Non-O' event report -- US Cyclocross Champs

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I spent some time watching the US Cyclocross Champs yesterday. The event was at Stoll Park in Overland Park. The park is just south of Johnson County Community College.

Cyclocross looks like a strange -- but fun -- sport. The course looped around the park. Most of the course was on snow-covered grass. Each lap included a few streches of icy pavement. There were a couple of spots where the riders had to get off thier bikes and carry them over low barriers. The races consisted of several laps of a course that took about 8-9 minutes per lap.

The riders didn't seem like wimps. The conditions were gruesome -- about 10 degrees and windy.

I have no idea how the riders managed to get around the course without crashing. There were a few crashes, but not many. The top riders were not only going around the course and staying up right, they were pushing the pace.

The event was well designed for spectators. You could watch riders on most of the course from the start-finish area. There was a very enthusiastic PA announcer to keep you informed. If the weather conditions had been better, I'd bet there would have been several hundred spectators. Even with the cold conditions, there were a lot of people watching.

I found it interesting that a lot of the riders did their warm-ups on stationary trainers. I guess it makes sense. They can warm up without risking a crash on the ice or being out in the cold wind.

I was disappointed to see that the riders left a bit of trash. When the riders took off from the start, they left behind a dozen or so empty packets of "gu" on the pavement. Hopefully, the organizers cleaned it up.

Steve Tilford (who has orienteered a little bit) was looking good. I left before the race was over. When I left, he was in a small group of riders in 4th through 8th place.

As I was watching the race, I wondered what makes something a cyclocross race rather than a mountain bike race. Any of the OK-cyclists know the answer?

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), December 17, 2000

Answers

Cyclocross is done on 'road' bikes, rather than the mountain bikes. Gene can tell us more about the race in Martin Park near Lawrence back in the late 70's. Of course, mountain bikes didn't exist then. I still recall how Kris Tilford (Steve's older brother) put decals on his bike just before the race saying "Kris Kross". And he also put decals down the seat tube to remind himself of how he would feel if he had to change a flat... "F--- This"!

While Steve dominated the cyclo cross scene in the following years, there was also an American, whose name escapes me now, who was able to jump all the obstacles with a 3 foot plus vertical jump on the bike!

-- Fritz (fpmenninger@hotmail.com), December 18, 2000.


For photos and more check out:

http://www.cyclocrossworld.com/events/2000/12_2000_nationals/index.htm l

-- Michael (mike_eglinski@kcmo.org), December 18, 2000.


Cyclocross isn't done on road bikes, it's done on cyclocross bikes (naturally). Kind of like, road bike = running shoe, mountain bike = hiking boot, cyclocross bike = O-shoe. Slightly wider tires than a road bike, with knobby things on them. But much lighter than a mountain bike, because you're constantly jumping off and lifting/carrying the bike. It has to get pretty hairy before a mountain bike is advantageous.

Interesting to see a mention of Kris Tilford. I've never met him, but I'm currently involved in an email discussion with him about some technical cycling effluvia.

-- J-J (jjcote@juno.com), December 20, 2000.


Didn't a picture of Gene in a cyclocross race make the cover of a bicycle magazine? It would have been long ago (pre-O' days I'd guess).

-- Michael (mike_eglinski@kcmo.org), December 21, 2000.

Kris? Technical effluvia? Sounds like he's alive and well! Send him my address, would you J-J? He's the one who got me interested in orienteering. First meet was Clinton in 1979.

-- Fritz (fpmenninger@hotmail.com), December 22, 2000.


"Technical Effluvia"? According to my dictionary, effluvia is (1) and invisible emanation...an offensive exhalation or smell, (2) a by- product...in the form of waste.

-- Michael (mike_eglinski@kcmo.org), December 22, 2000.

That would be definition #2, I think.

-- J-J (jjcote@juno.com), December 27, 2000.

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