Cycling at the Summer Olympics

Cycling at the Summer Olympics
IOC CodeCYC
Governing bodyUCI
Events22 (men: 11; women: 11)
Summer Olympics

Cycling has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics, at which a road race and five track events were held. Mountain bike racing entered the Olympic programme at the Atlanta Olympics, followed by BMX racing in 2008 and freestyle BMX in 2020. Before the 2020 Summer Olympics, all events were speed races, but the 2020 programme featured BMX freestyle for the first time.

Women's road events were introduced to the Olympic programme at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Women's track events were added in 1988, and both types of events have been featured since then.

The 2012 Summer Olympics were the first at which men and women competed in the same number of events in all cycling disciplines, including track cycling, which previously had more men's and fewer women's events than the 2008 programme.[1] However, women have shorter distances for some events.

Summary

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Games Year Events Best Nation
1 1896 6  France (1)
2 1900 3  France (2)
3 1904 7  United States (1)
4 1908 6  Great Britain (1)
5 1912 2  Sweden (1)
6
7 1920 6  Great Britain (2)
8 1924 6  France (3)
9 1928 6  Denmark (1)
10 1932 6  Italy (1)
11 1936 6  France (4)
12
13
14 1948 6  France (5)
15 1952 6  Italy (2)
16 1956 6  Italy (3)
17 1960 6  Italy (4)
18 1964 7  Italy (5)
19 1968 7  France (6)
20 1972 7  Soviet Union (1)
21 1976 6  West Germany (1)
22 1980 6  Soviet Union (2)
23 1984 8  United States (2)
24 1988 9  Soviet Union (3)
25 1992 10  Germany (1)
26 1996 14  France (7)
27 2000 18  France (8)
28 2004 18  Australia (1)
29 2008 18  Great Britain (3)
30 2012 18  Great Britain (4)
31 2016 18  Great Britain (5)
32 2020 22  Great Britain (6)
33 2024 22  France (9)

Track cycling

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Men's events

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Current programme
Event 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Keirin Not yet introduced X X X X X X X 7
Madison Not yet introduced X X X X X 5
Omnium Not yet introduced X X X X 4
Pursuit, team X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 25
Sprint, individual (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 28
Sprint, team Not yet introduced X X X X X X X 7
Total 1 1 0 2 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 5 5 5 5 5 6 6

Past events that occurred once or twice

Only at the 1896 Summer Olympics

Only at the 1904 Summer Olympics

Only at the 1908 Summer Olympics

Past events that occurred seven or more times
Event 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Points race (details) X Not yet reintroduced X X X X X X X Part of omnium since 7
Pursuit, individual Not yet introduced X X X X X X X X X X X X Not occurred since 12
Tandem X X X X X X X X X X X X X Not occurred since 13
1 km time trial (details) [a] Not yet reintroduced X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Not occurred since 18
Total 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 0 0 0 0
  1. ^ The 1896 time trial was the only time the event was held over one-third of a kilometre rather than one kilometre

Women's events

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Current programme
Event 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Keirin Not yet introduced X X X X 4
Madison Not yet introduced X X 2
Omnium Not yet introduced X X X X 4
Pursuit, team Not yet introduced X X X X 4
Sprint, individual (details) Not yet introduced X X X X X X X X X X 10
Sprint, team Not yet introduced X X X X 4

Past events

Medal table

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Last updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Great Britain34282486
2 France29211969
3 Italy2510843
4 Netherlands14171142
5 Australia13192052
6 United States13151341
7 Germany12101436
8 Denmark661022
9 Soviet Union64616
10 East Germany45413
11 West Germany43310
12 New Zealand36514
13 Belgium34613
14 Spain3339
15 Russia24410
16 China2338
17 Canada22610
18 Czechoslovakia2215
19 United Team of Germany1315
20 Switzerland1214
21 Portugal1102
22 Austria1023
23 Argentina1001
 Estonia1001
 Norway1001
26 South Africa0336
27 Greece0303
28 Japan0235
29 Poland0224
 Ukraine0224
31 Malaysia0112
 Mexico0112
33 Cuba0101
 Uruguay0101
35 Hong Kong0022
 ROC (ROC)0022
37 Belarus0011
 Colombia0011
 Jamaica0011
Totals (39 entries)184184183551

