What is the deal with Cross?

frenchfighter

So everytime I check Cycling news, anything related to Cross only ever has a mention of Nys and Stybar. How so? How boring it must be when there are only two competitors who can win most times.

Interesting that Boom turns up at a cross race and is leading it until he has a bad crash. They must make them better out on the road...

frenchfighter

Another thing - do they have new kit after every race because it is so dirty? Or does it wash off easily?

rick_chasey

There's a reason cyclo-cross is only really considered a proper sport in Flanders and South Holland, where they're the only proper cycling nuts anyway....


Nys, Stybar are the only big names in cyclo-cross beyond Boom, and Boom's mainly got big profile now that he's shows he's got some mettle on the road.

Richj

Niels Albert has had success this season too, Kevin Pauwels has had a few good solid results.

Although conditions have a huge impact the fact that the races are always around the hour mark means the sport is tailored to a particular type of rider. Imagine if road racing was one day classics, you'd complain only Boonan or Cancellara were winning.

I always see it as an extension to cycling anyway. Be interesting to see hoe Stybar gets on if he signs for Quickstep.

rick_chasey

Richj wrote:

Niels Albert has had success this season too, Kevin Pauwels has had a few good solid results.

Although conditions have a huge impact the fact that the races are always around the hour mark means the sport is tailored to a particular type of rider. Imagine if road racing was one day classics, you'd complain only Boonan or Cancellara were winning.
.

Well, I probably wouldn't but I get what you're saying! :P

andyp

Boom started out as a cross rider, later switching focus to the road.

Have you ever watched a cross race, FF? It's definitely not boring.

frenchfighter

Yep, know about Boom. No have never watched a cross race; a couple of YT clips is all. 'Boring' with regard only a couple of contenders. Imagine a road race with one of only 10 (multiply it some due to larger fields) riders that are almost certainly going to take the win.

Jez mon

Ever watch one of the latter lance tours...now those were some boring races (from a GC winner POV)!

They would have been far more exciting if some one had been able to mount a serious challenge to Lance's crown! At least in cross there are apparently two riders who actually win..whereas for the most part in the Lance vs. Jan battles the result seemed a forgone conclusion...

afx237vi

frenchfighter wrote:

Yep, know about Boom. No have never watched a cross race; a couple of YT clips is all. 'Boring' with regard only a couple of contenders. Imagine a road race with one of only 10 (multiply it some due to larger fields) riders that are almost certainly going to take the win.

You've just described the GC of a grand tour, only the number of possible winners is usually far less than 10.

campagone

I know its Belgian orientated but how come Eurosport dont show it?
Watching online with Belgian comentary just doesn't work for me, and the lack of info like who's first,second and third and timings etc I often have it on but just can't stay glued to it. Shame really because I much prefer it to track racing.

AndyRubio

I so wish Eurosport would show it. It's very TV-friendly.

andyrac

campagone wrote:

I know its Belgian orientated but how come Eurosport dont show it?
Watching online with Belgian comentary just doesn't work for me, and the lack of info like who's first,second and third and timings etc I often have it on but just can't stay glued to it. Shame really because I much prefer it to track racing.

Good point, same here, my Flemish ain't too good, so can't understand anything.

I've always thought they should have a section on Tarmac, then go off-road to make it properly cross, like in Rallycross.....

Anonymous

Always good to while away a couple of hours on the turbo -

http://www.youtube.com/user/cyclocrosschannel

rick_chasey

AndyRAC wrote:

Good point, same here, my Dutch ain't too good, so can't understand anything.

CTFY.

FJS

Rick Chasey wrote:

Nys, Stybar are the only big names in cyclo-cross beyond Boom, and Boom's mainly got big profile now that he's shows he's got some mettle on the road.

frenchfighter wrote:

So everytime I check Cycling news, anything related to Cross only ever has a mention of Nys and Stybar. How so? How boring it must be when there are only two competitors who can win most times....

Sorry, but this is pure rubbish. There are just as many big names in cross as in most other sports. For most Brits road cycling has only a couple of big names because all they ever read about is Cavendish, Wiggins, Contador and Armstrong.

Nys, Albert, Wellens, Stybar, Pauwels, Vantourenhout, Simunek, Aernouts, etc are all household names in Flanders. If you don't know them that's because you don't take an interest in cross, not because cross has somehow inherently fewer 'big names'.
(yes, in cross there is a small list of riders winning most of the big races, but that's the case with thee biggest races in road racing too).

Kléber

You get phases for a few weeks when one rider wins, then another guy takes over and so on. Conditions can play a part, some riders like mud, sand or ice and their tyre sponsor influences this too.

It was invented as a way to keep fit in the winter and has become a sport in its own right. There is talk of bringing it into the Winter Olympics at some point... but apparently cycling has to remove a medal from the games if it wants to award one in winter and there are concerns over participation in that only a few countries really get serious about the sport. Although that is true for ski jumping or curling too.

DaveyL

Always worth a repeat viewing due to the comedy commentary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9_Fs1QtsOY

Monty Dog

You can get live feeds to the races through Sporza.be - whilst it would appear that the races may be boring with the same few protagonists at the end, it's often high-quality racing with the lead changing many times and usually the victor not decided until the last lap. Watch some of the races on Crosstube.net if you want to see some quality racing. If you race cross you'll also appreciate the technical skills of these guys - the speed that they go at in some conditions is incredible. There's also been a big growth in cross in the US and over here because it's accessible and good fun, because even for beginners, being shelled-out on the first lap doesn't mean the race is over.

frenchfighter

Maybe I will check some out. Leaves me a little cold though. Too dirty for my liking also.

Garry H

frenchfighter wrote:

Maybe I will check some out. Leaves me a little cold though. Too dirty for my liking also.

Take it you mean 'dirty' in the literal sense...