Photography by Richard Ainsworth

If cyclocross were a ball sport, it may well be dubbed the Gentlemen’s Game, or the Sport of Kings, both for its photogenic qualities and the nobility and bravery of its participants. Possibly it’s more akin to a one-sided battle between Christians and lions in ancient Rome, with mud playing the role of the protagonist with the larger, sharper teeth and a superior natural propensity to destroy the opponent. Lions––and mud––always win.