Wednesday, November 9, 2011

CROSS SKILLS

Bike handling skills come into play during Cyclocross racing quite possibly more then any other type of Cycle Sport...


Being able to handle your Cyclocross bike in crunch time of races will at times create gaps among riders and lead to victory.


Success in Cyclocross comes down to constant practice and being super tuned into your bicycle.  The bicycle becomes an extension of the human. 
Technical skills become second nature and the ability to hit each
 maneuver during a race becomes simplistic.
 

Styles can be different, yet the goal of speed and smoothness only comes with constant racing and testing yourself in all manners of Cyclocross movements under pressure.


Fear must vanish from the equation and the desire to succeed must lead the way to achieving a higher skill level when the going gets tough.


Northern California boasts many Cyclocross racers who have tasted success at National Championship races.  These are the riders who develop Cross skills with constant practice and training sessions alone, or with friends and team mates.  If your not practicing your Cross skills, your putting yourself behind before the start gun has even fired.


Riders hitting on all of their skill moves in races can be beautiful to watch.  The front group riders  make very minimal mistakes and their technical skills shine when the races are decided in the final laps.


Strength combined with skill is the most
effective weapon for success in Cyclocross racing.


So many different moves are made during Cross races. 
It takes years to refine each maneuver.
 Yet when all the skills are developed properly, the end result is perfect racing by the individual and minimal mistakes during competition.