NC Cyclocross Grand Prix

We headed to Hendersonville yesterday to watch The North Carolina Cyclocross Grand Prix. For family and friends who don't know what cyclocross is, it is a form of bike racing that is part road biking and part mountain biking. Popularized in Europe, a cross bike looks very similar to a road bike, with with a frame designed to shed mud that is common during the fall and winter cross racing season. In addition, cross bikes use wider tires than road bikes, often with knobby tread patterns to tackle off-road conditions. Cross races are typically 30-60 minutes in length and are run on a mostly off-road circuit course of around a mile. Cross racing is unique in that courses are designed to force racers to dismount their bikes and jump over obstacles at different points over the course. Short, steep climbs, often requiring riders to carry their bikes, are typical as well.

The race in Hendersonville was part of the NC Cyclocross 2009 fall race series. The weekend's racing featured internationally-sanctioned divisions for elite men and women, meaning that the respective fields, which were comprised of some of the top national cross racers, would also earn points toward their international ranking.

Below are pictures of the "wall" at Jackson Park during the elite women's race. Despite the steep grade of the climb, most racers sprinted hard before the climb and grunted their way up without dismounting.


Our buddy Paul with Amy and her broken collarbone/conversation piece, watching the action at the wall.

Below, the elite women are hitting one of the other steep climbs on the course. This climb required riders to dismount, jump over two obstacles, and run with their bikes to the top of the climb.

Here are a couple of videos of the wall, which was situated just before the start-finish line.