Cycleball combines cycling and soccer into one intense sport
Cycle ball is a niche sport that combines football and cycling in a unique way. It's been around for over a century, but it's still regarded as an unusual sport, especially in America.
Also known as "Rad Ball," Cycle Ball was invented in 1863 by a German-American named Nick Kaufmann, and steadily gained popularity around Europe, according to Odd City Central.
Cycle Ball is played by two teams, made up of two players riding around a small court, trying to shoot the ball through their opponents' goal using their heads or the front wheels of their bikes. There are also five and six-player versions of the sport as well. A match consists of two 7-minute halves, in which players must keep their feet off the ground while trying to score more goals than their opponent. The team that scores the most goals wins the match.
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The game was initially played with normal bicycles, but today, they are specifically designed without breaks or gears, making it even harder for the players to score a goal while keeping their feet off the ground. This also makes it extremely difficult to maintain control and stability of the bike, which can result in a number of nasty wipeouts. The bikes also have handlebars that point up, allowing athletes to sit up straight instead of having to hunch over while playing.
Although there is isn't any money to be made through Cycle Ball and dealing with the fact that it may never become an Olympic sport, it still continues to remain popular throughout Europe. Each year, the best teams from all over the world come together to compete in the UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships where fans can watch and cheer on these extremely talented athletes.
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