A cycleball match consists of two seven-minute halves. Players must keep their feet off the floor at times, or else the other team will get a free kick, not unlike in soccer when you foul an opposing player. There are two players on each side, with one usually hanging in the defensive zone to act as a de facto goalkeeper, who can use his hands to prevent the ball from entering a square net measuring 6.5 feet on each side.

The playing area measures 36 by 46 feet, with a 1-foot-high wall usually surrounding the perimeter. The bikes are optimized for cycleball, with the seats positioned directly over the back tire, and the handlebars in front point straight up. The bikes are also fixed-gear, so there’s no braking and it’s easy for players to ride backward quickly.

Czechoslovakia and West Germany dominated cycleball in the ’70s and ’80s, and it was these two countries that came to Colorado in 1984 during the now-defunct Coors Classic. (Although, Lance Armstrong’s years-long effort to bring prestigious bike racing back to Colorado paid off this summer with the birth of the Quiznos Pro Challenge.)

Here’s some footage of that event, which ultimately failed to get cycleball much traction in the United States. Still, the crowd seemed plenty into the exhibition, which kicked off with a ceremonial coin toss by legendary Tour de France-winning cyclist Eddy Merckx.

Cycleball, whose roots date back to the late 19th century and has traditionally been called “radball,” has remained popular in Europe over the years, and the World Cup finals, organized by the International Cycling Union, are slated for December 4 in Otrokovice, Czech Republic.

Obviously, you’ve got to have some great riding skill to excel in this sport, especially keeping your balance while trying to maintain possession. Although, it’d be nice to see a younger generation integrate a crossover dribble or no-look pass once in a while, moves that have long been taken for granted in soccer and basketball.

Looking at this footage from a UCI World Cup event in June, there still appears to be much room for innovation in the world of cycleball.

Image: Courtesy Union Cycliste Internationale

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Authors: Erik Malinowski

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