Cyclocross Race

With the nice weather this weekend, I rode the bike with some friends out to Pioneers Park to watch the Nebraska State Cyclocross championships - some of the folks I ride with on teamFIRE were riding in the races. I had never seen this sport before - it is really intense and difficult. It's a cross between road biking and mountain biking. Most of the race is held on grass or dirt, with occasional obstacles and hills where the riders have to dismount and carry the bike up the hill or over the obstacles (which are like hurdles about 2 feet high) at a dead run. We sat at the top of the biggest hill, where people ring cowbells and scream encouragement to the racers as they sprint up the hill - some of the spectators tape dollar bills to a tree next to the course - the racers grab them as they go by. In the top pic, we are sitting and waiting for the race to start - the girl laid out just finished her race (she placed second) and could barely move. The next pic shows some racers begin to dismount as they approach the hill. The next two show guys on my team climbing the hill - check out the pain in their facial expressions. In the bottom pic, you can see a couple of kids holding out a clif bar and a dollar to see if the racers will take them. Good fun (to watch, anyway)!