An introduction to - CYCLOCROSS Mud, gears, snow and sweat*Feature Articles Cross racing has gone from a winter training and conditioning activity that gave riders a way to stay fit without pounding the cold European winter roads to a distinct branch of cycle sport in its own right, with its own equipment, rituals and heroes. As in mountain biking you can particpate in cross at a variety of levels, from European and US national and international championships series to friendly, low-key local races. Because cross races are run on short courses and festooned with obstacles and interest it's also great spectator sport - for hardy spectators that can stand the cold. Cross has been a major part of the European scene since WW2 but has only grown in popularity in the US in the last decade or so, and is still a mystery to Australians, in part because Aussies lack the cold, wet winter weather necessary for truly satisfying, nasty cross conditions. This section of cyclingnews.com is your introduction to all things muddy, wintry and generally 'cross. The cross calendar links to all the results published on cyclingnews.com. We're working on a glossary of cross terms, and to kick off, we have an introduction to cyclocross for the complete beginner.
Do you have an article on cyclocross that you'd like to submit? Please email us with your story. *and mud. And did we mention the mud. There's usually mud too. |