The 2020 Cyclocross World Championships track has come under fire for not offering a challenge to the top athletes who will compete this weekend. It’s Switzerland! The Alps are the backdrop to the race. How can you come to Switzerland and have a pancake-flat race? Is this someone’s cruel joke?
I don’t know. But what I do know is that I’m holding out hope we may still get some fun racing once the weather rolls in for the weekend. But on first glance, this Cyclocross Worlds, which is situated at a predominantly flat air base in Dubendorf, Switzerland, is not going to take anyone’s breath away. The track is as advertised: not that exciting.
Looking at the cyclocross glass as half-full, however, the organizers did do a nice job with what they had and the races should offer a hefty challenge for participants once things get muddied up.
There are a few berm sections that add a nice challenge. the larger berm in the northwest corner of the track is a challenge to get up when dry and will be even more of a challenge when muddy. The berms at the southeast corner of the track are not as challenging but may force a dismount.
To give the track some elevation FIVE flyovers have been added to the venue. They come in all shapes and sizes but mostly gigantic. Three of the flyovers are situated before pit one.
If you wanted to break the track into halves, the fast, flyover section is the first half and the natural feature techy section would be the second half. Of course it’s almost a course of thirds with at least a third of the course being the long straights that act as transitions between features.
Is it a boring track? I don’t know. My cyclocross rule of thumb is the racers make the race. You can have the most uninteresting track and the best racing. In the end, there’s nothing dangerous, here. And there’s nothing too gimmicky. I’m all for giving the organizers the benefit of the doubt that we will be in for some exciting racing. Especially if we get the promised rain. Suisse tractor pull at the airport. Don’t miss it.
Here’s the track walk:
