Photo Digby Shaw

We are now just two days away from the 2016 Cyclocross National Championships on 6 August 2016, presented by Hüttcross. This is a brief preview of the race, which aims to give you some idea of what to expect at Moonshine Park in Upper Hutt come race day.

How we design a course:

During our normal series, we allow one person primarily to design the course for the week. We have six on the crew and six rounds so it works out nicely. Each in its own way, the course is a reflection of our vision of the sport, trying to capture the essence within our brain meats and interpret it as best we can.

Normally, the designated chief race engineer will circulate a fairly unsophisticated Google Maps screenshot adorned with childlike scribblings through mspaint. Depending on the mental state of the chief race engineer at the time, these can range from classic and logical to mad and bewildering. For example, this is the fifth round of our 2015 series, courtesy of Alex Revell:

Once circulated, we comment on the draft design where necessary. Generally, this only extends to pointing out obvious flaws, giving virtual high-fives, and suggesting areas where spectator enjoyment can be maximised. That’s a big part of it for us. We try to create a hub, and incorporate some fine viewing in the area. A general rule of thumb at our events is to follow the music – there’ll usually be something to see.

But there’s an obvious difference between what we normally do and what we’re doing here.

During the Hüttcross series, our course designs respond to context, and that context is the space and time within our series as a whole. Each design touch comes from somewhere. It might be progressive: where do we want to push the sport? It might be reflective: what worked really well last time? It might be sensual: that flat greasy woodland turn is licking its lips at me. It might be compassionate: less bloody off-camber running this time. It might simply be aesthetic: ripping off that stop bank into a big turn around that tree will look reeeeal nice.

Photo Digby Shaw

With a National Championship event, the course is primarily a trial. Consciously or not, it will pitch riders against our combined vision of the code, and it will seek to whittle each field down to just one rider who did what we asked of them the best. There’ll likely be an absence of shenanigans and gratuitous hardship – the kinds of features that tie our regular competitors up in rapturous disorientation. Instead, if a section becomes difficult, it’ll be because it’s aiming to test something: commitment, skill, mental fortitude. Whatever.

Photo Digby Shaw

The Nationals course

Terrain is everything. We could have run this event at Ngati Tama or Moonshine . Really, there wasn’t much deliberation. Ngati Tama is a raw good time, but Moonshine has a smooth quality to it, more befitting of a National event.

At Moonshine, the stop bank runs the length of the portion we use, varying subtly in height and providing the only real elevation in the area. This allows us to fine tune the off-camber demands of the day, in both severity and quantity.

We won’t disclose much. But we can tell you that the north end of the park will be more heavily exploited than the south. This area has a lot more trees, so the ground generally drains better. But if the forecast is anywhere near correct, that probably won’t make a whole lot of difference:

It will be fast in places, and it will be slow in places. It will be tight in places, and it will be wide in places. There’ll be sections that only the most skilled riders can manage, and throughout the course of each race, the combined effect will blow huge holes in the fields. The test will work.

The contenders

So, who will win the Elite races? The exciting thing about this race is that there are so many riders who either have won a national title, or have showed they’re well capable of it this season.

The Women

Let’s start with the defending champion, Anja McDonald.

Photo Ricoh Riott

Anja is one of those riders who simply looks natural on a bike. Her palmarès is scattered with classy wins over a variety of codes. In February, she won the Open Women at the Dodzy Memorial Enduro. She then went on the next month to finish the 3000km Tour Aotearoa amongst the fastest men. Throughout the season, Anja has been dominating the Nelson and Marlborough CX races, so she’s obviously in fine form.

Photo Brooke Tully

I think Anja will be the woman to beat, but there are some excellent riders lining up alongside her. Gayle Brownlee, the Liv Giant rep was third in Dunedin last year, and she has been leading the CX in the City series in Auckland.

Photo Digby Shaw

Ione Johnson (left), currently beset by illness and not 100% for the weekend, has a fine road pedigree and has been riding well this season in our regular series.

But, CX is a cruel discipline, and it is worth noting that Louise Foley is an unknown quantity, having never raced in New Zealand before.

Lisa Hunkin is a Hüttcross stalwart who can handle a greasy turn and has been moving from strength to strength over recent years on the track and the CX course.

