“I think this experience was pretty much everything that is right with cyclocross. John and his team should be very proud, easy parking, very nice start area, inflatables, creative use of grass, long stretches and short sections, lots of variability, tight turns, open turns, not just hairpins. Normal and small barriers allowed hopping and running. Course was set such that there was great viewing from multiple places. Fun venue, great small town, friendly people, everything you could ask for. Western Slope Racing At It’s Finest.”
-Doug Gordon, President of BRAC
What is “cyclocross” exactly anyway?
Cyclocross is a form of bicycle racing composed of numerous laps on an off-road course containing gravel, pavement, dirt, grass, and obstacles that require the rider to temporarily dismount. This style of bike racing is fun to spectate which attracts enthusiastic heckling; good-natured teasing that is part of the cyclocross tradition.
What about us runners??…
Well… lucky runners AND multi-sport athletes get to run these exact same courses before! Much like a cross country running race, but with more MADness!
Kids under 10 years old will be awarded for 1 lap while everyone else is awarded for 2 laps; you may elect to do only 1 lap, but you won’t be given the chance to podium. These laps can vary from 1.25 miles to 2 miles. Course details will be provided and may vary due to property restrictions and weather.
West Slope Cross Cup kicks off this cross season with a weekend of cyclocross races and a 5k cross country running race through the orchards at Talbott Farms in Palisade, CO.
Saturday, Oct. 6th - Talbott’s Orchard Crit Cross tests out a new concept; Crit on the dirt roads / double tracks around the orchard trees. Think crit on dirt! Plenty of opportunities to draft and PUSH THE EDGE!
Sunday, Oct. 7th - Talbott’s Orchard Cross features a unique race environment found nowhere else in Colorado at a new location for course and venue expansion for a fun ride and/or run through peach tree orchards.
Get into the Halloween spirit at Creepy Cross, Friday, Oct. 26th at Holy Family Catholic School, Grand Junction, CO. This is the only cyclocross NIGHT race in Western CO with plenty of grass with fun and fast obstacles. Even better make it a weekend of cyclocross by racing again on Sunday, Oct. 28 at New Castle Cross - New Castle, CO. You are promised MAD worthy cyclocross terrain offered by the Vix Ranch Park; your bike will thank you for a fun race and/or race a 5k cross country running race though the same incredible terrain.
Wrapping up the series is another full weekend of cyclocross races and 5k running races at Little Salt Wash Park, Fruita, CO.
Starting with Gobble Team Cross, Friday, Nov. 23rd, you can ride the full cyclocross course the day before it opens for the weekend by participating in a team cyclocross race. Rules are MAD: you register for the event and you will be randomly assigned to a team by the race director. Once teams are formed, the race director will assign you to complete certain amount of laps per person. The goal is to minimize optimization of a certain team winning. We are optimizing team work and meeting new people while getting a taste of the course before the big weekend of cross!
Salty Cross Day 1 & Day 2 - Saturday, Nov. 24th-25th guarantees great racing fun in the whoops, grass, and trees! Warm up with the 5k cross country running race if you choose then, jump on to your bike for the cyclocross races. We’ll mix it up by changing the course slightly. Come play in Western Colorado on a long Thanksgiving trip.
For more info on West Slope Cross Cup Series go to:
www.madracingcolorado.com/events/westslopecrosscup/
For more info on other upcoming events hosted by MAD Racing Colorado go to:
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