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Author: Neil Mansfield, Matt Payne, and guests

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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.
59 Episodes
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In Episode 12 of Season 7, Neil Mansfield and Matt Payne are joined by Ian Field to review the 2024 World Championships that came from Tabor, Czechia.  The weekend started with a compelling team relay where strategy was key, and where GB were just pipped to the line by France.  Surely this race needs to be covered in full with dedicated graphics to make it more accessible to the less obsessive CX fans out there?They talk through how day 1 saw Gery take her second jersey of the weekend and how the race with Ferguson could have unfolded differently in a different universe.  U23 men and Elite women's races went to form, with Van Empel's huge win being the biggest gap for years... this caused Neil's Crosscast podium prediction score to be scuppered - yes he is still gutted.A badly timed puncture meant Sparfel could not make it 3 golds for France but gifted the win to wobbly-wheel Viezzi.  The predicted but no less impressive dominations from Backstedt and Van Der Poel give Ian, Matt, and Neil plenty to talk about, not least of which was Matt's impromptu invitation to / unintentional gatecrashing of Zdenek Stybar's family party.  The biggest take-aways from the weekend are that we have worthy winners of the jerseys, France are on the up with a mega strong squad 12 months from a home World Champs, and that each of Ian, Neil and Matt were shown up by their family members in terms of predicting the podiums.One more show, and then it's season's end.  See you then.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.
In Episode 11 of Season 7, Neil and Matt are joined by cyclocross talent, coach extraordinaire, and commentator on Discovery+, Ian Field.  They review the 14th round of the World Cup that came from Hoogerheide and query whose form is peaking when... some were at the end of a training block to prepare for the World Championships, and others seem to be coming along just nicely potentially challenging for a jersey next weekend.They discuss whether Belgian Cyclocross is going through a rough patch with few of the podium places at the race or series going back to the country, with the Netherlands taking home most of the prizes this year in the World Cup.  They talk through whether 14 rounds is too many, or whether reducing it would undermine the concept of a series and allow riders to just dip in for part of the season and still take the series.  They also agree that the points in the U23 competition are plain silly daft, and should be fixed for next year - an easy change that will make it fairer.In the Laatste Ronde they preview the biggest weekend of 2024, CX WORLDS coming from Tabor, Czechia.  They talk through the course and each category in detail.  This is unmissable listening for anyone wanting to get the most out of the World Champs or just impress your friends with your detailed knowledge straight from those who have raced there multiple times, or at least worked in the pits 😁.  Neil, Matt and Ian make their predictions... can YOU do better?  Join in at the Annual Crosscast Competition that you can find here.  Please share with your clubs, teams, friends and family to see who can do the best.https://forms.office.com/e/s5bWfqRaLLEnjoy the weekend!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.
In Episode 10 of Season 7 Neil and Matt look back on a fabulous Falkirk National Championships with its perfect January weather, superb location, awesome atmosphere and cracking course. They talk through each of the UCI category races, with Mason defending his jersey and Kay taking the title for the first time.  Both were popular wins with the local crowd for Mason and Kay having been a CX pro for a while, and the win coming 5 years after her first time on the National elite podium.   They talk through the action from further down the elite field, things that were not shown on the TV coverage.  The juniors saw Ferguson have an impressively dominant ride worthy of someone ready to take on the World's best with her imminent movi to Movistar, and first year Oscar Amey took the Junior Men's title meaning that the jersey will be on show next season. They talk through the National Champs from other nations including the Netherlands and Belgian races with a host of winners coming with season back-stories. Benidorm World cup is reviewed, a race that saw a huge amount of grit on show for all of the podium finishers, none of whom had an easy ride, with Alvarado repeatedly chasing down the dynamic duo at the front, and even Van der Poel showing that he can have a bad day.  The big question remains... if the commentator's curse is real, should Matt take some of the blame/credit for Van Aert's tumble on the hurdles that delivered even more action at the race finale?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.
In Episode 9 of Season 7, Neil and Matt pull together a bumper show as a special for those of you who have long drive to Falkirk to watch or even race at the British National Cyclocross Championships.The final round of the 23-24 Trophy is reviewed, a race that came from Tong where a respectably rideable course was a great achievement for a race that coincided with serious floods and waterlogged ground across much of the UK.  They also talk through what makes an event a success... and agree that it is much more than just a race course.They finally open the can of worms reviewing practicalities of the National Trophy, geeking out over numbers and asking whether the drop in competitors this year is the next step in a multi-year decline and question why.  Neil quizzes Matt on whether he can guess which 4 National Trophies have had the highest and lowest entries over the last 7 years (go on... can YOU work it out?!).While much of the show is a deep dive into organisation, there is also plenty of racing covering the World Cups from Hulst and Zonhoven, and also a bit of Baal with a side of Koksijde.In the Laatste Ronde they look forward to what is set to be an enthralling National Championships from a spectacular venue with hugely competitive fields across all categories.  Will the favorites bring home a jersey or could some wildcards spring a surprise?... Can Imogen Wolff challenge for an U23 podium riding up from Juniors or could she be battling with Nikki Brammeier (who was on the U23 podium the year Wolff was born)?  And listeners, we hope that you take careful note of the family battles... can younger brothers get the better of the older in the Askey, Barnes, Chilton, and Amey households?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.
In Episode 7 of Season 7 Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by Lars Van Der Haar, simply one of the most successful cyclocross riders of his generation.  They talk about the cyclocross community and fitting in family with CX, as well as how young riders can be inspired to pursue sport by the pros.  While chatting through the action from Herentals and Namur they talk through race tactics and how the Van Der Holeshot can be important in keeping a race under control, and of course they mention the fabulous starts from Matthieu Vanderpoel and Ruby James (💪💪💪).  Lars reflects on how an early puncture at Namur meant he needed to chase for the whole race, although Pidcock was, as expected, in his element on the Citadel.  They also discuss how Alvarado, Brand, van Empel and Pieterse are peaking in form.In the Laatste Ronde they talk through rider-favorites from the Kersteperiod, and how Lars will be missing Zolder this year despite having a fantastic track record there.The big question remains... will Lars ever manage to add Richard Groenendaal's autograph to his collection?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.
In Episode 5 of Season 7 Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by cyclocross talent Ruby James, having her best season for ages and doing those Hope Factory Racing colours proud.  They talk through her experiences racing at the World Cups in Troyes and Dublin and how she has worked with the Hope crew to get the best out of her season.They discuss the Paignton National Trophy that delivered a challenging and fun course, mixing up mud, a bit of running, and some open faster sections.Neil reports back on his block vising several local leagues (3 cracking venues and totally different in character), in his run up to the Masters World Champs from an icy Hamburg, which is where he will be when the show is uploaded.In the Laatste Ronde they look forward to Trophy 5 from Cyclopark and the already iconic Ride for Charlie steps, and World Cups from the city of flames (Flamanville) and the valley of sun (Val di Sole).And most importantly it's great to hear that Matt is recovering well after his scary high-speed crash in France, with a life-saver helmet and emergency transfer to l'hôpital.  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.
In Episode 2 of Season 7 Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by 'CXOli' - Oli Akers - from Ribble Verge cyclocross team.  Oli brings us up to speed on his MTB camp with Trek Future Racing and his speedy start to his season, characterised by his speedy starts. Neil and Oli go into fine detail on their racing in South Shields, how they found the course, and how Oli managed to come on top in a sprint and Neil... didn't (oh come on... it was a photo finish with identical times to the 10th!).  The men's race had a familiar podium with Mein and Barnes Bros taking the 1-2-3 but the women's race had a new winner in Elenor Day (yes, my top tip  😂) followed by Baker and James with a result showing she's back on awesome form and ready to take on the CX season.  Keira Bond finished in a strong 4th, fresh over to the UK from USA, and someone we hope will be able to race the whole season.Matt, Oli and Neil discuss the biggest talking point of the weekend, the change in schedule, which certainly changed the feel of the event... is it too soon to see whether it is better or worse on balance?  In the Laatste Ronde they look forward to next round of the National Trophy coming from a new venue at Thornton Hall.  A course that is described as being either up or down or the pits, and on the same site where you can pick pumpkins can hug a baby goat.  What's not to like?They also preview the first round of the World Cup due to come from TREK's car park at Waterloo.  Could this be the first World Cup win for Nys Jr or will the more established riders pick up where they left off last season.  Since recording the show the start list has been published and it includes several exciting names from the MTB world including former winner Neff, but also has a lot of names missing.  Essential viewing for sure.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.
