First Cyclocross Race

davep123

I'm about to take part in my first cyclocross race in a few weeks time and I'm just asking for any advise or tips please.
Cheers

Monty Dog

Expect you must be down-under or is this a summer cross league? Best advise is to practise running dismounts and remounts - most cross courses have a couple of obstacles that you have to negotiate on foot and you can save literally yards by doing it quickly. Most cross courses are short circuits with lots of changes in direction, short steep banks and the aforementioned obstacles - do some specific training to simulate race conditions to give you some confidence and improve your bike handling skills.

davep123

Thanks for this. Yorkshire summer league races which will probably mean weather like January!!!

celbianchi

I did cross for the first time this winter after a number of years of road racing.
It was great fun, really relaxed atmosphere, an intense hour of effort.

Couple oif things I nioticed fin my first few.

1) Be prepared for the start, it is eyeballs out on the first lap as everyone attempts to get to the first bend/obstacle/gap iin the trees first. I
2) As Monty dog says - the technical skills save loads of time, I generally got away with it on fitness alone and developed my technical skllls each race. Being able to mount and dismount quickly is really helpful.
3) There is always someone to race against as the filed splits up after the first lap so you always (even if leading) have a number ahead of you to chase after.
4) Some of the real top boys will probably lap you at some stage, don't be disheartened (i had a few top 10's and got lapped by the top 3 or 4 in some races). It is ettiquette to let the front end of the race past you causing them as little disruption as possible.
5) Summer will probably be more like a 'dirt crit' than the ice andd thick mud of winter, so think about tyre choice and more importantly pressure. In the winter, those racing tubs can get away with very low pressures which help grip.
6) Try and incorporate some 'off road' practivce into your training. I had never ridden off road before cross (not even mucking about on an MTB), get used to riding over tree roots etc.

MikeWW

Try and get some interval sessions in beforehand. It really is pretty intensive bursts and you need to be able to recover quickly in the parts of the course that allow it

GiantMike

Head down, balls out and make sure you have fun.

Make sure you listen for the last lap bell.