Dr. Angelina Stevens
I might be the only cyclist still avidly riding my cyclocross bike in the middle of summer. While the season is long over, I can’t up the freedom of riding on roads, trails, and dirt all on the same bike! You could call me a fanatic!
Five years ago, my brother and I came across this sport that originated in Europe and have been in love with it ever since. ‘Cross, as it is affectionately called, became very popular in Belgium, The Netherlands, and Czech Republic when many avid cyclists refused to quit riding when the onset of colder weather would typically put an end to their racing season. The sport soon evolved into racing in the snow, ice and wet conditions where adjustments had to be made to the road bike to survive. Light weight road bike frames were combined with drops and skinny, but knobby tires, to create the ‘cross bike.
While still popular in Europe, cyclocross is taking off here in the states. In fact, North Carolina has two great series set to take place this fall and winter. As the sport increases in popularity here in our own backyard, so does the opportunity for first-comers to get a taste for the race. Cyclocross events are broken down into individual races for riders of various abilities, including first-timers.
Race courses consist of laps done around a fast course with varying barrier dismounts, forced sloping run-ups, sand pits, hill climbs, log jumps and paved sections. It’s a lot of action and intensity with bursts of running, jumping, and running while shouldering or carrying your bike. With races lasting from 30 minutes up to 1 hour for Elite categories, athletes need to be prepared physically. Practice all of these maneuvers and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, is the best training routine.
As with all types of races, the proper gear is a must! Use an off-road bike, either mountain bike or cyclocross-specific bike which is usually lighter and much faster. Good flexible mountain bike shoes are great for spurts of running and hopping over multiple barriers.
If you’re ready to get started in cyclocross, NOW is the best time to start training as the series start in early October. Check future issues of Endurance Magazine for the soon-to-be-released cyclocross race schedule.
Cheers to a creating an ecstatic racing experience and hopefully many new cyclocross Junkies!
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Dr. Angelina V. Stevens, D.C., owns holistic chiropractic and acupuncture centers in Durham and Chapel Hill. She is passionate about healing the body naturally without the use of drugs or surgery and by finding the true causes of pain and illness. As a triathlete, Dr. Angelina has competed in world class events and has represented the U.S. as a triathlete on Team USA 2001. She currently competes as an elite cyclocross racer and can be reached at http://www.stevenswellness.com/.