In Episode 15 of Season 6, Neil and Matt look back on the season as a whole and reflect on the final standings in the X2O and Superprestige series. In a season that was affected by injury and incident, but kept fresh by having close racing at the front week in, week out, they decide on their own riders of the year for UK female (with shortlist including Baker, Backstedt, Crees, Strathdee, Weijack, Day), and UK male (with shortlist including Barnes, Akers, Mason, Pidcock)... and then World female (with shortlist including Holmgren(s), Van Anrooij, Pieterse, Van Empel) and World male (with shortlist including Van Aert, Van der Poel, Sweeck, Iserbyt).  They also select their UK race of the year (with shortlist including Clanfield, Ispwich Masters Worlds, Derby, Falkirk, South Shields) and World race of the year (with shortlist including Diegem, Hoogerheide, Zonhoven, Hulst, Benidorm). What do you think?They look forward to next season's World Cup with its similar calendar to last year but now down to just one non-European date. They also review the recently announced 23-24 UK National Trophy series that is looking like it will be another cracker, despite the only UK UCI race listed (at the moment) being the European Cup race at Clanfield. It has to be said that UK Trophy race organisers are doing an awesome job at the moment 10/10 :-) But... they both get a bit argumentative when it comes to the change in race schedule which makes them both a tad baffled of how it will work practically, and whether it will achieve what it sets out to, or end up being counter productive.  Hopefully more clarity will come over the next 6 months.And finally - thanks all the guests who have made this season a joy to record, and all the buymeacoffee donors who have enabled the Crosscast to exist. You rock.See you on the other side of the summer.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.
In Episode 14 of Season 6, Neil and Matt are joined by Ian Field to review the 2023 World Championships that came from Hoogerheide. Matt, just back from UCI / BBC commentary duties, Ian, just back from GCN / Eurosport commentary duties, and Neil, just back from sofa duties, reflect on a weekend that started with a GB Silver in the relay, and built to what will inevitably become an iconic sprint finish in the elite men's competition, between Van Aert and Van der Poel.After a Canadian 1-2 in the women's juniors and compared to what we have become accustomed to, a noticable lack of Dutch and Belgian riders in the younger catergories, they discuss how the profile of CX might be changing. They talk how Van Anrooij definitely made the right decision to race U23 lining up the possibility to be the first woman to collect all three world champs jerseys, and Backstedt who could well aim to beat her to it. And did the Netherlands teams gift Nys the win by poor tyre choice?... and should Van Aert have at least considered a 'plan b' for the final sprint? Word of the day must be - bamboozled.  Before looking ahead to the final races of the season, they give a run down of how well they did in the Crosscast World Champs Prediction competition.And stop press... the announcement came in during recording... Van Empel will race to end of the season after all, Lucinda must be gutted.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.
In Episode 13 of Season 6, Neil and Matt are joined by cyclocross talent and 5 times British Champion, Ian Field. They look back on the final two races of the World Cup that both delivered the unexpected. Benidorm, a fast race that was reminiscent of the early season dry events, was full of action and, in the end, decided the World Cup series with Sweeck and Van Empel taking the titles. They also review the rather strange weekend before the World Champs with Besançon no longer being quite the World Cup finale as expected, but giving a fitting French finale to Chainel's career, but others with a whole host of different agendas.The main focus of the show is previewing the upcoming Hoogerheide World Championships, a venue that Ian has raced 9 times. They look at what to expect from the course and where to expect the action. They also give their predictions, tips and insight into each of the 7 races. Can you do any better with your predictions? Pop over to https://tinyurl.com/crosscast2023 to give YOUR tips 😎.And over the weekend, you can get to hear both Matt and Ian giving TV commentary on GCN and the UCI depending on where you are.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.
