Cyclo-cross is coming to Shepparton and you might have one question: What is it?
At a glance, cyclo-cross is a mix of road cycling, mountain biking and running with a melting pot of obstacles.
If you dive deeper, the glorious and bizarre intricacies of the cyclo-cross world become more apparent and intriguing.
The sport is popular during winter in European countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands, but in recent years, cyclo-cross has grown and begun to garner interest from all across the world.
No single cyclo-cross course is the same, with different events featuring its own specific obstacles and elements.
Some of these obstacles include sandpits (which are fan favourites due to their innate ability to cause crashes), stairs (which riders have to run up while holding the bike), ledges, pump tracks and flyovers (mini man-made hills).
The unique cycling event — which appears from the outside to be a Frankenstein’s monster style of sport (in a good way) — will be held at Shepparton Velodrome from July 6 to 7, with AusCycling running the state cyclo-cross series.
This event (called Fruits of the Valley) is the first of the season and gates will open at 1pm on Saturday.
Entry as a spectator to Fruits of the Valley is only a gold coin donation, with Shepparton Cycling Club president Brett Lancaster believing the unique sport will entertain curious onlookers.
“It’s a big event and the velodrome is a good place to host it as the club takes down the fences and (the races) go in and out of the venue into the equestrian track, round the back of the BMX,” he said.
“It’s a lot different to a road event socially, I guess.
“Mountain bike and cyclo-cross events, it’s all sausage sizzle and people pretty happy after the race; it will be an awesome atmosphere over the two days.
“A bit more relaxed.”
The event will run from 1pm to 10pm on Saturday, while Sunday will have racing from 8am to 5pm.
Spectators and participants can choose from wood-fired pizzas, a fully-catered canteen, specialty barbecue, a coffee van and local beers and ciders for food and refreshments.
Cyclo-cross events may be more relaxed in some areas than other competitive race formats, but Lancaster said that once the elite riders get going, it is as heated as it gets.
“The elite men will be really serious about it; it’s quite an entertaining sport,” he said.
“Plenty of spectators (come) as it caters for all different age groups, men and women, elite, under-19, under-23, masters, experts and more.
“They set up a sandpit in the middle of the velodrome and there will be crashes and people jumping off their bike and sort of running.
“They run up stairs with the bike on their shoulder, it’s quite entertaining to watch.”