A taste of American 'cross - Part 1

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All of the 2009 CrossVegas men's podium - Christopher Jones, Jamey Driscoll and Jonathan Page (l-r) - will return for 2010.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)

Cyclo-cross racing is thought to have started in Europe in the early 1900s, originating in France and quickly sweeping through Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Spain and Italy. Roughly 70 years after its nascency, the rugged autumn/winter sport crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the United States of America.

It has continued to gain in popularity throughout the country that now hosts roughly 50 cyclo-cross events annually that are sanctioned under the sport's governing body, the International Cycling Union (UCI). Furthermore, the US is scheduled to host the UCI World Cyclo-cross Championships for the first time in Louisville, Kentucky in 2013. As part of the agreement for hosting Worlds, the Louisville venue will also be used for the Masters Cyclo-cross World Championships in 2012 and 2013.

Its prime mid-week slot on the UCI calendar, sandwiched between two major series' events and run in conjunction with Interbike are no doubt three major factors that have led to its massive success. Another undeniable factor is location, location, location. The bustling nightlife of Las Vegas brings a show stopping energy (and the show girls) to the typically unruly crowds that distinguish cyclo-cross from other cycling disciplines.

"Why else does the event work? Las Vegas! Where else could you get away with something like what we do," Watts said. "We are over the top. This year we will use ring girls, a girl who comes out in a boxing ring wearing scantily clad clothing, she'll hold a lap counter. In a typical Vegas sort of way we will be over the top with a high heeled girl walking around a cyclo-cross course, where else but Vegas.

Cross Crusade was born in 1990 and was once America's largest cyclo-cross series. Several of its races have graced the UCI calendar. Alpenrose was also the final event of the more recent USGP series for the first three seasons. Although it is no longer a UCI-sanctioned event, diehard cyclo-cross lovers continue to flock by the masses. In 2009 the race capped out at 1,390 participants and it is expected to exceed that number this year.

Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.

Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.

She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.