Cycling. A word that to the average person brings to mind the July heat and blazing sun beating down on men together hunched over their bikes, gliding over the slick asphalt and painted with cheer amidst the cries of thousands of dedicated fans who wait for hours on the high mountain passes of France just to see their heroes flash by in seconds. There among the cyclists is the one who wears the gleaming jersey, gold-coloured and impeccable: the leader. Many cyclists listening on their earpiece to instructions. July: sun, heat, black asphalt, gold in the jersey, glamour, glimmer.

But like any image, road cycling has its negative, and the contrast brings us to the nostalgic side. Winter: clouds, rain, breath coming out of mouths, dirt roads, puddles, grass, mud on the jerseys, fans standing along the wooded circuit to see their heroes pass by several times, in an hour of concentrated effort, and glimmer as well. In this image also gives a peculiar, characteristic and unique vision of the return to romanticism, to the times when road cycling looked a lot like cyclo-cross, with its dirt roads and mud-stained heroes, when sometimes the bike rides the cyclist, when he has to throw it over his shoulder like a bale to get through the roughest patches.

Although it was later organized into circuits. cyclo-cross represents a return to the bicycle’s full voyage; the kind of journey that ignores roads and signs, and that takes us through whatever we come across. Roots on the ground? Better be careful with the handlebars, ‘cause the wheel is thin, but when well-handled, glides through the crevices. Stairs? The bike and I climb them together. Puddles? No biggie. Anyway, that’s what I came for…

The moxie of Monsieur Gousseau

The dawn of the twentieth century, a time remote enough from the present for legend and history to become fused, saw the birth of its first hero and the founding father of cyclo-cross: Daniel Gousseau, a young French soldier who was used to criss-crossing the countryside on his bike who, without the slightest hesitation would get off the marked roads and head into the woods, marshes and rocky areas while his superiors followed him on horseback. His passion quickly spread to those closest to him, and in 1902, Gousseau organised the first French cyclo-cross championship.

There are those who believe that cyclo-cross (also called “cx”) is the precursor to Mountain Biking, and the truth is that today’s all-round mountain bikes were conceived precisely to make some of the adversities that are part of the cyclo-cross trend that Gousseau started easier. But the major difference between the two goes back to that romantic, and until recently, somewhat archaic spirit: cyclo-cross enthusiasts, of their own accord, insist that the bike they use for their sport remain, in essence, very similar to a road bike, with only slight adaptations so as not to make their life totally impossible.

Despite all of the new technologies and advances that have been and are still to come in the world of two-wheels-and-human-traction, the cyclo-cross bike has consented to only a few concessions: slightly wider wheels and deeper treads for a better grip on slippery terrain, special brakes (cantilever brakes, usually) and some modifications to the fork and other components to keep mud from clogging up.

The lightweight frame is usually pretty stiff, and the crankset axle is slightly elevated, to sit further away from obstacles on the path. And that’s about it. An unseasoned observer wouldn’t be able to distinguish it from a road bike at first glance.

And when it comes to the cyclist, his outfit and gear aren’t much different from those of a road cyclist, except that, obviously, he better dress more warmly… the normal cyclo-cross season begins in September and ends in February: the one true fall-winter cycling format.

A good cyclo-cross racer has to be able to concentrate all of his skill and endurance, because even the major championships don’t usually run for more than an hour, albeit a totally intense hour at that. This is why many professional road racers, especially those who come from the north, practice cyclo-cross during the pre-season, to acquire greater resistance for future long-distance races, and also as a means of getting a good workout during a period of the year when road cycling has practically gone into hibernation. (...)