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2002
CX news archive
Big
weekend in NorCal (12/3/02)
With the CX National Championships less than two weeks away, we have a
big weekend coming up in NorCal 'cross, with the region's first-ever national
calendar race in three years, and more than $10,000 in total prizes on
the two days. First up on Saturday we have a Sacramento
CX series race plus the Coyote
Point (CCCP) race in San Mateo promoted by Tom Simpson, which has the
distinction of being the richest one-day 'cross race in NorCal so far.
On Sunday we have the final round of the UCI national calendar Redline
Cup in Napa, which has attracted national attention as the last World's
Team qualifier before Natz, and Clif Bar has just signed on as a co-sponsor
of the Women's event, guaranteeing that women's podium prizes will be equal
to the men's. Top riders from around the country are expected to
attend the CCCP and Redline Cup, including national champ Todd Wells, international
star Thomas Frischknecht, and local standouts such as national points leader
Carmen D'Aluisio. Even if you're not competing, check out the
event info and come watch some great racing. And if you are racing,
fields are still open for all races.
NorCal
makes a statement at Northwest UCI races (10/22/02)
Last weekend was the first set of UCI national calendar races in the West,
with the Portland International on Saturday and the Redline Cup opener
in Tacoma on Sunday. More than twenty NorCal riders traveled north
for the festivities and did not disappoint, with wins and podium apperances
in every major category. Of note were Gina Hall and Rachel Lloyd,
elite women's winners on the two days; Andy Jacques-Maynes second in Tacoma
behind national champ Todd Wells and Jackson Stewart third on Saturday,
and master's national champ Alan Coates with the M35+ win on Saturday.
For all the news check the race results (Sat,
Sun)
and race
report. Off the bike, a lot of talk centered around UCI
race standards which are new to most of us, including the promoters of
the two events. A lot was made of questionable elements like the
"monolith",
a gigantic concrete obstacle in Saturday's race; and the question of bunnyhopping
was also top of mind as Todd Wells showed how to win both races without
ever dismounting his bike. I guess you can't have a big race
without some controversy...
Flying
with bike? Get on the scale
(10/22/02)
A few of the Norcal riders who traveled last weekend got nailed with unexpected
airline fees. In this time of near-bankruptcy for most carriers,
airlines are charging for everything they can. In this case, United
announced that bike cases weighing more than 70 lbs. total would be charged
an extra $75 fee (on top of the $75 bike fee, regardless of whether you
have a voucher). So before you toss the kitchen sink in with your
bike, check the total weight. And if you're traveling with two bikes...well,
good luck. Finally, check with your airline before you fly since
policies vary significantly from one airline to the next.
Check
your license for Natz
(10/18/02)
With CX Nationals coming up in Norcal this Decmber, lots of you no doubt
are preparing to attend. If you are planning to race in the Elite
Men, U23 Men, Elite Women or Junior Men (17-18), take note: Natz
will be run under UCI rules for those categories. That means UCI
international licenses for everyone (not just men as at other national
calendar races), and special age restrictions. Other cats will need
a USCF or NORBA domestic license. You can obtain license forms online:
(international,
domestic)
and check age restrictions here.
New
articles and team info (10/16/02)
As announced last week, we are listing profiles of new CX teams, articles
and so on. This week we are announcing the Velo
Bella women's team. Also, local racer Karen Kefauver (also a
Velo Bella rider) sent in two articles (1
, 2)
she wrote for the Santa Cruz Sentinel. If you have other newsbits
to share, send them
in.
Interbike:
All 'cross, all the time
(10/16/02)
Our spies at the recent Interbike trade show in Vegas report that the MTB
segment is really hurting, but 'cross products were out in full force.
One fan commented that "every booth had at least one 'cross bike in it."
Carbon fiber 'cross components and frame bits were also evident, including
a much-discussed prototype composite seatstay assembly for 'cross frames.
For more scuttlebutt check the review on Cyclocrossworld.com,
and if you have some juicy bits of your own send
it in.
New
cyclocross teams
(10/16/02)
You know 'cross is really starting to take off when dedicated 'cross teams
start springing up. We recently received a link to the new Sally
Spicer team composed primarily of top riders from Marin. If you
have promo on your own team send
it in.
USAC
announces Worlds qualification info, national calendar, and rankings (10/7/02)
At a surprisingly early date, USACycling has released its Worlds team selection
criteria. As with last year, points earned at Natz and domestic
UCI races are used to qualify riders for Worlds. Additionally, USAC
has begun a CX national calendar ("CRC") and official 'cross ranking system
to tabulate the standings as the season progresses. Locally, points can
be earned at the Redline Cup UCI and National Championships, both in NorCal
this year. Also note: under UCI rules, Junior and U23 riders will
be qualifying according to their 2003 racing age. Check the selection
criteria for details.
You
know it's cross season when...
(10/1/02)
...Velonews starts running articles on 'cross (like this preview
of the national calendar and this rant
about courses).
... Riders like Trent Klasna show up to do a race at Sacramento
CX.
... the calendar has 18 events listed for
just eight weekend days in October!
Traveling
with your bike?
(10/1/02)
If you're planning to travel with your bike to out-of-town races this fall
you might want to consider some alternatives to the fees and hassle of
taking your bike on the plane: airline vouchers
from USAC (for licensed members) and from the League
of American Bicyclists (for L.A.B. members), or if you have a hard
case, just ship it using transport service from SportsExpress
(or just take your bike down to UPS or FedEx).
Review:
Bianchi Cross Concept (9/5/02)
CX rider Mark Legg (formerly of the
Bay Area, now Montana) wrote a review of Cane Creek Carbon wheels for CX
last
year. This year, Mark has a new Bianchi "Cross Concept" CX bike
and he wrote a review of his new bike, including action pictures of him
(and his dog!)--read it here.