In Episode 9 of Season 6, Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by Junior CX talent, Oli Akers fresh from (yet) another win in the National Trophy. Oli talks about his season, and how things are taking shape at Garden Shed UK Ribble Verge CX. He talks about the balance of risk and reward, and how much he is anticipating the end of the season with a series of big-ticket races across Europe.They review the ice conditions that were experienced at Barnoldswick and how they responded to the challenge of racing in the cold and slidey conditions. They also review all of the action from Val di Sole (spoiler - there wasn't a great deal in the end), and debate the balance of risk and reward and the challenges facing organisers in the balance of designing courses that are pitched at the right level for a sport that inhernetly carries some risks.In the Laatste Ronde they look forward to the upcoming Kerstperiode and preview Gavere, Zolder, Diegem and Baal. And also mention Mol and Loenhout on the way. So much CX goodness in such a short space of time - listen up for all you need to know and what to look out for.Happy Kerstperiod 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.
In Episode 8 of Season 6, Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by World Champion Ceris Styler, fresh from defending her jersey at the Masters World Champs. They give a full run down of all the fun from Ipswich, and talk through all of the GB podiums from what was another awesome event from Steve Grimwood and the whole organising team.They also look back at the racing from Boom and Antwerp, and what amounted to a Hollywood-esque pair of elite races from Dublin, with action from start to finish. They talk about how Wout has an undefeated track record in big races when someone shoves a foot through his wheel and Neil rolls out the 'throwing in the towel' meme. They debate whether Pieterse was overly optimistic hopping congested barriers, or whether lines were defended a tad too agressively by the opposition. They also reflect on the fantastic performances from the GB squad, and give respect to Cycling Ireland for providing such a forum for a large team to get experience on the biggest stage.And questions are asked... who are the favorites for the World Champs in the women's field at the moment?... and does it matter that the women's National Jersey hasn't seen any action since it was won last January? And will the National Trophy overall be won by Baker and Barnes, as time is running out for other contenders? This week's quiz question is when did Pidcock, Van Aert and Van Der Poel last take to the same start line?In the Laatste Ronde, they look forward to a pair of races that appear to be entirely dependent on the weather. Val di Sole will certainly be picturesque, but will it bring exciting racing? And Matt gives Neil and Ceris lessons on how to pronounce Barnoldswick, the venue for the penultimate National Trophy. Make sure you listen up to avoid muppetry with the locals.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.
In Episode 6 of Season 6, Neil and Matt are joined from Belgium by Spectra Wiggle's Xan Crees from the middle of her European race block. They get all the insights from Xan who has been on the ground at almost every one of the big races this year.They cover all the action from Koppenburg with the memorable wins for Van Der Haar and Van Empel, and the race that Prevot will want to forget. They cover the return of Alvarado to winning ways at Niel after a 2-year hiatus., and a first World Cup win for Van Anrooij after Pieterse and Van Empel's complacency (or was it?) at the bell. They also reflect on the European Champs - both the elite and masters results, with another superb haul of medals for the British vets, just a few weeks before the Masters World Champs.There is the debate on which jersey should Van Empel and Pieterse wear at the next World Cup (which is carefully tiptoed round), and most importantly they have received fan mail from the operator of the cablecam.In the Laatste Ronde they look forward to the upcoming races from Merksplas and Kortrijk, that might see the return of Pidcock, and the return of World Cups from Overijse - which might or might not have the killer climb into the pits off the start, and from Hulst. They also preview the next round of the National Trophy from Paignton and Andover Supercross.It's been a cracking season so far... and before you listen, do you know the answer to the question of before Namur, when was the last time Vos and Prevot went head-to-head on a CX bike?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.
