We spoke with Catherine Moore (Trek Cyclocross Collective) the 2015 Women’s 45-49 National Champion, this afternoon as she pre-rode the 2016 Cyclocross Nationals course at the Biltmore Estate with her husband and mechanic Ian Moore.
Thinking about the great racing to come this week has us thinking about the gear that folks will be riding on their way to the title. In Austin we saw some interesting bikes and some tried and trued set-ups that propelled their pilots to the podium’s top step.
Larry Miller took to the 2016 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championship course yesterday, and gave viewers a fine preview of Asheville’s Biltmore Estate cyclocross course …
Many cyclocross fans have been wondering what happened to Cannondale p/b Cyclocross World’s Ryan Trebon after he returned from last season’s injury and started off …
The National Championships has us thinking about past champions and future prospects. Someone that fits both bills, is 20-year old Logan Owen. The ten-time National Champion and reigning U23 title holder has elected to race the Elite Men’s race at this year’s championships.
Gabby Durrin has accepted a full time position as brand Marketing Executive for Neon Velo starting 2016. The role comes with a move back to the UK where both Gabby and Jeremy will work closely with Neon Velo brand at their Hertfordshire based headquarters.
“You still have to adapt though, because there’s no disputing any feature here, get over it or don’t ride. So why all the gushing about how different and difficult things are on this side of the pond? It goes back to the purpose of this camp: excellence.”
The EKZ Crosstour race was a muddy affair, making the course, covered in off camber stretches, a treacherous mess. Watch the full Elite Women’s and Elite Men’s races with English commentary here, and see the full results from Meilen, Switzerland.
Cold temperatures and bright sun greeted the racers at the fifth annual Kingsport Cyclocross Cup. Forty eight racers in the Elite Men’s event, and 31 Elite Women battled for the podium.
Behind THE Barriers may be gone, but Jeremy Powers and SRAM are bringing you The Book of Cross videos.
“On recovery days our rides are always super fun. Today for instance, we had planed to do just an hour of easy riding with some “openers” in the middle to get the legs ready for tomorrow’s Bpost in Baal. We were not even 5 minutes into the ride before there was already some sort of competition going on.”
Four-time cyclocross national champion, Zach McDonald will be finishing out the season racing with Alchemy Bicycles. McDonald will race the 2016 USA Cycling National Championships aboard Alchemy’s Balius carbon frame complete with a SRAM Force 1 drivetrain, Zipp cockpit, and Chris King headset.
“If, like me, you find yourself in a slump half-way through the season, take a break. Ride your mountain bike. Do something different. Put away the training log for a while. Remind yourself how much fun it is just to ride your bike.”
“I was heading into a long straight away with a lot of speed and could see the next group up the road. And as I turned the next corner, I see that the marshalls had opened the course crossing up, and a lone lady stood right in my path.”
There’s more cyclocross on the horizon including the 2016 Cyclocross National Championships and the World Championships at the end of January. But the end of the 2015 has us thinking back over the last 12 months and reflecting on those moments that had the cyclocross community talking.
“This was my very first trip to Europe to race. I had been here before to visit my Grandparents in Germany but I hadn’t done any riding while I was here. Today’s race was in Loenhout and it was a very good day for Team USA. We had four riders in the top ten, and the other members had strong rides too.”
If you didn’t walk away from this year’s SSCXWC in Victoria with a Speedo or tattoo, or simply are eyeing your first (or a new) singlespeed cyclocross bike, today’s New Product Spotlight is for you.
In the spirit of the holiday season, we’re going all the way back to the beginning of the month and this year’s Jingle Cross for Throwback Thursday. Time will tell if Jingle Cross is a World Cup race for the 2016/17 season. In the meantime, enjoy this look at this year’s race.
“We ride smooth as a group and everyone is socializing. On our way back towards the house we make a mandatory stop at the famous Coffee Mundo, located in the main square of Sittard. Following 9 or 10 lattes, Team USA rolls back to the lovely team house.”
Elite Women’s and Elite Men’s races and the U23 Men’s event are scheduled to be shown on-line. Also scheduled is the Youth Women category. Mirroring the new category on offer at the World Championships, the Youth Women’s category combines the Junior Women and U23 Women.
“The World Cup at Zolder was nothing but demanding, particularly the section with two very steep sand run ups followed by an even longer and steeper hill. That alone, could have done my legs in for a weekend, but I know this is why I am over here. To ask more of myself than I ever have.”
“Increased fitness from training is useless if it comes with increased fatigue as its price when you’re close to your goal event. Going into nationals, err on the side of rest to make sure you can put out a maximal effort on race day. Underfit and fresh is always better than fit and fatigued.”
While Belgian U23 riders took 8 of the top 10 spots at Azencross today, it was American rider Tobin Ortenblad, who we just heard from today with our rider diary series, who was the first to spoil the streak claiming eighth with two teammates joining him in the top 15.
Today’s sixth round of the Bpost Bank Trofee in Loenhout, Belgium was a break out performance of sorts for the American Junior Men. Continuing their streak of fine racing Spencer Petrov and Gage Hecht patrolled the front of the race.
“Four hundred meters of full sprint elbow to elbow, bar to bar at 35 mile per hour. I push through small holes trying to get an extra position, any advance at all. Riders yell and swerve, I protect my front wheel.”
The GiddyUp! Film Tour is bringing the best short-length mountain-bike films together and presenting them during the 2016 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships. It is a unique social event bringing riders together for an evening of cold beers, good conversation, killer schwag all benefiting the Amy D. Foundation.
“I focus my attention to my starting position, which is quite precarious. I have taken the rightmost spot in the third row, which means virtually nothing in Europe, as the rows blend together, each person half-wheeling the rider in front of them.”
Yesterday’s Elite Men’s race at Superprestige race in Diegem was an exciting, multiple-lead-change-filled race that shouldn’t be missed. In case our reports weren’t enough, or …
If you missed the broadcast of the World Cup in Zolder, don’t worry. There was a large number of American racers who took to the Zolder course this past Saturday and Bart Hazen was on hand to catch them and all the action. Enjoy these images from Bart.