Road cycling

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Men's events

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Current programme
Event 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Road race, individual (details) X – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 22
Time trial, individual (details) – – – – X X X X X – – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X 13
Past events
Event 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 Years
Road race, team (details) – – – – – – – – – X X X X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 4
Time trial, team – – – – X X X X X – – – – X X X X X X X X X – – – – – – – 14
Total 1 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Women's events

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Event 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Road race (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X 11
Time trial (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X 8
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Medal table

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Last updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Netherlands106319
2 Italy98421
3 France85720
4 Belgium64818
5 United States64515
6 Soviet Union5038
7 Sweden35816
8 Switzerland34310
9 Russia3148
10 Australia3126
11 Great Britain29617
12 Germany26210
13 Denmark2518
14 East Germany2103
 Spain2103
16 Kazakhstan1102
 South Africa1102
18 Slovenia1012
19 Austria1001
 Ecuador1001
 Greece1001
22 Poland0426
23 West Germany0224
24 Canada0123
25 United Team of Germany0112
26 Colombia0101
 Portugal0101
28 Norway0022
29 Czechoslovakia0011
 Latvia0011
 Lithuania0011
Totals (31 entries)727269213

Mountain biking

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Events

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Event 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Men's cross country X X X X X X X X 8
Women's cross country X X X X X X X X 8
Total 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Medal table

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Last updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 France5218
2 Switzerland25310
3 Italy2013
4 Great Britain2002
5 Germany1113
6 Czech Republic1102
7 Netherlands1012
 Sweden1012
9 Norway1001
10 Canada0213
11 Poland0202
12 Spain0134
13 United States0123
14 Belgium0101
15 Russia0011
 South Africa0011
Totals (16 entries)16161648

BMX racing

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Events

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Event 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Men's racing X X X X X 5
Women's racing X X X X X 5
Total 2 2 2 2 2

Medal table

[edit]

Last updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 France2215
2 Colombia2136
3 Latvia2002
4 Netherlands1225
 United States1225
6 Australia1102
 Great Britain1102
8 New Zealand0101
9 Switzerland0011
 Venezuela0011
Totals (10 entries)10101030

BMX freestyle

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Events

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Event 20 24 Years
Men's park X X 2
Women's park X X 2
Total 2 2

Medal table

[edit]

Last updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Great Britain1113
2 Australia1012
3 Argentina1001
 China1001
5 United States0202
6 Venezuela0101
7 France0011
 Switzerland0011
Totals (8 entries)44412

Medal table

[edit]

Last updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 France443029103
2 Great Britain403931110
3 Italy36181367
4 Netherlands26251768
5 United States20242266
6 Australia18212362
7 Germany15171749
8 Soviet Union114924
9 Belgium991432
10 Denmark8111130
11 Switzerland611926
12 East Germany66416
13 Russia55919
14 Spain55616
15 Sweden45918
16 West Germany45514
17 New Zealand37515
18 China3339
19 Canada25916
20 Colombia2248
21 Czechoslovakia2226
22 Austria2024
 Norway2024
24 Latvia2013
25 Argentina2002
26 South Africa1449
27 United Team of Germany1427
28 Greece1304
29 Portugal1203
30 Czech Republic1102
 Kazakhstan1102
32 Slovenia1012
33 Ecuador1001
 Estonia1001
35 Poland08412
36 Japan0235
37 Ukraine0224
38 Malaysia0112
 Mexico0112
 Venezuela0112
41 Cuba0101
 Uruguay0101
43 Hong Kong0022
 ROC0022
45 Belarus0011
 Jamaica0011
 Lithuania0011
Totals (47 entries)286286282854

Medalists

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The top of the lists for most successful (by gold medals won) and most decorated (by all medals won) are dominated by recently active track cyclists from Great Britain, who rose to prominence from the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics, and then dominance from the Beijing 2008 Games, winning 22 gold medals in the velodrome between 2008 and 2020, as well as single golds in road racing, road time trial, BMX freestyle, BMX racing and mountain biking in that timeframe. This sharp rise was largely thanks to significant funding by UK Sport of British Cycling. The most successful Olympic cyclists of each sex are husband-and-wife couple Jason and Laura Kenny, with Jason winning seven golds and two silver medals and Laura five golds and one silver medal. Jason also holds the record of most decorated cyclist, with nine medals, and is the only cyclist to have successfully defended Olympic gold medals in three different cycling events. Laura Kenny shares the title of most decorated female cyclist, with six medals, with Dutch legend Leontien van Moorsel (four golds, one silver and one bronze) and Australia sprint star Anna Meares (two gold, one silver and three bronze medals). Laura Kenny holds the unique distinction of winning the inaugural gold medals in three different events - women's team pursuit and women's omnium (both 2012) and women's madison (2020).

