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Winter Calendar
While the MTB and BMX branches of cycle sport have gained the favour of the Olympic Committee, cyclo-cross has remained within its own niche. In the past it was dismissed as simply winter training for road racers. But this was seldom, if ever, true for the top level competitors - it was a different branch of the sport.
The fact that many of the top-level competitors have come from just one country - Belgium - has, however, probably limited its international recognition. But recently that has started to change. Belgium is still the top nation but other countries are making progress. Looking at the current calendar there are six US events during December and that compares well to the 1 in Britain, 2 in France and 5 in Switzerland.
I don’t know enough to say whether good US race results are through the increase in events or the events are because the US riders are getting good results; but either way the international competition and recognition are on the increase.
Certainly the great ride last year by Jonathan Page gained a silver medal and almost upset decades of Belgian domination in the Elite World Championships. With Katie Compton and Danny Summerhill also gaining closely-fought 2nd places in the Women’s and Junior’s races, the USA suddenly received the spotlight as a new force in the sport.
So what odds for a non-Belgian elite world champion for 2008? Can cyclo-cross become “big” in the USA? Certainly some of the major bike manufacturers are taking no chances with new cross-specific models planned soon for a store near you.
UCI International Cyclo-Cross Calendar December 2007 - Feb 2008
01.12.2007 Lower Allen Classic Camp Hill, PA USA
01.12.2007 USGP of Cyclocross - Portland Hillsborough, Oregon USA
02.12.2007 Capital Cross Classic Reston, Virginia USA
02.12.2007 Coupe du Monde UCI / UCI World Cup Igorre ESP
02.12.2007 Grand Prix Julien Cajot Leudelange LUX
02.12.2007 International GP Cyclocross Moos-Sion-Valais Sion SUI
02.12.2007 USGP of Cyclocross - Portland Hillsborough, Oregon USA
06.12.2007 Premio Asteasu de Ciclo-cross Asteasu-Guipúzcoa ESP
08.12.2007 Coupe du Monde UCI / UCI World Cup Milan ITA
08.12.2007 W E Stedman Grand Prix South Kingstown, Rhode Island USA
09.12.2007 Frankfurter Rad-Cross Frankfurt a/Main GER
09.12.2007 National Trophy Series 4 Peel Park, Bradford GBR
09.12.2007 Radquer Wetzikon Wetzikon SUI
09.12.2007 Superprestige Veghel NED
10.12.2007 NBX Grand Prix Warwick, Rhode Island USA
15.12.2007 GP Rouwmoer Essen BEL
15.12.2007 TOI TOI CUP Kolin CZE
16.12.2007 Challenge de la France Cycliste 3 Cap d'Agde FRA
16.12.2007 Ciclocross Del Ponte FAE DI ODERZO ITA
16.12.2007 Vlaamse Druivenveldrit Overijse BEL
16.12.2007 XII Ciclocross Ciudad de Valencia ESP
21.12.2007 Scheldecross Antwerpen Linkeroever BEL
22.12.2007 International Cyclo-cross Huijbergen Huijbergen NED
22.12.2007 TOI TOI CUP Podborany CZE
23.12.2007 Cyclo-cross de Nommay FRA
23.12.2007 GP Montferland Zeddam NED
23.12.2007 Internationales Radquer Meilen SUI
26.12.2007 Coupe du Monde UCI / UCI World Cup Hofstade BEL
26.12.2007 GP Geba Sarl Differdange LUX
26.12.2007 International Radquer Dagmersellen SUI
27.12.2007 Sylvester Cyclo-cross Torhout BEL
28.12.2007 Azencross / Cross des as Loenhout / Wuustwezel BEL
29.12.2007 Noordzeecross Middelkerke BEL
30.12.2007 Badiquer Schmerikon Schmerikon SUI
30.12.2007 Superprestige Diegem BEL
01.01.2008 GP Hotel Threeland Pétange LUX
01.01.2008 Grote Prijs Sven Nys Baal BEL
02.01.2008 Flüüger Quer Dübendorf SUI
02.01.2008 Grote Prijs De Ster Sint-Niklaas Sint-Niklaas BEL
09.01.2008 Centrumcross Surhuisterveen Surhuisterveen NED
12.01.2008 Cyclo Cross Grand Prix Lille Métropole Roubaix FRA
13.01.2008 Coupe du Monde UCI / UCI World Cup Liévin FRA
13.01.2008 National Trophy Series 5 Derby GBR
19.01.2008 Championnats Masters Mondiaux / World Masters Championships Mol BEL
19.01.2008 Kasteelcross Zonnebeke BEL
19.01.2008 Urban Cyclocross Irvine, California USA
20.01.2008 Coupe du Monde UCI / UCI World Cup Hoogerheide NED
20.01.2008 Cyclo-cross international de Lanarvily FRA
20.01.2008 Isparteko Udala Sari Nagusia Ispaster ESP
27.01.2008 Championnats du Monde / World Championships Treviso ITA
02.02.2008 Krawaten Cross Lille BEL
03.02.2008 Superprestige Hoogstraten BEL
08.02.2008 Bahrain Cross Country Challenge Manama BRN
09.02.2008 Grote Prijs Eecloonaar Eeklo BEL
10.02.2008 Cyclo Cross Heerlen Heerlen NED
16.02.2008 Superprestige Vorselaar BEL
17.02.2008 Sluitingsprijs Oostmalle Oostmalle BEL
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