Words Kim Hurst. Images Andrew Turner and Lisa Ng

JINGLECROSS 

A highlight of the cyclocross calendar Stateside, this iconic event started life as a fundraiser for the local Children’s Hospital before it evolved to a World Cup regular. Its’ defining feature, Mt Krumpit, is utilised in several ways from a slalomesque cambered descent to lung-busting climb – complete with a small step at the foot just to throw you off your game.

KOPPENBERG 

The iconic Spring Classic climb transforms itself into Koppenbergcross in the cooler months. Riders tackle the cobbled monolith, muddy pastures, and slick off-cambers before lapping in to do it again. Another eight times.

NOBEYAMA SUPERCROSS 

This race venue, a working farm and horse ranch, is what old-skool CX dreams are made of. Staged against the impressive backdrop of the Yatsugatake Mountains in central Japan, this event dishes up a festival atmosphere with kids’ and amateur events as well as full noise UCI hit outs for the racing snakes.

KOKSIJDE 

Deep in the Flandrian heartland lies a venue with long stretches of deep, watt-sucking sand. Steep climbs. Treacherous descents Endless off-camber. Impromptu over the bars excursions are order of the day at Koksijde as the sand clumps in unpredictable ways. Frites and carnage make this a fan fave for the last fifty years.

OVERIJSE 

Nicknamed the “Mother of all Crosses”. Take a challenging and highly-technical course. Add rain. Maybe some snow. And that’s what riders travel from all over the world to converge on.

NGATI TAMA 

First introduced to the Huttcross calendar seven years ago, this stunning venue sits in the shadows of Cannon Point and is bisected by Te Awa Kairaingi stop bank. The ground provides a certain level of clag that is difficult to beat elsewhere in New Zealand. In 2021, a World Cup style flyover was erected and the rest was history. Camber. Mud. Tight corners through the macrocarpas. A double set of barriers positioned just afore a bank to reward those who elected to throw caution to the wind and send it before jumping hard on the pedals to punch through to the finish line. Inaugural North Island Schools Cyclocross Champions were crowned. The crowd went off. CX cherries were popped. Huttcross made new fans. And the fuse was lit for the final run in to Aotearoa Crossfest 2021.