Sorry if you were misled by the title but NEXT (tm) bicycles (available at fine bicycle shops like Wal-Mart) have not introduced a cyclocross bike. No, actually cyclocross season is upon us. I noticed results from the first pro race of the season: Steenbergcross. (Not to be mistaken by Hollywood-types as the cyclocross race hosted by actress Mary Steenburgen. That's next month.)
If you read this blog and you don't know what cyclocross is, it's basically like this:
And of course I mean that Richard Groenendael represents a cyclocross race and the dude getting punched is you. Is much fun, no?
Other riders, like today's Vuelta stage winner and Euro-mullet proponent Lars Boom have a less traditional style. However, watch for Bart Wellens' spectator kick--he barely interrupts his cadence:
Perhaps it's a good thing that few people ever come out to watch bike races. More spectators would mean that a bunch of jerks would start showing up and we'd just keep having to beat-down more and more fans.
If you want to get a little practice in before the season starts, some folks have started doing some training Thursday evenings at about 6:30 (6:00 set-up time) at Durham's Forest Hills Park. Near the playground, I think. I haven't been this year yet, but I should be there this week. It's a good way to practice some dismounts and low-speed crashes before you have to do them in a race. If you show up rocking a NEXT full suspension bike, I will give you one of these Trader Joe's Red Oval Classic Lagers I just purcahsed. It's no Three-Buck Chuck (which I strongly endorse). They fill the micro-niche between Milwaukee's Best and Old Milwaukee, making Red Oval roughly the NEXT bicycle of beer. I haven't checked Urban Dictionary to learn if "red oval" is also something dirty (it probably is), but in these tough economic times, $2.99 a six-pack is nothing to scoff at.
Why stand on a silent platform?
3 days ago
4 comments:
WTF dude? Assaulting spectators is so NBA.
Check out this video from the CX nationals last year for the after race activities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rkLXxVRPts
These guys were pretty rude to Jonathan Page. I read that Page's wife put them in their place, but only after they knocked over a bunch of nice Sachs bikes.
The guy taking the video did as his mother told him, put your head down and back away slowly from druken mountain men.
Skinny dudes in tight pants throwing punches. Who'se intimidated?
I feel bad that I don't like 'cross.
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