Great Britain's Chris Hoy, the first Olympic cyclist to win six gold medals, holds the unique distinction of having won gold across four different track disciplines; the Kilo, the team sprint (twice), match sprint and keirin (twice) disciplines. Three cyclists share the record for gold medals in the same event with three; Jason Kenny in team sprint, compatriot Ed Clancy in team pursuit, and American Kristin Armstrong in time trial. All three achieved the feat between 2008 and 2016.

Cyclists who have won six or more Olympic medals.

As of the 2024 Summer Olympics

Riders in bold still active.

# Cyclist Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Jason Kenny  Great Britain 7 2 0 9
2 Bradley Wiggins  Great Britain 5 1 2 8
3 Chris Hoy  Great Britain 6 1 0 7
4 Laura Kenny  Great Britain 5 1 0 6
5 Harrie Lavreysen  Netherlands 5 0 1 6
6 Leontien van Moorsel  Netherlands 4 1 1 6
7 Burton Downing  United States 2 3 1 6
8 Anna Meares  Australia 2 1 3 6

Nations

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Nation 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
 Albania (ALB) 1 1
 Algeria (ALG) 2 1 1 2 3
 Andorra (AND) 2 3 2
 Antigua and Barbuda (ANT) 2 3 2 3 1 5
 Argentina (ARG) 5 6 12 6 8 10 9 8 4 8 7 8 10 8 4 10 4 6 18
 Armenia (ARM) 1 1
 Aruba (ARU) 2 1 2
 Australia (AUS) 2 4 2 1 3 6 6 11 9 14 9 10 12 10 12 17 16 21 27 24 28 27 31 23
 Austria (AUT) 1 6 2 10 8 4 4 8 5 6 6 9 7 5 9 9 10 6 5 4 20
 Azerbaijan (AZE) 1 3 2
 Bahamas (BAH) 2 1
 Bahrain (BRN) 4 1
 Barbados (BAR) 4 3 2 1 2 1 1 7
 Belarus (BLR) 7 6 5 8 4 5
 Belgium (BEL) 1 6 1 15 9 8 8 12 11 7 13 10 15 14 7 12 8 6 7 9 13 9 11 16 14 25
 Belize (BIZ) 2 6 5 5 1 5
 Benin (BEN) 2 1
 Bermuda (BER) 3 1 2
 Bohemia (BOH) 1 5 2
 Bolivia (BOL) 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
 Brazil (BRA) 3 1 1 2 6 7 8 7 8 4 6 5 9 10 14
 British West Indies (BWI) 1 1
 Bulgaria (BUL) 7 10 5 5 1 4 6 6 1 3 2 2 1 13
 Cambodia (CAM) 6 1
 Cameroon (CMR) 4 4 6 5 4
 Canada (CAN) 5 2 5 1 6 7 6 6 2 3 2 6 9 11 13 11 15 15 15 12 15 15 19 23
 Cayman Islands (CAY) 6 6 6 1 4
 Central African Republic (CAF) 4 1
 Chile (CHI) 4 3 5 4 4 4 2 2 7 1 5 2 3 5 3 2 16
 China (CHN) 7 9 6 5 3 6 12 12 14 9
 Chinese Taipei (TPE) 4 5 1 2 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 12
 Colombia (COL) 8 7 8 10 10 11 7 7 8 12 9 8 13 17 15 15
 Costa Rica (CRC) 5 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 8
 Croatia (CRO) 3 2 2 3
