Cyclocross! - Forum Archive

Feb 01, 2020 at 12:18 AM

Okay, so the Superbowl of CX racing is going on this weekend, but the UCI dropped some news of more local importance. The UCI schedule for this Fall.

First and foremost: SupercrossCup has moved from November to, wait for it...

September 12-13!!!

Let that sink in

So yes, that means not having to rake leaves. It means not having to work in the dark because sunset is no longer at 4:30pm. It means not having to deal with snowstorms. It means not having to wear a dozen layers to stay warm.

Of course, there are unknown variables such as whether Rockland Community College will be our venue again (last report was positive). In the meantime I am going to imagine us putting on a great race in shorts and t-shirts.... although I am hoping for mud

On to other races on the Calendar:

Charm City has moved to September 19-20. This is another big move to a great race.

DCCX is 10/17-18

Really Rad is 10/31-11/1

Northampton is 11/7-8

NBX GP is 12/5-6

- missing from the list is HPCX which I assume is joining Nittany in running as a non-UCI event this year.

Other notable races (that we are unlikely to race):

Rochester has moved from early September to 9/26-27

Trek Cup and Waterloo world cup is 10/2-4

Jingle Cross is 10/9-10 (no longer a Worldcup event)

Pan-Am champs (in Arkansas) is 11/8

Check out the details here: https://www.cxmagazine.com/2020-2021-uci-cyclocross-race-schedule-and-calendar-released

Jules

Feb 01, 2020 at 12:25 AM

HUMUNGOUS news!

September sunset is 6:40-7:20pm
November sunset is 4:30-4:50pm

That's two more hours of time to race, which means more fields, more time for clinics and pre-riding, and more revenue for the race.

OBV it also means a UCI race early in the season when pros are hunting for points, when amateurs are less burned out and waaaay better conditions for volunteers.

Huge, huge news indeed.

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 02, 2020 at 07:29 AM

On our way to the UCI cyclocross worlds!! Couldn’t make yesterday’s race, but today we left early and should be able to see all 3 fields. MVDP is currently my son Adrian’s favorite rider. The event is a 2-hour train ride from my Fribourg home, made easier by a special family car which has a play area. Swiss trains... so much better than Amtrak and the LIRR.

Just checked weather conditions, and it looks like it will rain. Bring on the mud!!!

eloy

Feb 02, 2020 at 09:22 AM

awesome!! send photos

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 02, 2020 at 09:37 AM

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 02, 2020 at 09:55 AM

MUD!!!
jr men’s is about to begin

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 02, 2020 at 10:31 AM

It’s gonna be Sven’s kid.

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 02, 2020 at 12:10 PM

This mud is super thick and tacky

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 02, 2020 at 12:11 PM

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 02, 2020 at 01:28 PM

Race is about to start. The weather is getting shittier. Cold windy wet.

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 02, 2020 at 01:46 PM

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 02, 2020 at 02:24 PM

Jules

Feb 02, 2020 at 05:13 PM

NATHANIEL!!!!
killing it in the Tifosi dad category

eloy

Feb 02, 2020 at 06:05 PM

Katie!!!!!! so much awesome!!

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 02, 2020 at 09:09 PM

I have a little more to share, but won't be able to until tomorrow. As a freelancer, when work arrives, I have to focus on that. I'll write a little report and post a couple more photos. Stay tuned!

JohnOlsson

Feb 02, 2020 at 10:09 PM

Did I read CX world's are in Ireland this year ?

Mark Taylor

Feb 02, 2020 at 11:03 PM

Looks like the race was held in the only flat area of Switzerland
Chuffed for Pidcock and Alvarado

RichFreeman

Feb 03, 2020 at 04:04 AM

JohnOlsson said:

Did I read CX world's are in Ireland this year ?

Close. Belgium.

Jules

Feb 03, 2020 at 02:59 PM

Kinda weird nobody is mentioning how groundbreaking it is for a person of color to win CX worlds. Seems like that should be a bigger deal.

RobertMullen

Feb 03, 2020 at 03:06 PM

Jules said:

Kinda weird nobody is mentioning how groundbreaking it is for a person of color to win CX worlds. Seems like that should be a bigger deal.

Agreed! I've never heard any mention of it. Even racing at a high level seems like it would be significant, considering how homogenous pro cycling is.

and @JohnOlsson, not worlds but there is a world cup race in Ireland for the first time I believe.

