While many people know about the sport of mountain biking and have seen Lance Armstrong win multiple Tour de France titles in road biking, cyclocross is a form of cycling that is not as widely talked about.  But the riders at N.C. State know firsthand how difficult it can be.

“For road cycling, you can go ride on the road, and for mountain biking, you can go ride on trails,” Brian Sain, a senior in parks, recreation, and tourism, said.  “But for cyclocross, you never really know what to expect.  Even though it’s typically in a park area and through sand, cyclocross is typically different.  Every course usually offers something different.”

In cyclocross, cyclists must not only compete against other cyclists, but also against the weather conditions and obstacles that each course provides.

“What makes cyclocross really difficult is the weather conditions,” Sain said. “Since it is typically a winter sport, you can face snow or mud, and they won’t cancel races due to those conditions.  Last year, we went to the Nationals in Oregon and raced through snow and ice on the course in 19 degree weather.”

In other forms of cycling, racers stay on their bikes throughout the race.  One of the most difficult components of cyclocross is the “barrier section.”  Riders must dismount from their bicycle and jump over walls, then continue to ride.  Some racers have mastered the technique of “bunny-hopping,” in which they jump over the walls while still on the bicycle.

“When you are first starting out, the barriers are the most difficult to learn,” Stephen Smith, a sophomore in computer engineering, said.  “You can usually tell if a rider is experienced by watching that section.  If someone stumbles through that section, they probably need some more practice.”

The collegiate cyclocross season just came to an end, and many of the Pack riders finished at the top of the standings for the Atlantic Collegiate Cycling Conference (ACCC).  Aaron Oakes, a graduate student in food science, finished the season in first place in the highest division in the sport – Men’s A.  Oakes had enough points to be named the conference champion for the second year in a row.

“Aaron [Oakes] actually did not even have to compete in the final race of the year to be named the conference champion,” Sain said. “They take your top seven or so finishes and average them together, and he was so far ahead that he could sit out and still win in points.”

Oakes said that after several years of playing hockey, he found that he loved cyclocross because it was an individual sport.

“I played hockey since I was five, and I would get frustrated,” Oakes said.  “It’s a team sport, so you can be really good, but if the team as a whole doesn’t work well together, your success will be limited.  But in cross, you can help your team out, but if other teammates aren’t doing as well, you can still win.”

Two other State cyclists who have found their way to the top of the conference standings are Nicholas Reeves, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, and Smith, who are ranked second and third, respectively, in the A division. While the men’s division has been strong for State, Smith said the team is lacking one important component.

“We haven’t had very many girls compete on our team this year,” Smith said. “We lose a lot of points for our team if we don’t have girls competing.  We need to recruit some more girls for next season.”