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Welcome to the world's weirdest cyclo-cross race - Gallery

By Josh Patterson / Immediate Media

published 7 December 2016

A look at the wonderful, muddy mayhem of this unsanctioned singlespeed 'world championship'

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Never get in the way of a hard-charging rhino (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

Ride away! (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

Inspector Gadget was equipped for the event (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

You heard it here first: mixte CX is the next big thing (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

Hydration was taken care of by Pabst (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

You chose poorly(Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

There was a time when these wheels were not ironic (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

When Poe Dameron isn't piloting his X-wing in a galaxy far away, he's spectating with lightsaber and cotton candy in hand (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

This Stoemper blended in beautifully with the mud and smashed pumpkins (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

Multiple mainframes make for many shouldering options (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

Proper technique was critical to success (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

If you didn't feel like puking from exertion, this will help (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

Hand-ups are hard (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

Ewoks armed with marshmallow-tipped spears were one of the many course hazards(Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

It technically counts as a dual suspension, right? (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

Thanks for the hangover, Portland (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

...or if that failed you could try your luck on the dual-slalom course (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

If you missed out on snagging a spot in the prologues, you could sprint for the holeshot and kick a cone(Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

A series of prologues were used to determine which racers would participate in the world championship race versus the party race(Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

Riders without dedicated singlespeeds were required to settle on a gear and zip-tie their shift levers (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

There were no barriers, but there was a massive ball pit (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

The ball pit was the scene of much chaos (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

Everyone's bikes were in need of a thorough washing after the event (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

Skidmarks were a common site(Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

An on-site DJ kept the atmosphere festive (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

...and a drumline kept racers motivated (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

(Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

A battery of water balloon slingshots kept everyone on their toes. Incoming! (Image credit: Josh Patterson / Immediate Media)

This article originally appeared on BikeRadar

Nys back in the saddle at single speed 'world championships' - Gallery

Sven Nys' single speed Trek Crocket - Gallery

It was the best of times; it was the weirdest of times. Last weekend, Portland, Oregon, hosted the 10th annual Singlespeed Cyclo-cross World Championships. This very much non-UCI-sanctioned event saw hundreds of costumed 'cross racers vie for the title of the fastest man and woman on a singlespeed cyclo-cross bike.

The ball pit was the scene of much chaos

Truth be told, only a handful of riders cared a whit about coming home with the victor's tattoo. Most participants were focused on celebrating cyclo-cross in a mixture of mud and beer. Portland has a reputation for having a vibrant cyclo-cross scene and for being both hip and off-kilter. The event lived up to expectations, with a dash of serious racing, a lot of partying and a heaping of mud.