 Cuba (CUB) 1 6 6 6 3 4 1 4 4 3 4 3 12
 Czech Republic (CZE) 6 8 13 12 10 12 6
 Czechoslovakia (TCH) 4 8 4 4 6 6 6 9 8 15 11 11 13 12 14
 Cyprus (CYP) 1 1 1 1 4
 Denmark (DEN) 8 6 6 5 6 11 11 13 2 8 12 13 13 11 11 13 9 11 12 9 8 15 10 13 24
 Dominican Republic (DOM) 1 1
 Democratic Republic of the Congo (COD) 5 4 3 3
 East Germany (GDR) 10 11 11 13 17 5
 Ecuador (ECU) 4 4 1 2 3 1 2 2 8
 Egypt (EGY) 3 4 1 3
 El Salvador (ESA) 5 1 1 1 2 1 6
 Eritrea (ERI) 1 1 2
 Estonia (EST) 3 7 5 6 4 2 2 7
 Ethiopia (ETH) 4 5 4 5 5 8 5 1 8
 Fiji (FIJ) 1 1
 Finland (FIN) 5 4 1 2 5 11 1 4 4 6 1 5 5 4 2 5 2 2 1 19
 France (FRA) 2 58 23 12 13 11 8 8 8 11 10 11 14 14 14 15 14 9 17 16 18 20 26 21 28 23 22 27
 Georgia (GEO) 1 1
 Germany (GER) 5 3 9 11 10 4 12 5 17 18 25 22 20 22 29 15
 Great Britain (GBR) 2 1 36 26 13 12 12 7 11 10 12 12 12 12 14 11 11 12 16 17 16 19 22 22 25 25 26 27
 Greece (GRE) 9 1 3 1 2 1 3 4 5 4 4 3 12
 Guam (GUM) 6 2 1 1 4
 Guatemala (GUA) 5 4 1 5 6 1 2 1 1 9
 Guyana (GUY) 1 1 1 2 3 2 1 7
 Hong Kong (HKG) 4 4 4 5 1 2 1 4 5 5 10
 Hungary (HUN) 5 4 1 8 6 5 7 7 4 1 10 1 4 1 1 2 5 3 1 19
 Indonesia (INA) 1 1
 Iran (IRI) 4 4 7 7 7 2 4 3 3 3 10
 Iraq (IRQ) 2 1 2
 India (IND) 9 5 5 3
 Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA) 5 1
 Indonesia (INA) 4 2 1 3
 Ireland (IRL) 2 5 3 4 2 3 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 3 15
 Israel (ISR) 2 2 2
 Italy (ITA) 7 1 4 12 10 12 10 11 12 11 12 14 14 16 15 14 10 21 18 18 21 18 13 15 13 19 26
 Jamaica (JAM) 1 6 3 2 5 3 3 1 8
 Japan (JPN) 4 1 5 15 1 3 5 9 12 12 8 10 11 14 9 9 16
 Kazakhstan (KAZ) 7 7 8 3 2 3 6
 Kenya (KEN) 1 1
 Kosovo (KOS) 1 1
 Kyrgyzstan (KGZ) 1 1 1 3
 Laos (LAO) 1 1
 Latvia (LAT) 4 5 4 5 7 9 2 5 5 4 10
 Lebanon (LIB) 1 1 2 1 2 2 6
 Lesotho (LES) 1 1
 Libya (LBA) 7 2 1 1 4
 Liechtenstein (LIE) 1 2 1 1 3 2 6
 Lithuania (LTU) 2 4 5 13 8 9 8 4 4 5 10
 Luxembourg (LUX) 1 5 4 4 4 4 1 6 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 3 16
 Madagascar (MAD) 1 1
 Malawi (MAW) 2 4 4 3
 Malaysia (MAS) 9 2 4 1 1 2 1 1 3 4 2 11
 Malta (MLT) 3 4 4 3
 Mauritius (MRI) 1 1 1 3
 Mexico (MEX) 3 5 4 4 10 9 12 6 6 8 5 5 9 2 2 2 2 4 18
 Moldova (MDA) 5 2 1 1 4
 Monaco (MON) 1 1
 Mongolia (MGL) 4 5 4 1 4
 Morocco (MAR) 4 4 3 4 4
 Namibia (NAM) 1 1 2 2 3 5
 Netherlands (NED) 5 10 10 11 2 11 9 6 13 12 10 11 12 7 16 13 17 16 18 24 26 24 26 23
 Nicaragua (NCA) 4 1 2
 North Korea (PRK) 3 1
 Norway (NOR) 6 4 4 2 4 3 1 6 7 8 10 5 9 6 10 8 8 6 7 19