In Episode 4 of Season 6, Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by Montezuma's Race Team's Amy Perryman fresh from a summer of off road riding and kicking off her Trophy season in Derby.In today's Crosstalk they catch up on all the action from the Derby National Trophy, talking detailed positioning of barriers, happy riders, and whether Brammeier is back, or is back-back. They also pay respects with a moment's silence for Scotty Chalmers' (ex) cool carbon canti frame whose seat tube was impaled on a spike and debate if that meant Scotty was lucky or unlucky. They also agree that rider of the day was... Elena Day, with her impressive moving up the field as she moved up to U23 racing.They also look back on the action from the twin USA world cups with its exciting racing, the twin wins for Iserbyt and Van Empel, and the new twins on the block: Canadians Ava and Isabella Holmgren, being just 17 and achieving twin top 20 finishes.In the Laatste Ronde they look forwards to rounds 3 and 4 of the National Trophy with all the info from Falkirk and the Antonine Wall, and from South Shields where you are dared to take your cossie and go for a dip in the North Sea. World Cups from Maasmechelen and Tabor are previewed - one new, one classic, but both promising to offer bags of entertainment. They also quiz Amy on Ruddervoorde, a course which she raced on a couple of seasons ago. There is also an update from Cyclopark, which is expecting to have a venue tweak, so the modern classic can have a bit of maintenance and a fallow year.They even dip into a bit of tech talk, talking tyre gauges, teams shifting shifter suppliers, and introduce the first appearance of the 22-23 Wrath of Chronos.Thanks so much to everyone who has supported the show at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/crosscast where you can also buy us a virtual coffee! Proceeds go to paying for hosting fees.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.
In Episode 3 of Season 6, Neil is joined in the studio by CX talent Alison Kinloch and Alex Forrester. In Crosstalk, the trio unpack their different experiences on Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen Y Ghent, with their thrills and spills... and how they're feeling after a week of recovery. They consider just how many whippersnappers are close on the heels of the Hope block-out of 4 of the 6 individual podium places at the front of the elite race.They also consider the news from Belgium with Aerts' (probably) season out, from France with Ferrand-Prevot's move to Ineos, joining a strong GB squad that could make an impressive line up.... if they ever get to a CX start line, and the bizarre goings on with Van der Poel in Australia. Neil also contrasts the Kings Cup Gravel Champs with the Three Peaks... spoiler - the contrast is as big as it gets (haha!), but both are great prep for a full 'cross season.In the Laatste Ronde, they look forward to the opening rounds of the World Cup in the US, wonder whether the dungareed human statue will be on site again, and speculate on what the beer tent might be serving at the newly announced Dublin World Cup.They also give all the latest on Round 1 of the National Trophy due to come from Derby in a few days, with news of a bomb hole, a new start, plus the classic Derby features that make it such a cracking event to race and spectate.And if you're wondering what's happened to Matt - conspiracy theorist fill your basket, just like the Nordstream Gas Line, pipes have burst at the Old Beer Cellar Studio and work was needed to stop it becoming a basement water feature.Thanks to all for supporting the show - we have a page at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/crosscast where you can really help out with hosting costs by buying us a virtual coffee! 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.
In Episode 2 of Season 6, Neil and Matt are joined by author, rider, and CX guru Alex Forrester. Alex gives us a bit of an insight into his relocation from the South of England back to his Derbyshire roots, and how he is getting his cycling cafe prepped for all weathers.In crosstalk, they chat through some of the team changes that have been posted (if not announced), and tackle the can of worms that is the UCI sticker on a frame. They also wonder whether a 14mm thru axle disqualifies a bike from being a true cyclocrosser.Much of the show is given over to 3 Peaks Prep, wondering whether Neil's belt and braces use of Rimpact tyre inserts with robust tyres is a better move than Alex's 'pump em up as hard as you can and send it' strategy. They also talk favorites for the race, and also whether the clash with Kings Cup Gravel could draw riders away from the purity of the Yorkshire Peaks, to newfangled corporate gravel... wherever you're riding - take a moment or two to enjoy it!Before you go... if you would like to show your support and help us cover some of the production and hosting costs, please pop over to https://www.buymeacoffee.com/crosscast. It will really help us keep the show rolling, means we won't need to do paid ads, and will give you a warm fuzzy feeling!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.
In Episode 12 of Season 5, Neil Matt and Bruce review the World Champs that came from Fayetteville and gave a new meaning to Dry January, but still delivered some great racing with photo finishes, dominant rides off the front, and drama throughout.  It also delivered a decent haul of GB medals 🤩.They spend some time unpacking Ribblegate, understanding why one of the GB podium favorites needed to borrow bikes from Sven Nys to race at the World Champs after arriving with non-approved frames... and they speculate on why this might have significant knock-ons to anyone wanting to ride or organise a UCI race in future.On a lighter note, they also announce the winners of the Crosscast Podium Prediction competition and acknowledge that most listeners trounced Neil Matt and Bruce.In the Laatste Ronde they look forward to the conclusion of the X2O and SuperPrestige series, both of which are still undecided, and also have a first look at the 2022-23 National Trophy with a classic mix of classic venues with some new rounds coming in, and a lot of variety in character.And with that, The Crosscast are crossing off another season.  Thanks for the support, friends of the show, and say hi if you see us out and about on the trails, on the road, or on the zwift. See you on the other side of the summer. 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.
