As soon as the Tour is over, I start hearing the words cyclo-cross more and more everyday. I’m not sure when this started, but there is no question that cyclo-x is on people’s minds in the heat of July summer. I even got an email invitation to a cross race in Michigan this morning.
Yesterday there was a cyclo-cross race in Utah. It is sponsored by Raleigh Bicycles and the winner of both the men’s and women’s races gets a full Raleigh sponsorship for the 2012-13 cyclo-cross season. That’s right, all expenses paid to travel to all UCI cyclo-x races for a season. Pretty good prize, huh?
The twist on the story is the riders who were vying for the deal. Officially, Nicole Duke, who was 2nd at last year’s Nationals in Madison won the women’s race. And the men’s position might go to Jonathan Page, who finished 3rd and needs no introduction to cyclo-x fans. He has won Nationals mutiple times and finished 2nd at the World Championships 5 years ago. Here are the results from last night’s event in Deer Valley, Utah.
Wow, what is the matter with the sponsorship side of the sport? Nicole Duke is on about every podium at every race she does. And Jonathan is going to be based in the US this season instead of Belgium, probably because Worlds are in Louisville. If our sport can’t come up with enough sponsorship money to support these two riders, then something is wrong with the system.
I think it is great of Raleigh to do this unique form of sponsorship. I’m not sure this was their intention. They probably should have just went and hired both Nichol and Jonathan. It is always better when a rider feels wanted.
Anyway, the cross season is not anywhere close to anyone’s mind here in Kansas. 104 degrees is the forecast for today. With the most important events being the Nationals in Madison and World’s in Louisville, the season gets extremely long if you start racing in August. But, it’s not too early to at least start thinking about cross a bit. At least that seems to be the norm nowadays.
Ive spent the last 4 months of road season training through for cross. Should be a good one this year.
My 2 cents, cross needs to be an Olympic sport before we see better money for it. The IOC will have a hard time slotting cross into the summer games, thus promoters should stop with these summer races and start re-focusing as a winter sport. Here in the states it seems after Nats the racing nearly dries up, the racing needs to start later, and go on into Jan-Feb instead of starting in Aug-Sep competing with road/mtb races. Cross is arguably the fastest growing aspect of bicycle racing in the US, imagine the kind of money pumped into it if it were to become an Olympic (winter) sport.
You should make the trip to Michigan for the race. Bring some friends as well. Ithaca is a great venue, grassroots event, stellar promoter (are racer).
That should be “and racer” in above post.
Current IOC rules say a Winter Games sport must be played on either snow or ice. Not likely if the CX season starts in August. There may be snow later in the season, but the vast majority of races are held on dirt. CX could try for Summer Games, but with recent addition of BMX, not likely. How about barriers on the velodrome?
Maybe IOC should change the rules. I guess anywhere from $10M to $100M in bribes should do it. But anyway, it’s not the Snow and Ice Olympics. It’s not even the “Sports traditionally held in winter in countries where white people come from Olypmics”. (Well, maybe it is, but ignore that.) It’s the *Winter* Olympics, so interpreting that to include sports traditionally held during colder months seems well within reason. Besides, all the skiing and ice skating just gets boring after a while, and CX might make good TV.
steve, where is that picture from?
Thomas-I think it is of a cross race in 1931.
Are you in the photo Steve? 🙂
Cross racing is for the fall it is summer and time for Mountain Bike Racing,, and maybe a Road event here or there..
Road racing eschews the elements.
Mountain biking tolerates the elements.
Cyclocross EMBRACES the elements.
Cross in the summer and early fall is like a pastrami sandwich with mayonnaise.
1931 Foto, Crossrace and Soccergame at the same time….great for spectators watching 2 events…France or Belgian ? Cool!
Pretty steep uphill…todays guys would probably roll backwards …would be a cool sight to see…
J. Page appears to be looking to the season. He is rolling around superweek collecting top 5’s and 10’s as he looks to gain fitness.