A Beginners Guide to Following Cyclocross Racing This Season

Why are they “running up that hill”? And everything else you need to know to keep up with the excitement and chaos of cyclocross. [View in Browser]( [Bicycling]( [SHOP]( [EXCLUSIVE]( [SUBSCRIBE]( Rosael Torres Davis Special Projects Editor Hi there, ! Rosael here, Bicycling’s Special Projects Editor. If you know me, you’ll know I’m not just a fan of riding bikes. I'm also a fan of professional cycling and watch the classics and grand tour seasons closely, as well as cyclocross, track, and mountain biking. Starting to follow a new sport can be challenging: We must learn the rules, get familiar with the athletes, and understand some of the tactics taking place so we can really enjoy the spectacle on our screens. Let’s take [track cycling](, for example. Track cycling is one of the oldest Olympic disciplines, making an appearance at the very first Games in Athens in 1896. It takes place on a banked track made of wood (mostly Siberian Pine), the bikes have no brakes (yikes!), and in the elimination race, the last rider across the line each lap must leave the race. How cruel. But so exciting to watch. It just so happens that [the 2022 UCI Track World Championships]( wrapped up last weekend at the Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines in France—a great preview of what we’ll see at the track cycling events of the 2024 Paris Olympics. So, perhaps now is a good time to find out what track cycling is all about. But, if velodromes and tt bikes are not for you, there is always cyclocross—a mix between road cycling and mtb, and another great spectator sport that is relatively easy to follow. If you are more familiar with road racing, the whole premise of cyclocross may be hard to get a grasp of. There are taped courses, barrier hopping, sand pits, and lots of running next to your bike 🤔, but its action-packed, hour-long format is perfect for fans who want a break from the slow burn of a road race. Plus, it can be pretty funny at times! My point is, there is a learning curve to following new sports, and that’s why, if you were to close this newsletter, having just read one story, I wish it was this one: [A Beginners Guide to Following Cyclocross Racing This Season](. Because there is nothing more fun than watching a muddy cyclocross race from the comfort of your home. Or even better, in person with a beverage in hand and hot food from a truck as you cheer the racers on. Happy riding! [A Beginners Guide to Following Cyclocross Racing This Season]( [A Beginners Guide to Following Cyclocross Racing This Season]( Why are they “running up that hill”? And everything else you need to know to keep up with the excitement and chaos of cyclocross. [Read More](   [Track Cycling at the 2022 World Championships, Explained]( [Track Cycling at the 2022 World Championships, Explained]( Set for October 12-16 in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, here is everything you need to know about track racing. [Read More](     [At the UCI Gravel World Championships This Weekend, the Women Won’t Be Riding the Extra Miles]( [At the UCI Gravel World Championships This Weekend, the Women Won’t Be Riding the Extra Miles]( Instead, in what seems to be an attempt to make gravel more marketable to its European audience, the UCI has also chosen to make it more unequal from the get-go. [Read More](   [Shining a Light on the Bicycling Community]( [Shining a Light on the Bicycling Community]( Bike mechanic Jimmy Lizama is finding new ways to use bikes to reshape his Los Angeles community. [Read More](     [Here's What You Need to Start E-Bike Commuting]( [Here's What You Need to Start E-Bike Commuting]( Here's Your Complete Guide to Commuting With an E-Bike. [Read More](   [Bike Bus in Portland Gives Us Faith in the Future of Cycling]( [Bike Bus in Portland Gives Us Faith in the Future of Cycling]( Coach Balto has gone viral on TikTok with his elementary school in Portland, Oregon [Read More](   [RUN 2023 Wall Calendar]( Follow Us [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Notice/Notice at Collection]( Bicycling.com ©2022 Hearst Magazines, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019