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I was hardly surprised when he turned us away. After three seasons battling these neon-vested, parking fascists at Belgian cyclocross races, I’d come to expect rejection.
Max and I were racing today, and we’d just tried to enter the Renner’s Parking, the exact place for people like us. Yet the gatekeeper grunted in Flemish that there was no room for our little Peugeot Partner in the lot stuffed with hundreds of camper vans and buses from the larger Belgian teams.
Bombtrack accompanied their pro racer Gosse van der Meer to the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Bern to gain insight into the grits and guts it takes to compete at this level.
Bombtrack takes us inside the NRW Cross-Cup for some European ‘cross racing vibes.
To celebrate the forthcoming SSCXWC19UT, Salt Lake City builder Salt Air is offering up a made in Utah ‘cross frameset. The Men’s and Women’s winners will each receive one of these ‘Lizard King Cross’ frames with ENVE fork in their size. Salt Air is also offering the frameset to interested parties at $2,175 (as pictured with the painted-to-match ENVE fork and Thomson collar). Check out more photos and details at the Salt Air Website!
For the latest EF Gone Racing video, Lachlan Morton flew to Yorkshire for an iconic race on the British cycling calendar, the Three Peaks Cyclocross…
Shot during the 2002-2004 cyclocross seasons, Pure Sweet Hell is a film by Brian Vernor and Willie K. Bullion that looks at ‘cross racing’s roots in an era before web edits and Instagram. Check out more backstory at Metroactive.
This just in from the Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz:
“Big things are happening with Surf City CX this year. With MBOSC coming on to manage the race, the 2019 event is shaping up to be one nobody will soon forget. The race will be held at a brand new venue right here on the Westside of Santa Cruz at Antonelli Pond! The best part about this venue is that it’s easy access from anywhere in Santa Cruz, so we expect this to be a great community event. With a FREE Kids Race, Costume Race, food trucks, live music, and a beer garden, there is a lot of fun to be had for the whole family. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclocross pro or racing for the first time, this will be a race to remember. Claim your spot to race at this brand new venue and register NOW!”
Surf City Cyclocross Race
Sunday, October 27
Antonelli Pond, Westside of Santa Cruz
You’ve spent all summer waiting. All summer training. Cross is here. Here’s how Naked Factory Racing in Vancouver has been preparing.
Three years ago, at the start of the 2016 ‘cross season, Santa Cruz and MASH SF teamed up to create what is, in my opinion, the most recognizable Stigmata frameset of all time. There have been other team builds, other rad bikes, but this is the one everyone remembers. And yet, there were only 12 of these frames available to the public and less than 20 including the team frames!
Tracklocross. Yeah, you heard it, Tracklocross. It’s exactly what it sounds like and it’s spreading faster than you could ever imagine. With contingencies popping up all over the globe, things are really beginning to culminate this year as we lead up to Nationals in June (Bay Area) and the World Championships in August (Japan). With Los Angeles’ second race of the season in the bag, the vibes are only growing stronger out here as things continue to build momentum. Safa Brian came out and completely crushed the course. He took a commanding lead out the gate and put a significant gap between him and the rest of the pack. The spectator crowd camped out in the middle of the grass and more or less turned their heads as everyone ran laps around them.
Veld Notes: Faces in the Flemish Cyclocross Crowd
Words by Andrew Juiliano and photos by Ethan Glading
Beneath the coniferous canopy of an Antwerpian pine forest, somewhere close the Dutch-Belgian border, I’m standing and waiting to hear my name. It’s the final of the DVV Verzekeringen Trofee, one of the two major cyclocross series in Belgium. The announcer rattles off the names of the cycling superstars who will line up in front of me. World Champion Mathieu Van Der Poel, Belgian National Champion Toon Aerts, Czech National Champion Michael Boroš…there’s about 30 more. I’ve been champion of a few group rides in California, but I’m not sure that news has made it onto the announcer’s list of fun facts.
Bombtrack takes us to the infamous 3 Peaks Cyclocross race in the in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. This event has been going on since 1961 and has gained worldwide recognition as one of the hardest ‘cross races in the world.
Veld Notes: Rubber Side Up Hoogstraten Belgium
Words by Andrew Juiliano and photos by Tomás Montes
Start Graf
The wind gusts. Rain blows straight through my skinsuit. I shudder. It’s Forty American degrees and pissing Belgian rain. The grey buildings of Hoogstraten’s fruit-packing district try to blend into the angry sky.
“Dertig seconden…Thirty seconds to start!”
Neither rain nor wind nor biting chill will stop the penultimate stop of the Telenet Superprestige today, and this is the weather the sport lives for. The fans lick their chops at the shivering, skinny bike racers. The clock ticks toward start time, 3:03 p.m. on a wintery Belgian Sunday, and muddy entertainment awaits the Flemish masses.
Dutch Veld Dispatch: My Roller Romance (AKA Euro Bike Racing)
Words by Andrew Juiliano and photos by Tomás Montes
Tien…negen…acht…zeven…
I hear the pitter patter of tiny feet and look out the window.
Zes…vijf…vier…
A little girl runs around the corner and crouches behind the car.
Drie…twee…één!
She locks eyes with me, and holds a finger to her lips. I don’t need to speak Dutch to understand the universal sign for “Don’t blow up my hide-and-go-seek spot, bro!”
This video showcases a week of ‘cross racing in its motherland!
Dispatches from the Veld: On the Road to the Pontchâteau World Cup
Words by Andrew Juiliano and photos by Ethan Glading
It was just after midday in Western France when Max dragged two bike bags off the train in Pontchâteau. The 31-year old Californian had reached the end of his four-hour journey from Paris. For the past month, he’d paused his career as an upright bass player to race cyclocross across Europe. The tour had taken him to World Cups in Belgium and as far as the burgeoning Swiss EKZ scene. In two days, he’d be on the start line for the penultimate stop of the UCI World Cup circuit, right there in the small Bretton city.
Cobra Racing is a Bicycle Motocross inspired bandit race in Portland, Oregon. Paying homage to BMX, Alley Cats, Cyclocross and all those who create something rad for their community.
Each racer is assigned a number plate and group number. Racers have three opportunities to qualify for the main event. These qualifying races are called motos. Motos are one lap. Pedal hard! Top 2 from each moto make it into the main event.
COBRA Racing provides equal payout for WTF and Men categories.
Photo by Brian Vernor
Design Within Reach is the a sponsor of the Richard Sachs Cyclocross Team this year and on their blog, they’ve pulled together a piece on what it means to race ‘cross.
What’s special about Richard Sachs’ bikes?
“Richard is what’s most special about the bikes. Riding a Sachs isn’t just riding a bike, it’s being part of a group that appreciates doing things differently.” – BrittLee Bowman, CX racer
Check out the whole feature at DWR’s blog!