Jules

Feb 03, 2020 at 03:12 PM

Considering the whole Sinterklaas thing, I have to say (again) how sad it is that cycling journalism is so weak.

eloy

Feb 03, 2020 at 03:55 PM

Dutch, yeah, but Alvarado is mega dominican republic represent. the last lap was insane. the cable cam shot that follows Worst and Alvarado from the flyover all the way to the finish is insane, both of them in the floor crying in total shock past the line was insane.

It was everything we love about bike racing, because cyclocross is everything you want cycling to be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58tLYTJLli0

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 03, 2020 at 04:14 PM

Hey guys

So I’m sure you’ve seen the race reports. Here’s what I experienced.

This was my second world championships. The first one I saw was in 1978 when I was 10 years old. Junior Worlds road race. That’s what got me hooked on this sport of ours. In that race was a young Greg LeMond, Ron Kiefel (aka ‘Wookiee’), and I think a Russian or Swiss kid won.

This race was much different. But the continuity was now I was the father with a son. But I’ve never been to a race like this before. The fans were insane. Small groups from countries- especially the Swiss, Dutch and Belgians- dresses in matching festive outfits, loudly cheering for their riders. And the mud. Holy shit doesn’t come close to the gravity sucking quality of the muck riders had to power through. Impressive. And the weather got worse as the day wore on. Cold, windy and wet.

I enjoyed visiting the USA area. There, riders were all together and helping each other out. Belgies and Dutchies came in their own trucks and vans and only had a jersey in common. Missed a chance at a Tim Johnson selfie, but his old boss Stu Thorne from Cannondale/cyclocrossworld remembered me from the other year at the World Cup in Bern. KFC was, as always, kind and gracious to listen to a fan and chat as she stood in the middle of a mud field watching the men’s race. I wish I’d seen that race. The women’s side of the sport is where it’s at. And Jules is right to point out how awesome it is that a woman of color won. She’s a huge talent.

The race itself was hard to see with a kid. Big crowds made it tough to find a good spot near the barriers. But we managed. Honestly, I enjoyed the ambiance and pre-race stuff as much, if not more. Seeing the riders practice. MVDP casually rolling past, or stopping a couple meters away. The race itself was a forgone conclusion. The boss rode away and that’s that. But Pidcock holding off the Belgies was great. That’s where the suspense was.

Overall, it was quite an experience. Next up are the road worlds this year, held even closer to my Fribourg home. That one I’m really looking forward to seeing.

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 03, 2020 at 04:17 PM

mugwump

Feb 03, 2020 at 04:42 PM

Is it a good thing or bad thing that there were so few starters in the World Championship CX races?

39 starters for the men. 34 for the women. 53 U23 Men. 30 U23 women. 66 Junior Men. 46 Junior women.

I know that realistically, only maybe the top ten or fewer have a shot at the win. But at the same time, it doesn't feel like a "world championship" if the world means 40 competitors and a third are from two countries.

Jim Feehan

Feb 03, 2020 at 05:01 PM

There’s going to be a World Cup in Dublin, though!

PatrickGrehan

Feb 03, 2020 at 05:54 PM

@Nathaniel Miller awesome report and pics from Worlds. Hopefully Adrian wasn’t too put off by the cold and wet. I’m envious that you can take a day trip to a world class CX race

eloy

Feb 03, 2020 at 11:08 PM

https://youtu.be/s4gWMMHrnwQ

Jim Feehan

Feb 05, 2020 at 12:55 PM

Went to MAC awards and party on Saturday in Philly and here is what I learned....
1. Mainstay Independent brewery is good if you are in area.
2. Spoke with Jeff Appletans who puts on Cooper River cx and he told me they had promoters meeting before party and came close to pulling plug on entire series next year.

3. The UCI moving Supercross and Charm City into early September dates caused many scheduling conflicts which essentially guarantee low turn outs if they didn’t move MAC races. So a an was hatched..details to be announced shortly but include-
4. Whirybird will be Labor Day weekend and likely to be 2 days.
5. Nittany goes non UCI in October.
6. Cooper River stays about where it has been in past.
7. HPCX will be one day non UCI.
8. Kutztown and Ludwig’s are likely to return but need to be formed up at this point.

Going to be critical that people support this series this year if they want to see it continue. That would include races that one doesn’t like because if they don’t get racers at all venues ( think Kutztown) they will lose those races and series as whole likely to collapse.

Big take away is that for cross folks September and half of October look like they may be super busy with drivable doubles in Whirybird, Supercross, Charm City, Rochester and Nittany on the cards.

Hup, Hup!

AndrewJohnson

Feb 10, 2020 at 08:05 PM

Just came across this pic, yes I am in it, but not as a Kissena...