Simplify the following text for a Grade 9 native English-speaking person.
Original: It started as an unimportant race in 1996 , but because of the fast growing popularity of cycling in Germany , it was made a part of the UCI Road World Cup in 1998 .
Simplified: It started as an unimportant race in 1996 , but because cycling became very popular in Germany it was made a part of the UCI Road World Cup in 1998 .