Cyclo-cross

I have started a new type of cycling now which is called cyclocross. From the outside it looks like road racing in mud, but it is a truly unique style of racing – lung-busting intensity and incredible bike-handling are the key components. Oh! and another difference is that their are sections where you are supposed to get of the bike and push or carry it over obstacles.

Cyclocross with a mountain bike

So far I haven’t done so well at it but then again I’m just about the only rider riding with a mountain bike with fat tyres – not really right bike, but its all I’ve got. I did my first cyclocross race two weeks ago where I finished 40/96 in the senior men category and 3rd out of the juniors.  The course was a good beginning for me, because it wasn’t slippery and it was a nice day too. The second race was quite different though – it was raining all day and the course quickly changed from a grassy field to a muddy racetrack as we raced on it getting plastered with mud every second we were racing. This made the race very quite challenging because there were several steep climbs along the course which became harder and harder to climb as the race went on.  In this race, I started right at the back but made my way up to 44th out of 83 finishers (6th out of the juniors). I struggled a bit with all the mud and rain everywhere including in my eyes and mouth but i kept going on.

My overall position in the Welsh Cyclocross league is now 29th and 3rd in the junior category. Unfortunately I am missing a race this weekend because its quite far to go to and also next week because I don’t have a means of transport, so my overall ranking will go down quite a bit.  So far its not so bad for my first cyclocross season.