and have been regulated by the European Cycling Union since 2023. The championships are for Elite riders. Championships are open to riders selected by their national cycling governing body and they compete in the colours of their country. As with national championships and the World Championship, the winners are entitled to wear a special champion's jersey when racing throughout the year; in the case of the European Championship, a white jersey with blue bands and yellow stars, modelled on the flag of Europe, a symbolism and design adopted by both the Council of Europe and the European Union and widely used to represent the continent in sport.
