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Abstract
Analyses of the significance of sport in the construction of gender identify sport as a practice that creates and legitimizes male dominance. This paper focuses on how gender is constructed through both organizational elements of and individuals interaction in mountain bike racing. I have identified five types of interaction through which organization (structure) and participants create gendered meanings: race structure, cycling teams, assumptions of gender (the boy advantage), a focus on men as legitimate competitors (men: the main attraction), and different standards for men and women (different standards). The findings indicate that structure and individuals social practices in mountain bike racing create masculinity as the norm and consequently marginalize women participants.