A hill climb is a cycling event, as well as a basic skill of the sport. As events a hill climb may either be an individual time trial (which forbids cooperation, drafting

Drafting

Drafting or draughting may refer to:* Campdrafting, an Australian equestrian sport* Drafting , slipstreaming* Technical drawing, the act and discipline of composing diagrams that communicates how something functions or is to be constructed. E.g.:** Architectural drawing** Electrical drawing**...

, or team tactics) or a regular road race. A hill climb usually represents an event which gains altitude continuously, usually terminating at a summit. Well known hill climbs include the Mt. Evans Hill Climb

Mt. Evans Hill Climb

The Mt. Evans Hill climb is a bicycle race that takes place on Mount Evans, Colorado. It was run for the first time in 1962. The race has been held 41 times with only three years canceled. The race was renamed in 1981 in honor of five-time race winner Bob Cook, who died of cancer at the age of...

 and the Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb

Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb

Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb is an annual American racing event designed to raise money for Albany, New Hampshire's Tin Mountain Conservation Center, which promotes appreciation of the environment.-Background:...

. The Cycle to the Sun race is a young race run on a volcano in Maui, Hawaii. Hill climbs occasionally feature in major professional races, such as the Tour de France

Tour de France

The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...

, but they are usually referred to as mountain time trials, and are not necessarily from the bottom to the top of a hill, although they usually are (they can simply be a time trial over hilly terrain).

In Great Britain there is an end of season tradition of cycling clubs promoting hillclimb time trials

British Hill Climb Championship

The British Hill Climb Championship is the most prestigious Hillclimbing championship in Great Britain. Hillclimbing in the British Isles has a rich history and this event has been held every year since 1947.All British Champions have been British...

 in October, for small cash prizes. The hills tend to be relatively short, usually taking between three and five minutes to complete, and the races attract many spectators, including locals not otherwise interested in cycling, who come to watch the pain in the faces of the competitors.

Hill climbing is one of the key skills required to make cycling

Cycling

Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...

 more enjoyable. One of the best ways to learn this skill is through practice. There are several ways to practice. Solo intervals or group rides that focus on hill climbs. The Low-Key Hillclimb series in the San Francisco bay area is a good example of a climbing series focused on developing an individual rider's climbing skill. The San Francisco Hill Climb is no longer run.

Being able to tackle hills efficiently can be a "Race Winner" for anyone. Because downhills can be decided in seconds, uphills takes minutes, and being a good climber makes it possible to drop several riders behind.

External links

Hill Climb events around the world

• Urban Hill Climb- Hill Climb in Central London
• Catford Hill Climb- The oldest continuing cycle race in the world
• BEC Hill Climb-