The Big Picture: Jingle Cross World Cup

The Iowa City Jingle Cross World Cup course is legit. Muddy conditions, big climbs, fast descents, technical off-camber sections … Johnson County could be plopped down in the middle of Belgium and not be out of place. The number of exciting features on the course meant the crowd was spread out over the entire venue, so if it looked like the crowds weren’t huge on television, it was only because there was too much good stuff to see. Along those same lines, Iowans know how to have a good time. That was some fun good-natured spectating.

It was great to have the European riders in the U.S. to get a glimpse of how far we’ve come with American cyclocross. Hopefully next year, we get even bigger international fields … especially on the women’s side.

Speaking of U.S. riders, it was awesome seeing Katie Compton back on the top step. I knew she’d be back and to do it in the U.S. in front of a home team crowd was the best. If you missed the earlier post, here’s a quick interview with Katie.

Also, amazing to see the continued growth of Stephen Hyde. He keeps moving up the ladder and made a big jump yesterday with a top 10 finish in a World Cup event. Some words and video from Stephen are here:

A video posted by In The Crosshairs (@cxhairs) on

And finally, it’s been great having Ethan Glading along to capture the action. Here’s his gallery from yesterday’s World Cup action.

Jingle Cross World Cup
Sanne Cant, Caroline Mani and Eva Lechner front and center on the start line. © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
The pack is off for lap one. For a few hundred meters at least, the course is dry and dusty.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
The crowd starts to fill in as the riders descend off Mt. Krumpit. Final numbers were not available at the end of the races but the crowd was estimated at 10,000.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Katie Antonneau passes Ellen Van Loy near the end of lap one. Antonneau finished on the podium in 3rd place. Van Loy struggled badly with the hot humid conditions but still managed a 14th place finish.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Ellen Noble on the stair fly-over. Noble ended up in 5th place.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Jena Greaser on the suitcases up the stair fly-over. Greaser finished in 23rd place.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Katie Compton descends off Mt Krumpit.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Eventual 2nd place finisher Caroline Mani descends off Mt. Krumpit.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Amanda Nauman descends off Mt. Krumpit.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Emily Kachorek tackles the short climb of Mt. Krumpit. The berg was tackled two and half times per lap on the World Cup course.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Italian champion Eva Lechner.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Countenay McFadden atop Mt. Krumpit. McFadden finished 12th.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Katie Compton wins 18 seconds ahead of Caroline Mani.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Loes Sels cools off after the finish.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
The women’s podium of Katie Antonneau, Caroline Mani and Katie Compton.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Katie Compton stands atop the podium as the national anthem is played.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Wout Van Aert looking focused on the start line.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
The race for the hole shot.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Daan Soete remounts as the riders make their way up the Mt. Krumpit run-up.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Stephen Hyde shoulders his bike up the run-up. Hyde rode well to grab a top-10 finish.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
When you are left handed you try to sit to your neighbor’s left at the dinner table.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Kevin Pauwels on the descent off Mt. Krumpit. Pauwels finished in 2nd place.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
A supporter sprays Jonathan Page with water.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Wout Van Aert on the Mt. Krumput run-up.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Michael Vanthourenout at the bottom of the back-side Mt. Krumpit descent.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Ian Field of Great Britain. Field finished in 11th place.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Thijs Van Amerongen descends off the back side of Mt. Krumpit.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Eventual 3rd place finisher Laurens Sweeck exits the sand pit.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Michael Van den Ham. The Canadian has been riding well in the early part of the season.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Anthony Clark. Clark rode well and narrowly missed a top-25 result.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Jeremy Powers hopping the barriers. Powers struggled mightily in the heat and appeared to still be feeling the effects of his crashes in Wisconsin.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Wout Van Aert begins the final lap of the race well off the front.  © 2016 Ethan Glading
Jingle Cross World Cup
Van Aert makes it two out of two for the U.S. World Cups.  © 2016 Ethan Glading

This content and everything that follows for the next week or so is made possible by the amazing support of Orange Seal. Along with our other above-and-beyond sponsors: Easton Cycling, SDG Components, Verge Sport, Feedback Sports and Squid Bikes. As always, please click on the links, throw a tweet their way, etc. You guys know the drill.

This is all part of the ITCH Tour.

Thanks for following along.

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