 New Zealand (NZL) 1 1 1 2 6 1 5 5 8 4 7 13 14 17 17 16 16 21 19 19
 Oman (OMA) 1 1
 Pakistan (PAK) 2 2 4 2 4 5
 Peru (PER) 4 3 1 5 1 1 6
 Philippines (PHI) 4 3 1 4 3 2 1 7
 Poland (POL) 8 11 4 5 8 10 12 11 11 11 9 8 10 16 11 12 17 17
 Portugal (POR) 4 6 4 4 2 4 6 7
 Puerto Rico (PUR) 1 1 1 1 4
 Republic of China (ROC) 1 1 2
 Romania (ROU) 5 6 5 1 1 2 1 1 1 9
 Russia (RUS) 18 19 20 22 17 16 6
 Russian Empire (RU1) 10 1
 Rwanda (RWA) 3 1 2 3
 Samoa (SAM) 1 1
 San Marino (SMR) 4 2 1 1 2 1 1 7
 Saudi Arabia (KSA) 6 3 2
 Serbia (SRB) 2 2 2 3
 Serbia and Montenegro (SCG) 1 1
 Sierra Leone (SLE) 1 1
 Slovakia (SVK) 10 7 9 4 2 2 6
 Slovenia (SLO) 1 1 6 4 6 6 7 7
 South Africa (RSA) 4 1 5 1 1 2 3 5 6 5 5 6 4 4 8 9 7 17
 South Korea (KOR) 2 3 2 4 6 2 10 15 4 9 3 5 4 10 8 15
 Soviet Union (URS) 10 12 13 12 15 15 12 13 18 9
 Spain (ESP) 1 9 6 7 8 4 4 13 14 18 22 22 18 16 12 15
 Sri Lanka (SRI) 1 1
 Suriname (SUR) 1 1 2
 Sweden (SWE) 2 12 4 4 4 4 5 4 8 4 4 4 6 5 6 6 11 8 9 7 5 9 8 5 4 25
 Switzerland (SUI) 9 9 11 11 10 14 5 4 10 6 10 12 9 13 13 16 16 14 11 15 20
 Syria (SYR) 1 1
 Thailand (THA) 8 7 7 6 1 1 2 7
 East Timor (TLS) 1 1
 Togo (TOG) 3 2 2
 Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) 1 1 3 7 6 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 12
 Tunisia (TUN) 4 1 1 3
 Turkey (TUR) 4 4 4 6 1 1 3 2 8
 Uganda (UGA) 2 1
 Ukraine (UKR) 12 14 16 16 10 7 6
 Unified Team (EUN) 19 1
 United Team of Germany (EUA) 10 14 13 3
 United Arab Emirates (UAE) 6 4 1 1 4
 United States (USA) 1 17 2 9 9 5 4 12 6 9 9 10 14 16 15 15 13 20 19 20 23 26 18 24 24 21 26
 Uruguay (URU) 9 7 5 5 8 5 5 5 1 3 2 3 2 2 1 1 16
 Uzbekistan (UZB) 1 1 1 2 4
 Venezuela (VEN) 1 4 4 5 6 5 2 4 4 6 5 3 4 12 9 15
 Vietnam (VIE) 4 6 6 2 1 5
 Virgin Islands (ISV) 1 1 2
 West Germany (FRG) 14 17 12 20 15 5
 Yugoslavia (YUG) 4 4 4 4 1 5 4 5 2 4 6 6 12
 Zimbabwe (ZIM) 3 2 1 1 4
No. of nations 5 7 2 11 16 14 24 27 13 30 33 36 30 48 40 52 54 49 34 54 62 76 68 55 61 66 74 80
No. of cyclists 19 72 18 97 123 103 139 149 66 175 188 215 161 297 303 329 359 295 230 359 422 451 477 462 464 508 501 523
Year 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ McQuaid, Pat (February 2012). "The equal opportunities: How to make it happen". UCI. Archived from the original on 2014-01-08. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
[edit]

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