Impressions: cyclo-cross
Day 1,503, 10:59
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Published in Belgium 
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by
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by Cooke4444
On 30/12/2011, a new cyclo-cross was born: Leuven. An impression of how a cyclo-cross is like from the side of the track.
Arriving just before the start of the juniors, the smell of hot-dogs and hamburgers welcomed me. And don't forget the many shops. Every team has one, some riders like Sven Nys have their own. Not cheap though.
If you come early, you can easily spot the best places to watch the race of the pro's. Some parts of the track are just not good enough to stay: a fast piece of land, no mud and trees blocking your way as an example.
What did I learn from the juniors? Well, some are already quite professional: people for the pit lane, expensive bikes, sponsors,... Others just ride for fun. A lot of these riders will fail to become a pro. Very amusing to watch though, as you can clearly see the different techniques which will be crucial in the pro's race.
The women's race must have been boring to watch on TV, as Marianne Vos was after only one lap way in front of the rest of the field. But if you stood on the side, it was just beautiful to watch how she raced over very difficult surfaces. A clear contrast with the very young participants with no experience, who had sometimes problems with their bikes and so fell in the deep mud. Also a large number of 40+ women, not the women with the most power, but with a lot of technical knowledge.
As the pro's race started, the side of the track was filled with (drunk) people. Drunk people are sometimes a problem for the riders, but apparently not today.
The race itself was boring for a TV-viewer, but if you stand their and hear the people shouting, it's just magic. The suspense increases and no rider is left unsupported. An interesting experience, even if you don't like cycling.
Arriving just before the start of the juniors, the smell of hot-dogs and hamburgers welcomed me. And don't forget the many shops. Every team has one, some riders like Sven Nys have their own. Not cheap though.
If you come early, you can easily spot the best places to watch the race of the pro's. Some parts of the track are just not good enough to stay: a fast piece of land, no mud and trees blocking your way as an example.
What did I learn from the juniors? Well, some are already quite professional: people for the pit lane, expensive bikes, sponsors,... Others just ride for fun. A lot of these riders will fail to become a pro. Very amusing to watch though, as you can clearly see the different techniques which will be crucial in the pro's race.
The women's race must have been boring to watch on TV, as Marianne Vos was after only one lap way in front of the rest of the field. But if you stood on the side, it was just beautiful to watch how she raced over very difficult surfaces. A clear contrast with the very young participants with no experience, who had sometimes problems with their bikes and so fell in the deep mud. Also a large number of 40+ women, not the women with the most power, but with a lot of technical knowledge.
As the pro's race started, the side of the track was filled with (drunk) people. Drunk people are sometimes a problem for the riders, but apparently not today.
The race itself was boring for a TV-viewer, but if you stand their and hear the people shouting, it's just magic. The suspense increases and no rider is left unsupported. An interesting experience, even if you don't like cycling.
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