Jules said:

Adam Myerson's CX clinic is running for two days this August. Only 7 spots left.

https://www.bikereg.com/cycle-smart-cyclocross-camp

Remy Forgues said:

How do you think the cyclocross season will look? I still haven't seen anything posted on Bikereg. Any rumor?

eloy said:

Remy Forgues said:

How do you think the cyclocross season will look? I still haven't seen anything posted on Bikereg. Any rumor?

https://forum-archive.kissenacycling.com/discussion/794-p153.html#Comment_112843

AndrewJohnson said:

TomWasko said:

AndrewJohnson said:

Is that a STI I spy?

AndrewJohnson said:

You got a keen eye.... 2007.

Cross is Coming!

Date addendum:

• Sun Aug 15 Farmer's Daughter Gravel Grinder
• Sat Aug 21 L&C (Road Race)
• Sat Aug 28 Dave Jordan (Road Race)
• Sun Aug 29 Kissena Cross Clinic
• Sun Sept 12 Whirlybird 'Cross
• Sun Sept 19 Newton Cyclocross
• Sun Sept 26 Nitanny Lion Cross
• Sat/Sun Oct 2 & 3 Charm City

• Sun Oct 10 Crossasaurus Awesome
• Sun Oct 17 HPCX
• Sun Oct 24 Cooper River Cross
• Sun Oct 31 NYC PLACEHOLDER FIRAH
• Sat/Sun Nov 6 & 7 Cycle Smart International
• Sat Nov 13 Rainey Park Cyclocross
• Sat/Sun Nov 13 & 14 Really Rad Festival of Cyclocross
• Sat Nov 27 Bishops Orchards Cyclocross
• Sat/Sun Dec 4 & 5 NBX

• DEC 7 to 20th CHICAGO NATIONALS
• JAN 28 to 30 CYCLOCROSS WORLDS!!!!!

• Bubblecross 9/19
• Game Creek CX 10/3: https://www.bikereg.com/game-creek-cross
• HPCX 10/17 (State Championships)
• Cooper River Cross 10/24: https://www.bikereg.com/crcx
• Sussex CX 11/7/or 11/14

Some thoughts on honing your cyclocross skills

I’ve been reflecting on how to get skills/technique sharpened for cross season and wanted to share  some of my thoughts.  Cyclocross can be fun even if you don’t practice the following skills, but in my experience, I’ve found races most rewarding when I’ve been able to master technically challenging courses. 

The elite racers will practice skills a thousand times. They start slow, fixing any technical flaws, and gradually speed up until they can reliably execute the skill at race pace when fatigued. The more you can do this the better, but for us amateurs, I’d recommend you plan on one or two skills sessions a week to work on these skills. 

Here is a broad outline of skills to work on during the cx season. We will cover these skills at the skills clinic on the 29th. 

1. Starts: cross races start with a sprint. Being able to clip in and get up to speed rapidly can make a huge difference. Have your hands on the hoods and one leg down. Either sit on the saddle or stand over your top tube (try both and see what works best for you and stick to it). Good form generally includes having the clipped in foot just past the 12 o’clock position for maximum leverage. By keeping the cranks in the same position every time you develop the muscle memory to clip in your pedal rapidly the same place every time.  You can practice starts at every red light. It’s not necessary that you go all out every time you practice. The goal is to get the mechanics to become automatic. 
2. Mounts, dismounts and shouldering: There are usually one or two dismounts per lap. Being able to do so quickly and smoothly can save you time. I could write a book on proper technique, but this is a skill best learned in person. Check out Jeremy powers video for a good tutorial: https://youtu.be/SGwIXKSaBac Note that it’s helpful to work on the remount at a walking pace where you throw your right thigh over the saddle much like a layup in basketball. Again, easier for me to demonstrate than to describe in words.
3. Cornering is a vitally important skill to practice as most courses will have Lots of turns. You want to practice cornering in a range of different terrains (grass, dirt, mud, sand, etc.) and situations (hills, off camber, tight and slow, fast and wide, etc.).  Setting up a figure eight in the grass with two soccer cones allows you to practice turns just about anywhere. Experiment with changing the radius and speed of the turn so you can figure out what is fastest in different situations. You can even play with tire pressure to get a feel for how your bike handles with different pressures. 
4. The last skills topic is a broad one: managing obstacles. Planks and stairs can either be managed with dismounts and remounts or learning to jump/ride them. You also want to practice riding in sand and mud as well as over roots, in ruts, etc. Too many specific techniques to address here although it often involves lifting/un-weighing the front wheel to roll over obstacles. Run ups are another common feature that usually are dependent on dismounting before you lose momentum. 

Lots to practice here. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Work on a little bit at a time and practice regularly and your skills will allow you to get the most out of races.