Cyclocross came to Raleigh Sunday when Lions Park hosted The North Carolina Cyclocross Series. With more than 209 pre-registered racers and fantastic racing weather, this event was a big success.
This was the first cyclocross I attended and I didn’t know what to expect. It took me a little time to find a spot along the course where I could capture some of the action with my camera. After circling the park and navigating around the racing course, I settled on a spot just up from the tennis courts. It turned out to be the perfect location as the course looped back and forth right in front of me.
I soon parked myself in a corner of the course and watched as riders came and went, sometimes zooming by within inches of me. Before long a small group of rowdy twentysomethings wandered up. It seemed my inebriated new friends knew the name of every other rider and would gleefully roar when they rode past. Their enthusiasm was infectious and I soon found myself also demanding “big air” from the cyclists as they rode up a modest ramp at the bottom of a hill.
My family soon joined me at the race, at which point we gathered near the starting line to watch the start of the next race. The kids soon became more interested in the dogs that had been brought to the park though they would still watch the bicycles race by.
The park seemed to handle the race perfectly. Though there were spots where the grass will need replacing the park doesn’t look much worse for the wear. It was a great competition and one made even better for happening in my own backyard!
