National Cyclo-Cross Series hits Australia

Cyclo-Cross is poised to take Australia by storm when the Champion System SRAM National Cyclo-cross Series (#NCXS) kicks off in Melbourne on the weekend of July 14-15.

Think a combination of road racing and mountain biking, with some steeplechase thrown in for good measure, and you'll be getting close.

Cyclo-cross is poised to take Australia by storm when the Champion System SRAM National Cyclo-cross Series (#NCXS) kicks off in Melbourne on the weekend of July 14-15.

The weekend will feature the first two rounds of the series with Port Melbourne to host Specialized Cross Melburn on Saturday, followed Dirty Deeds at the Darebin Parklands on Sunday.  The series also features events in Sydney and Adelaide in August and September respectively.

Cyclo-cross, or CX as it's known, has a long history in the mud fields of Europe and has also seen spectacular growth in the USA.  However it is a relatively new phenomenon in Australia with Melbourne hosting the first series in 2010, followed by races in Adelaide, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane in 2011.

Cyclo-cross provides an exciting alternative to road and mountain bike races because of the shorter courses and races, however it is the challenging nature of the events which creates the exciting new cycling opportunity.

Throughout the races, riders are forced to tackle various terrains including pavement, grass, mud and sand, all while negotiating obstacles such as rocks, steps and logs.  The thrills, spills and mud provide great entertainment for competitors and spectators alike.

One of the favourite's in the elite men's series is Melbourne's Lewis Rattray who represented Australia at the 2012 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Belgium in January.  And with womens' cyclo-cross one of the biggest potential growth areas in Australian cycling, the 2012 Series promises to unearth some of Australia's new female cycling stars.

The Champion System SRAM National Cyclo-Cross Series will also host support events, so if you don't want to try your hand at the elite cyclo-cross race, there are options for B-grade CX, juniors and MTB riders at each of the rounds.

Entries for the Melbourne rounds close midnight this Sunday 8 July.

For more information and to enter the Champion System SRAM National
 Cyclo-cross Series, visit www.cycling.org.au/cyclocross.

2012 Calendar

Race #1 Melbourne - Specialized Cross Melburn @ Port Melbourne (14 
July 2012) Entries Close 8 
July

Race #2 Melbourne - Brunswick CC / Dirty Deeds @ Darebin Parklands (15
 July 2012) Entries Close 8 July

Race #3 Adelaide - Port Adelaide CC @ Adelaide Park Lands (11 August
 2012) Entries Close
 5 Aug

Race #4 Adelaide - Port Adelaide CC @ Adelaide Park Lands (12 August
 2012) Entries Close
 5 Aug

Race #5 Sydney - Manly Warringah CC @ JJ Melbourne Hills Memorial
 Reserve (29 Sep 2012) Entries Close 23 Sep

Race #6 Sydney - Manly Warringah CC @ JJ Melbourne Hills Memorial
 Reserve (30 Sep 2012) Entries Close 23
 Sep

Please note

Each race is set to a limit of 100 riders (100 males and 100 females) and the Men's first two races are filling up fast.

Cash prizes will be awarded for the overall series down to 10th place and with parity across men's and women's categories.

Image courtesy of Cycling Australia