Sycacross #3 : 1st of September 2013

Just a quick post to keep you up to date with the events I have been attending, this past weekend I went to the third round of the Sycacross Cyclocross series. This series is being run by the good folk at Whittlesea Cycling Club who are doing their best to promote all aspects of cycling in the Whittlesea area. They are holding all of their Cyclocross events at the Sycamore Reserve in Mill Park, this park features a BMX track that they have made good use of by incorporating it into the Cyclocross course.

We rode a full lap of the BMX course, albeit it backwards, on the cross bike. Great fun, although when riding the wrong way around a BMX track you will find that the track doesn't flow all that well. However, considering the alternative, this was a good choice by the organisers. Going the right way around the track would mean riding some fairly steep kickers that would have been difficult on a cross bike. After our BMX lap, we went around the outskirts of the track starting with a barrier jump followed by three logs that could be ridden if you could manage to hop your bike over in time. 

Then some nice reducing radius turns through some trees and a dip down to a gully where you had to hold as much speed as possible to get back out the other side and dodge some rocks that were hiding well in the grass. This lead to the longest "climb" of the course, this got harder and harder each lap, where you also having to contend with the headwind as you changed direction. A few more sharp turns and we went into a tight 180 degree turn up a hill, a spot for many a stalling rider. 

We then headed down a descent into the wind where you needed to pedal to keep any speed up,  before a left hand bend that lead into a hay bale barrier and the one big water feature of the course, a very deep, very stinky mud puddle.  This is where some spectators had set up a pole hand up, a hand up is when a spectator hands a racer something during a race. Usually something to drink or eat, beer, water, cash, whatever, but when attached to the end of a pole the racer HAS to go through the centre of the puddle to reach the hand up, crowd participation at it it's best.

The last round of the Sycacross series is being held on the 29th of September, they have classes for everyone from kids to hybrid to mountain bike riders and of course cyclocross riders. Come out and give it a try and support a cycling club that is doing their best to support the local cycling scene. Even if you come out just to spectate and heckle it is all appreciated and you will have a great day out at the same time. See you there.

- Brad