In Episode 11 of Season 5, Neil Bruce and Matt look back on final round of the National Trophy that came from Broughton, Skipton, that not only gave a tough course, but also a great example of what can be done to make a top tier race happen in the UK if you have the support and expertise from people like those at Hope. It also gave Neil his PB result of the season (😎). They also look back at the final two rounds of the World Cup from Flamanville and Hoogerheide that delivered some close racing albeit with depleted fields. Were they a bit of an anti-climax considering the extent of the World Cup this year, or an opportunity to foreshadow the World Champs due to start in a few days time.In the Laatste Ronde, they dedicate their thoughts to the World Champs and come up with their predictions for the podiums across all catergories.  And of course YOU can join in too! Head over to https://tinyurl.com/CCWC2022 to see if you can do better than Neil Matt and Bruce.Don't forget to follow the show on Instagram and Facebook, and support the show by treating yourself to the official T from grity.co.uk https://grity.co.uk/collections/leisure-wearSupport 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.
In Episode 10 of Season 5, Neil, Matt and Bruce are just back from what was an excellent National Championships, but they are still far from dried out after the Saturday drenching.In Crosstalk they talk through all the details of what was a challenging and muddy course, but a course that still brought exciting racing.  They reflect on their own experiences of being on the mic as well as on the start line... and Neil also making it to the finish line.  All the UCI races from Sunday are reviewed including the Junior women's and men's, as well as the two elite races. They also cover other key national Champs from across the world, over a weekend that saw some very experienced riders bring home jerseys to add to extensive collections, whilst other nations (including the UK) had younger riders taking titles.In the Laatste Ronde the upcoming World Cup finale is previewed and the difficult choices facing riders and squads who might also be targetting the US World Champs are discussed... hopefully the final few races before focus shifts stateside, will be as entertaining as the venues promise, with a French Chateau, the best camera shot of the year, and a course that brings tight racing all due over the next fortnight.Matt also unpacks the calculations that will be made to decide final positions at the final round of the National Trophy coming from Broughton. There is still a lot to decide and the course is promising to be a tough addition to the calender, whilst also benefitting from invested to make it a great venue... tune in next time to hear the view from Crosscast Towers on how close it is coming.In the meantime - Bruce, we all hope that the physio does their magic with the National Champs DNF injury, and that you'll be able to take to the start line in Skipton.Support the show by getting your spring T-shirt order in over at grity.co.ukSupport 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.
In Episode 9 of Season 5, Neil Bruce and Matt bring a bumper show. reflecting on one of the season highlights - the Kerstperiode - the classic series of Christmas races in Belgium which gave loads of discussion points in each race.  Neil managed to travel to Belgium for the Kerste and he brings his view from the pits.  In today's Crosstalk, they review the world cups from Dendermonde and (the real) Hulst... they discuss the SuperPrestige from Zolder... and debate the X2O action from Baal and Loenhout. They debate - are we now in the midst of a new golden age of UKCX, with consistent outstanding performances coming in all categories... Junior men and Junior women, U23 men and U23 women, Elite men and Elite women?And is there a better way of giving a clean race to riders at both the front and the back of the field, or is the '80% rule' the best option out there?And will we see Van der Poel again this season... or even racing in the classics?And in today's Laatste Ronde, the upcoming National Championships are previewed with the all important ones to watch picked... and considering the astonishingly good current crop of riders, probably some were missed too!  ... and on the topic of missing people - will we see the Ineos duo Pidcock and Turner take to the line?  It is really one not to miss - get there is you can, it's one of the best men's and women's fields in the world racing on home soil... or should that be home mud?And don't forget you can support the show at Grity.co.uk by treating yourself to the UK Cyclocross t-shirt!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.
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