Cyclocross more than a detour
The season came to a conclusion last Sunday when the national championships were held in Tollymore Forest Park, Co Down, with more than 200 riders battling across various categories, from elite men and women to Masters O60 riders.
That was a record number signing on to race a national championships, but nowhere near what has turned out to events in the four provinces since the season officially commenced in early September.
Once the preserve of road racers keen to keep the body in shape during the winter off-season, cyclocross now has its own identity.
It’s a discipline where riders race around a two-to-three-kilometre circuit, with terrain varying from muddy trails to grassland, woodland and sometimes tarmac. Suffice to say you’ll be caked in mud after the 50 or so minutes most races take to complete.
There are obstacles, such as hurdles and even steep slopes, which require one to shoulder bikes.
The aim is to complete as many laps as possible in the set time or before you are lapped by the leaders.
Each race differs, depending on the technical challenge it poses, but if you come across a tricky section you can dismount and run with your bike.
The winner of last Sunday’s elite event was Roger Aiken, who claimed his sixth title with a masterful display of skill and stamina. The tough Banbridge Cycling Club man is one of the best domestic road riders and, to him, cyclocross is almost a way of life, or it is for half the year, anyway.
“The national championships are on my mind since August,” he said after his latest triumph. “I love it, because it’s a winter sport and the races are short and exciting.
“Popularity in Ireland has increased, because of social media and more clubs are now promoting races and the whole family can race throughout the day,” he says.
Aiken is one of few Irish riders to win a stage of An Post Rás — the country’s biggest road race — and he even threatened the yellow jersey in 2013.
However, the endless hours of training required to compete, and the fact it’s not spectator-friendly, take drastically from it.
So what exactly is cyclocross?
Well, as its names suggests, it’s a cross between two disciplines: Mountain bikes and road bikes. The bikes resemble road racers, with lightweight frames and drop handlebars, but they are fitted with stubbed tyres for better grip and control. The riders also look like road cyclists, clad neck to ankle in Lycra.
The main difference with cyclocross, however, is the events take place on off-road terrain, which would normally be tackled on mountain bikes.
“I love ’cross, because it’s a short, hard effort and you don’t have to spend endless hours training for it,” said the winner of the women’s elite race last weekend, Rathfarnham woman Beth McCluskey, a senior technical officer of biomedical sciences in DIT.
“I’m an ex-competitive runner, so the effort is very similar to those races, which I used to love.
“The training sessions are sharp, interval-type efforts, which take less than an hour, so it’s ideal in the winter. I especially love the social side of the sport; everyone is really encouraging and it’s very non-elitist.
“The race is over short laps, so it’s very spectator-friendly. Every week, there are different technical challenges, from mud to sand, which keeps it interesting and entertaining. It’s actually just great craic!”
Richie Barry, a secondary-school teacher from Passage West in Cork, but now living in New Ross, is a ‘roadie’ at heart, but got bitten by the ’cross bug two years ago.
“Ultimately, I’m still a roadie, but that’s beginning to change,” Barry conceded. “Cycloross is super-competitive, but great fun at the same time. For a road rider, it keeps you sharp over the winter and improves your skill-level hugely. There is a great mix of fitness and skill, but using it simply training for the road is doing the sport an injustice.
“There is a real sense of occasion and a good atmosphere at every race, helped by it being really spectator-friendly, which motivates you to train hard to get results.”
This year there was a Munster CX League, which saw events all around the province, while in Leinster the Fixx SuperCross Cup regularly had 350 riders competing.
Up north, the sport’s spiritual home, events often cater for more than 400 competitors.
Two-time Olympian and 19-time national champion, Robin Seymour can take a lot of the credit for its popularity.
“It is so dynamic and so varied and you really get challenged by it. It’s safer than road racing, as you’ll fall on mud or grass instead of tarmac.
“It’s quite family-friendly and just very sociable. You can turn up, race and be home again by 2.30pm. Other races take all day and tend to be miles from anywhere.”
It’s not uncommon to receive a beer hand-up during races and themed races sometimes involve dressing up (Halloween is especially good for this).
While road racing is more for the shaved-leg, rail-thin wannabe, cyclocross is the care-free cousin. The culture is warm, welcoming, and friendly and new racers receive encouragement. There is a recognition by all those participating that the sport is, well, kind of crazy.
The seasonal discipline of choice for cyclists sees them on road racers with stubbed tyres tackling hurdles and slopes over all types of terrain, writes Brian Canty
