Anchorage Daily News

Bruce Ross calls cyclocross the steeplechase of bicycling, and when you watch a rider approach a barrier, dismount to jump over an obstacle or shoulder their bikes to run up a hill, the description fits perfectly.

It's a messy, technical sport that is just as difficult -- and fun -- as it looks. Riders jockey for position, pedaling all-out on clear sections of a trail and mustering blasts of power on sections that are wet, muddy or vertical.

And you too, can enjoy it here in Anchorage.

A growing sport throughout the United States, cyclocross combines the technical skills of mountain biking with the speed of road racing. And while the course typically takes place on dirt, gravel and grass trails, it more resembles a road-racing criterium, in which racers complete as many laps as possible in a given time period to gain the win.

"I've raced on the road, I've raced on the track, and I've raced on mountain bikes," said Andrew Yee, editor and publisher of Cyclocross magazine, based in Northern California. "But cyclocross is my favorite. What's so amazing about it is that it's accessible to anyone."

In fact, Yee said, accessibility is one of the main draws of the sport.

"People think there is a steep learning curve, but actually I think it's completely the reverse," he said. "You can still go out and show up for your first race and have a good time."

That's what Bill Fleming is hoping for right here in Anchorage. Chain Reaction Cycles, the bike shop he co-owns with fellow cyclist Jamey Stull, is sponsoring the Arctic Bicycle Club's ArcticCross race series.

The series kicked off last week with a free training clinic led by Ross, and another clinic is set for Monday. Six races will follow in September and early October.

"Cyclocross is a ton of fun and a great sport that bridges the summer biking and the nordic skiing seasons," Fleming said. "It just took one time for me to get a taste for cyclocross and really get hooked on it. It's like you're a kid again riding around in the mud."

Cory Smith, a skier and former Fasterskier.com editor, said cyclocross is one of his new favorite fall pastimes to stay in shape for the ski season. In an article he posted on the site this week, he noted the similarities. Cyclocross, he wrote, is a great all-over body workout requiring strength and stamina.

"It's still biking, and you're using mostly legs," he said. "But after the first cyclocross race I did last year, my arms were pretty tired from carrying my bike up 30 stairs (one of the barriers in a race last year)."

Other similarities include the terrain -- several races have been held on ski trails -- and the momentum riders must gain on flat sections.

"The race takes about an hour, which is similar to skiing and some of the tactics you use in the mass start apply to the way ski races are these days too," Smith wrote.

Ross is the man responsible for organizing this year's race courses, which are 1 to 2 miles long on serpentine routes that allow great viewing for spectators.

"You create a circuit course that has barriers and other obstacles," he explained. "And you ride that circuit over and over. During a lap, you'll have several reasons to get off the bike to jump barriers or climb hills. (International cyclocross) rules say two barriers maximum, but we don't always follow that rule -- we're Alaska."

During a ride Monday afternoon, Ross demonstrated some of the skills helpful in becoming a better cyclocross rider.

"The biggest trick in cyclocross is to keep your momentum, so the skill of getting on and off the bike and preserving momentum is key," he said.

To do that, Ross picked up speed, stopped pedaling and swung his right leg out and back over the saddle, while keeping his left foot clipped into the pedal. Dismounting the bike should always happen to the left, he advised.

Then, while still rolling, he swung the right leg between his left leg and the bike. In one fluid motion, he then put his right foot on the ground, snapped out of his left pedal and lifted the bike from its top tube.

It sounds like a complicated yoga move, but after a few tries, you'll find it works quite well.

On another part of the course, Ross demonstrated how to shoulder a bike for sprints up steep hills. Use the same dismount as barrier jumping, he said, but move the hand from the top tube to the down tube, letting your elbow pull the bike up and over your back as you run.

There are bikes made especially for cyclocross, but Yee said a basic mountain bike with commuter wheels and tires can work fine. Others opt for road bikes that accommodate the wider wheels.

"You could show up on a hybrid, mountain bike or road bike, and if you really get into it or can afford it you can upgrade," Yee said. "But you could reach a pretty high level on a hybrid or mountain bike that doesn't have suspension."

Of course, anything goes in Alaska, Ross said. Riders can push their bikes uphill by the handlebars if that's what they prefer. And some riders show up with bikes that aren't even equipped with clipless pedals, so mastering a dismount is not necessary, either.

The key, he said, is to have fun.

And maybe get a little dirty doing it.

Top racers get extremely dirty while racing through long stretches of mud. The mud builds up and can add 4 or 5 extra pounds to the weight of the bike on each lap, so riders will swap out bikes to keep an advantage.

But it's nothing like that here in Alaska, where cyclists let the mud pile on high.

Ross admits he loves it. The messier a race, the better, said Patrick McGownd, who helps with timing during the races.

"If Bruce sees a mud hole, he will change the course just to include it," he said. "He likes it that much."

Find Melissa DeVaughn online at adn.com/contact/mdevaughn or call 257-4482.

ADVERTISEMENT