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Cyclo-cross, the national sport of Belgium; the sport that draws tens of thousands of spectators at events, turns riders into celebrities and race courses into mythical theatres. The same sport that in the UK is only known to exist by the most dedicated of cyclists and the unwitting dog-walker who stumble across an event during a Sunday morning stroll. What is it? Who does it? Who cares?

Helen Wyman, one of the most talented

female bike riders to be produced by the

UK, divides her time between Bedfordshire

in the UK and Oudenaarde in Belgium

for the sake of being able to make a

living doing what she loves.

Listening to her at a public talk in the Winter, it became clear to see why she chose to leave her home country to pursue a discipline that simply is not publicly-followed in the UK. Whilst she is also a competitive road racer, she prefers ‘cross. Whilst track racing here has televised events, nothing can compare to a course lined 5-deep with fanatical cheering fans. Races become festivals, and Helen is one of the rock stars that they are there to see.

Cyclo-cross is a winter sport associated with mud and cold. To describe it in a nutshell, Helen says cyclo-cross is “Full gas, action packed, technically

challenging and adrenaline filled racing off-road”. It is a speed-event, in which you dodge trees, negotiate pits of sand and race elbow to elbow against other riders. It is not a sport that a person will just “do” it is a sport that has to be raced. This means that to be a ‘cross rider you are very likely to be a committed cyclist. The bikes, styled as a durable road bikes with knobbly tyres and extra mud clearance, will only be ridden for racing and occasional training. It requires at least 2 bikes to be brought to a race, plus several a portable jet-wash and cleaning equipment, plenty of changes of clothes and support people in the pits.

We are left wondering why riders are so committed to this sport and what draws the spectators. Helen explains “Cross is special from start to finish. It’s the Marmite of cycle sport. Everyone at events loves it, on both sides of the fence. As you stand on the start line, waiting for the Formula 1 style lights to give you the start, you can see the passion on the faces of every spectator. When the lights are red, you block everything out, ready for

what in most sports would be a finishing effort. That’s how we start and finish races, and we tend do the same in the middle. It’s unique. The courses are hugely varied, from fast dusty wide tracks, to deep sand dunes. Every course brings its own challenges, its own skill set and its own masters. With 3 bikes, 15 pairs of wheels and 2 support crew, it takes a big plan to keep the show on the road for each rider, and all of that for a 40 minute race”

And the spectators? well, we believe this

to be a cultural revolution, with spectators

you get more spectators, simples. And the

crowds draw the riders and the riders

draw the crowds until you find a small,

European, land-locked country making

flags and singing songs in such a way as

you would only see at a football match

here. Over 20,000 spectators line the

2.5km at certain courses creating a hyped

atmosphere that’s addictive to the fans

and the riders alike. Each supporter has

his or her ‘rider’ and wear their supporters

club hats and jackets with pride.

Cyclo-Cross in the UK is growing once

again, after a decline started after the UK

hosting the 1992 World Championships in

Leeds. Last winter the London Cyclo-cross

League saw participation numbers of

female racers rise significantly. There is a

small band of super hard-core cyclo-cross

riders across the country, the numbers

are growing, the courses are improving,

but the is one fundamental piece missing:

the fans. It is a tough living for a female

professional cyclo-cross rider in Belgium,

so without the following it is an impossible

task to get supported by sponsors in the

UK. So each winter, Helen, along with all

the best riders in the world, migrate to the

mud fields of a small, fanatical country to

try their luck at winning races and being

rewarded with living the life of a professional

cyclo-cross rider. There are not many that

can say that.