The Crosscast S5E08 - UK UCI double weekend, World Cups and Kerst preview

In Episode 8 of Season 5, Neil Bruce and Matt are back with a Christmas show packed with action and previews.In Crosstalk, they review the UK UCI double header, with the first running of Clanfield Cross as an international race, and also cover round 5 of the National Trophy that came from Cyclopark, a race that polarised opinions, and a course that changed throughout the weekend.   They review the snowy Val Di Sole and debate whether this is a direction in which cyclocross should move, or whether it's a too far from the roots of the sport.  Rucphen and Namur gave a World Cup double weekend with a fantastic series of races, and the Netherlands venue delivered a great course design despite the dreadful spiral of doom (do you agree?).  It was of course, a weekend to be remembered by UK CX as the first time that a British rider has won a men's elite race... whilst Backstedt maintained her unbeaten run having won every Junior Women's world cup race ever.  In the Laatste Ronde, they look forward to the Kerstperiode including two World Cups, two Superprestiges, and two X2O races in just a few days.  Will Dendermonde be another waterslog?  Will Zolder deliver last lap excitement this time?  Will anyone get stranded at double-pit Diegem?  Will Neil start to appreciate Baal?  Will Van der Poel return at Loenhout, as Van Aert did 2 years ago?  Will Hulst-not-Hulst ever go back to the much-missed windmill?In fact, with the pandemic allow anything to happen at all?Happy Kerstperiode everyone!Support the show--To support the show pop over to https://www.buymeacoffee.com/crosscast to make a donation towards our hosting fees - every little helps! Follow us on Insta and Facebook, and share to your networks! Neil is part of Grity Sustainable Sports Apparel @gritykit, and Matt runs Full Speed Events @full_speed_events, and both support the DonnyChainGang.

Om Podcasten

Neil Mansfield, Matt Payne and special guests talk about World, European and UK cyclocross. Follow us on @TheCrosscast @CrosscastNeil and @MattFixerPayne. And give us a like on Facebook where we put up occasional FBLive video.
Neil Mansfield is the host of the show and the cyclocross uber-geek. He races for Magspeed Racing and his family all love cross. He has been podcasting since 2015 and over-analysing racing using spreadsheets for a lot longer. He helps Caroline (Mrs M) run Grity Sustainable Sports Apparel. Find out more at https://linktr.ee/crosscastneil.
Matt Payne is the voice of British cyclocross having been on the mic for all of the big races for years. He is a professional commentator regularly heard at raceside, and also on TV and streamed coverage for all cycling disciplines. He has long experience of professional race promotion, but also a passion for grass-roots opportunity from being the brains and voice of the twice-weekly Zwift Donny Chain Gang, to organising local league races.