A few days ago, a message popped up in our CXM mailbox: “Last cyclocross season we attended an International Cyclo-cross event in Belgium, Ronse, and we got overwhelmed by this exiting discipline. We decided to organize the first ever cyclocross event in China, in Yanqing, Beijing, on Saturday, September 21, 2013.”
Thus the 2013 Qiansen Trophy UCI Cyclocross Event was created.
The biggest cx barrier ever? The Great Wall in Badaling, Yanqing, China. © Vin Crosbie on flickr
The event, a C2 UCI race, is slowly filling up with some of the world’s top racers, and they’re looking for more. The promoters, Dalian Qiansen Sports Facilities Engineering Co., are looking for Elite racers to participate, and for this first year, are willing to pay for not only lodging near the course, but airfare as well.
The biggest challenge for interested racers? It’s just three days after CrossVegas, with a long flight in a direction that will have you lose almost a day due to time zone differences. But after your podium ceremony at CrossVegas, you could still hit the clubs for a short appearance at an Interbike party, and hop on an early morning flight and still make the race. The promoter’s recommended departure date is September 17, but there is some flexibility to accommodate the UCI C1 race in Vegas.
Cyclocross isn’t new to Asia. Powers takes the last win of the season at Tokyo. © CX Tokyo/Kei Tsuji
While this is the first cyclocross race in China, cyclocross has been popping up in places outside of the US and Europe for quite some time. The Dirty Deeds series in Australia has been steadily growing over the years, Jeremy Powers took the win in a race in Tokyo back in February, and we’ve been keeping an eye on the scene in Japan since our feature on Japan cyclocross back in Issue 16. This race in China is a chance for Elite riders to spread cyclocross culture, win some serious prize money, and experience what could be the start of the next big ’cross scene. Our better yet, a chance to experience and enjoy a foreign culture while getting an early-season race in.
The promoters will consider funding the trip for two racers per team, and have told Cyclocross Magazine they plan to pay triple the mandated UCI C2 payouts for men [Update: now triple for women as well], giving some men quite a nice pay day.
If chosen, riders will receive:
- Flight ticket (return flight ticket) – economy class – Bearing in mind the following: leaving on Tuesday 17 according to your conveniences and returning from Beijing on Sunday 22
- Hotel Accommodation during your stay
- Food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) will be provided during your stay
- A shuttle pick-up from Beijing airport to the hotel and a return service will be provided
- Class 2 prize money will be tripled for Men Elite and Women as per regular UCI financial obligations
- Per 2 riders, you can bring 1 staff member in order to support your riders
Cyclocross Magazine has no connection to the promoters and has no financial incentive to help the race, but in the interest of helping our sport expand its boundaries, we’re helping the promoter gather interested rider names.
Interested in being part of cyclocross history? Fill out this form, also embedded below.