Supercup
press release (8/19/02)
NEWTON, Mass. (Aug. 16, 2002) – Kiron Group, Inc. (www.kirongroup.com)
announced the postponement of the SuperCup Cyclocross Series today.
Created in 1996, the SuperCup Series has been owned and managed by Kiron
Group for the past four seasons. Despite having to miss the 2002 season,
organizers will work to secure necessary partnerships to create a 2003
SuperCup. "We achieved most of our goals. We had a lot of success,"
said Lyle Fulkerson, President of Kiron Group. "We wanted to raise the
bar of competition; we wanted to improve the production value; we wanted
to get the sport of cyclocross into the psyche of American cycling. We
did that. Unfortunately sponsorship and event revenues have not kept pace
with the expenses."
In addition to promoting the SuperCup series, the Kiron Group staff
also worked on the U.S. National Cyclocross Championships for the past
four years. With each year of Kiron Group’s involvement, the popularity
of cyclocross skyrocketed. The SuperCup drew out mainstream media, large
crowds and World Champions but struggled to secure sufficient sponsorship.
Fulkerson noted with pride the record turnout of participants for the 2001
SuperCup/Nationals weekend in Baltimore and where spectators witnessed
one of the best cyclocross races in American history.
"We have worked extremely hard to bring the fans and riders the highest
caliber events," said Fulkerson. "The SuperCup Series and the last four
National Championships have reflected our philosophy to provide the greatest
show in cycling. We will use this one-year hiatus to focus on securing
the necessary partners to continue to push cyclocross forward and maintain
the quality and integrity of each SuperCup event. We look forward to bringing
the SuperCup Series back in 2003."
Supercup
series cancelled (8/19/02)
Each year, 'cross racers wait anxiously for news from Lyle Fulkerson, promoter
of the brilliantly promoted (but erratically scheduled) SuperCup 'cross
series. This year, however, the news came early, and it's not good:
the series has been "postponed" until 2003. For
the complete text of Lyle's press release click here.
Fortunately, this year there are no less than eighteen other UCI events
on calendar, one nearly every weekend (details here).
Also, in previous years Lyle has resurrected the Supercup from cancellation
more than once, so we may not have heard the last of this. Stay tuned.
2002
North America UCI cyclocross national calendar (8/11/02)
2002 US UCI Cyclocross Calendar
October 6th: Downeast Cyclo-cross; Auburn, Maine
October 12th: PIP Shelter Cross; Worcester, MA
October 13th: ECV Cyclo-cross; Gloucester, MA
October 19th: Portland International Cyclo-cross Classic; Portland,
OR
October 19th: Wooden Wheels; Granogue Estate, DE
October 20th: Redline Cup #1; Olympia, WA
October 20th: Monkey Hill Cyclo-cross Race; Wilmington, DE
October 27th: Amherst International; Amherst, MA
November 2nd: Saturn Cyclo-cross; Lancaster, PA
November 9th: Boulder UCI Cross; Boulder, CO
November 17th: Granville Grand Prix of Cross; Granville, OH
November 23rd: Redline Cup #2; Salt Lake City, UT
November 24th: Chain Biter 4.0; Farmington, CT
November 30th: Northwest Cyclo-cross Challenge; Seattle, WA
December 1st: Stumptown Cyclo-cross Classic; Portland, OR
December 1st: Rhode Island Cyclo-cross; S. Kingstown, R.I.
December 8th: American Express Financial Advisors Cyclo-cross; Merrimack,
N.H.
December 8th: Redline Cup #3; Napa, CA
December 13-14th: National Cyclo-cross Championships, Napa Valley,
CA (Domain Chandon)
Redline
Cup and USCF Nationals in NorCal this fall (8/11/02)
After a couple years of Eastern focus, the national cyclocross scene is
taking a westward turn. This fall, we have a new UCI three-race series,
the Redline Cup, with events in Salt Lake
City, Seattle, and here in Napa for the finals. One week later, CX
Nationals returns to NorCal, at Domaine Chandon in Yountville. Stay
tuned for more info on both events or check our calendar.
Also, a reminder on licenses: Anyone planning to do these events (or any
other UCI/USCF national event) should look into an international
license (for elite Men and Women) or a domestic
license (for everyone else). As in past years, all other local
races require only a NCNCA
license.
Calendar
beginning to take shape (8/11/02)
As of this early date we have only very spotty calendar info. We
do have tentative dates, plus all the national calendar races. Check the
calendar
page for the latest info, and make sure to check back frequently for
changes.
USAC
announces first national CX calendar (8/11/02)
With more and more UCI-sanctioned elite races appearing on the calendar,
USA Cycling has published a national racing calendar for the first time.
Like last year, the UCI points awarded at these races are likely to play
a factor (exactly what we can't say at this point) in Worlds' selection
as well as, possibly, call-ups for Natz. Dates for national calendar
races in the western US are listed on our
calendar
page. For a listing of all the national races, check cyclocrossworld.com
or the USCF.
No word yet on a SuperCup series; I hear rumors there may be a Bay Area
event this year, but there's no point in speculating at this time...
CX
training camp in Seattle by CTS (8/11/02)
Looking to blow some cash on your habit while tuning up your skills? Carmichael
Training Systems (of Lance Armstrong's coach Chris Carmichael), is running
an intensive CX clinic in Seattle in September. Check out the details here.
For cheap education closer to home, look for local clinics in the NCNCA
calendar, and check back soon as more clinics are going to be added.
Return to NCNCA
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