AusCycling Cyclocross National Series Preview: Rds 3 & 4
The third and fourth rounds of the 2023 AusCycling Cyclocross National Series are taking place in Adelaide this weekend, with racing due to take place at a course in the parklands surrounding the Adelaide Superdrome in Gepps Cross.
Here’s the map of the course that Port Adelaide Cycling Club have in store:
Photo: @portadelcc
In case the image above doesn’t make it clear, the race start on day 1 will be in the top right-hand corner (in the Superdrome carpark), with riders travelling around the course clockwise, with the course direction (excepting the staircase) to be reversed for Round 2 on Sunday.
For the Saturday course, this will mean a sprint on tarmac through the Superdrome carpark to start the race, with riders then making a couple of grassy turns before heading out of the Superdrome complex and into Foresters Forest. After crossing a bridge over a ditch, riders will turn south and head straight along a hard-packed dirt path before swinging left and entering a sweeping downhill run into a creek crossing, where some of last year’s most spectacular photos were taken.
Photo: @thatbikenerd
After crossing the creek riders will have to negotiate some turns on grass, then enter the technical sand section through Forester’s Forest. Last year this 300-400m section was a real mud bog that was hell on competitor’s drivetrains, but with drier conditions anticipated this year this could be more of a test of riders’ skills on loose surfaces.
After turning right off the sand section, racers will be able to get back up to speed along a long straight section of grass that eventually tanks them up onto a levee bank.
Passing here is a good idea, as the levee is wide enough to allow safe overtaking and it will guarantee first position into the short downhill that takes riders into the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ - a short, steep staircase installed by Port Adelaide CC in 2021.
After remounting, riders will have the chance to lay down the power for 2-3 minutes in succession until they re-enter the Superdrome complex, passing the pits for the first time. If riders choose not to go through the pits they’ll enter ‘The Big Handshake’, a twisting, turning section that’s looks like a pinwheel from the air, but is actually two sets of hairpins stacked inside one another.
A few more grassy corners will need to be negotiated in front of the team tents before riders tackle the course’s barriers. Once riders have remounted (or pulled off a successful bunnyhop), a final grassy hairpin is all that stands between riders and the finish line.
It all sounds well and good in theory, but what will it actually look like for the riders?
We have some idea, as this year’s course is fairly similar to last year’s - though the tight tree-lined section from 1:30 to 2:20 in our race video from last year has been omitted in favour of more grassy riding up around the Superdrome, which should be better for spectators.
The main difference between the course in that video and the course that will confront riders this weekend will be the rain. Last year the venue received about 50mm of rain across the two days of racing, which made for some pretty dirty bikes and even dirtier riders!
Thankfully conditions this weekend are forecast to be much more humane for machines and racers alike, with mild temperatures and a fairly low chance of rain during racing.
You can follow all the action here on CX Down Under, as well as on our Facebook and Instagram pages.