Max Out

Cyclocross

By BOB PUTNAM
Published February 3, 2006

Pedaling furiously on a mountain bike is tough enough. It will burn the thighs and sear the lungs.

Now try doing that at high speeds while navigating mulch, wooden barriers and other obstacles - sometimes during the same lap.

That's what dozens of riders will do at the state cyclocross championship series, held Feb. 19 and 26 at Largo Central Park Nature Preserve.

Cyclocross blends the speed of road biking and the ruggedness of mountain biking with a dash of steeplechase. Races are on pavement, dirt and grass with sections that require riders to dismount and carry their bikes through thick mud or over man-made obstacles.

This niche-but-gnarly sport has a huge following in Europe where it originated in the early 1900s by French and Swiss cyclists who wanted to maintain their fitness in winter by pedaling through muddy fields and pastures when snow made mountain passes unridable.

An ancestor of mountain biking, cyclocross has experienced a popularity surge in pockets of the United States, including the Pacific Northwest and New England.

It is now starting to get attention in Florida. Lance Riddile, the director for Florida's championship series, said he heard about it while searching the Internet.

"It just seemed like a crazy, fun sport," Riddile said. "We had a series of races in Largo last year and this is the first year we've had a state championship series. I think it's something that'll definitely catch on."

[Last modified February 3, 2006, 01:24:20]