Lastly, while not strictly in the Elite field, keep an eye on U19 rider Niamh Black from Nelson, who has been tearing up the top of the South this season and will keep anyone in her sights honest.

The Men

As far as I can see it, this race is a wide-open cross pollination of hitters who have all shown good form. It will make for captivating racing, but it makes picking a winner difficult.

Photo Ricoh Riott

Tristan Rawlence is the obvious starting point, being the defending champion. He has been imperious in Nelson and Malborough this season and he draws on international ‘cross racing experience, but how his current form measures up against this depth of field is unclear. He probably has the most advanced technical skillset in the field, so if the conditions are hectic, he’ll be loving it.

Photo Digby Shaw

Brendon Sharratt would be the next mention. Perhaps through sheer situational awareness, we had him pegged to defend his 2014 National Title last year, but it wasn’t to be. Nevertheless, he held the gap up to Tristan at 10 secs for a lot of the race, eventually finishing third following a mechanical. At their next duel, during the Hüttcross 2015 finale, Sharratt found redemption through a strong win. Sharratt has had mixed success during the 2016 season, but if there’s a home advantage in this sport, he’s got it.

From what I can tell, Ryan Christensen (left) and Sam Gardner (right) are equally likely picks who have both been flying this season. Christensen is a well-accomplished roadie who has won the KOM jersey in New Caledonia and at the New Zealand Cycle Classic. Gardner hails from Britain, where he’s enjoyed a successful career in cycling, long distance triathlon and Xterra. Both riders have pipped Sharratt this season, and they put on a gritty and riveting battle for the Hüttcross crowd at Round Three that came down to the sprint pictured.

Roman van Uden is one of New Zealand’s great roadies. In 2013 he won the GC in the Sharjah International Cycling Tour in the UAE, a UCI 2.2 race. He’s won Taupo and a stage at the Tour of Southland. He knows how to move quickly on a bike and at Race 3 of the Fog City Cyclocross Series, he pushed Christensen all the way to the line, finishing a close 2nd, showing he’s in form currently.

Photo Digby Shaw

Alex Revell, one of my co-organisers and dear friends, needs no introduction in cyclocross. He was the 2013 National Champion in Wanaka, and always rides smoothly and deceptively fast. He’s a classy racer, but this year has been focussed on his new family first, organising second, and racing third, so he won’t mind me saying he probably won’t trouble the top step.

Gary Hall from Hawkes Bay has been on the ‘cross scene for years as well and always proves a tough man to beat. He was the 2012 National Champion and 2nd behind Sharratt in the 2014 event. Sunny Hawkes Bay does not equal frigid, squally Moonshine, however, so it will be interesting to see how Gary fares in the mud.

Dan Warren was the 2011 champion, and like Gary always puts in a good performance. For other strong riders, keep an eye on Logan Horn, who was 2nd in Dunedin last year; Dave Hedley, the Southern strongman who took out the Otago Champs recently.

Photo Digby Shaw

Matt Dewes from Wellington, who has shown some serious speed this season; Pat Crowe-Rishworth who went to China last year, notched a recent denim-clad win in Kapiti and loves a good inside line; and Tad Mejdr from Auckland, the current New Zealand SS MTB Champion.

Photo Digby Shaw

All in all, the race is pretty damn open. A lot of it will come down to how the racers go on the day, and what hand fortune deals them. One thing is for sure though, it’ll be a spectacle to watch. Rock out to Moonshine Park this Saturday 6 August to witness the various showdowns.

Photo Digby Shaw

The schedule will look a little something like this:

9:45 a.m.: U19, 19-29, 50-59 and 60+ males race (50 minutes)

11:00 a.m.: 30-39 and 40-49 males race (50 minutes)

1:00 p.m.: Women’s race – Elite and age grades (50 minutes)

2:30 p.m.: Elite men’s race (60 minutes)

6:30 p.m.: Prizegiving at Expressions, Upper Hutt.

The Nationals event on Saturday will then be followed up by the 75% party, 25% race Hüttcross Series finale on Sunday 7 August at the same venue, where the major spot prizes of a Crucial Custom Cycles frame and a pair of Wheelworks custom wheels will be given away.

For more info, visit http://www.huttcross.co.nz