Hello cyclocross friends! We are well into the heart of the cyclocross season. The UCI C1s have all been raced in North America and Pan Am Championships, a season goal for many elite racers, is next week.
The conversation around a national series continues to dominate the discussion of US cyclocross along with the impact of the proposed World Cup calendar. I have some thoughts on those issues and a few others and put that out there in the latest Cyclocross Radio.
As I say in the episode, my stance on many of these issues are not set in stone. The thinking is fluid and the conversation is one that continues to evolve. I will say that I’ve moved away from looking at European cyclocross as the “next level” for US cyclocross. More and more I’m convinced they are completely different animals. Like NASCAR and F1. You can enjoy both, but they are different.
The idea around these Cat 5 episodes is that they don’t go longer than 35 minutes. The race length of a typical Cat 5 cyclocross race. Came in under the time limit on this one …
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cyclocross-radio/id1037733996
Google Play: play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Igb3slxxbttvevhe47nqfjvrxoa
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/0lgHZo1YOlby7593hBWHbx?si=239EOTPTQsGuX_jbC9U6PQ
Direct Download: traffic.libsyn.com/crosshairsradio/Cyclocross_Radio_ep_164.mp3
Cyclocross Radio RSS Feed: crosshairsradio.wideanglepodium.libsynpro.com/rss
Have you been following the Voler Apparel CX Heat Check Power Rankings? We are through nine episodes and the algorithm is working overtime. See where your favorite North American racers stacked up coming in to this past season before the new rankings are released on Thursday.
What is great and unique about US cross is the way it is a participation sport and has led the way in moving to achieve equality in the sport, which you have reminded us of in this great show. Cross is too centred on Belgium and there needs to be more done to make the sport more international. Yes, there need to be more opportunities for racing and being able to earn a living in the US but US cross should not become isolationist. What makes a good cross rider is not different in Belgium or the US and surely riders will want to be able to compete with the best riders in the world whether those riders are riding (and perhaps hopefully increasingly in the future) in the US, Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland, the Czech Republic or anywhere. There is something so exiting and even magical seeing riders from different nationalities lining up (and wanting to line up) with the best riders in the world whether its at a World Cup or at another event.