In fact, the sport has its roots at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when road cyclists started competing cross-country, putting a different strain on their muscles and incorporating additional technical challenges into their programme. For Hanka Kupfernagel, four-time cyclocross world champion, cross-country cycling was also part of her basic training. "I always enjoyed it and it takes courage. Sometimes I would throw myself after the boys on steep slopes in blind faith," says Kupfernagel.
Cyclocross: versatility and intensity require fitness
If you want to enjoy off-road cycling, you should be open to speed, surprises, high intensity and mental flexibility. "The great thing about the Cycloross is that you have a very intense workload in a very short time. It grabs you," says Kupfernagel. She was once given the tip to let her bike dance - and this primarily means a loose posture in the upper body. Playing with your body weight is also important.
In heavy sand, you shovel your way through cyclocross by placing your body weight far above the rear wheel. A prerequisite for a good tour through mud, fields and meadows is also the willingness to be fully focussed. "You have to readjust yourself corner by corner, constantly refocus," explains Kupfernagel. If you are in very good physical shape, you can hide your mistakes. However, if you are not in top fitness, you will have to build up your breath and quickly struggle with your riding technique. An experienced training colleague can pass on the few crucial basics on a tour together.
Practising shoulders and running during cyclocross
The manoeuvres that world-class cyclo-cross rider Mathieu van der Poel can perform comfortably in the saddle are impressive. But for beginners, it's all about familiarising yourself with the special features of cyclocross on every training lap. These are the actions where you can no longer cope with the obstacles from a purely riding point of view. Clipping and shouldering on hills and stairs as well as running with the shouldered bike is part of the basic programme of every training round.
"It takes a long time to learn the rhythm changes and how to jump on and off the bike," says Kupfernagel. Important: When jumping off, you pull one foot past the inside of the foot that is still clicked in and then touch down while unclicking the other foot. This allows you to continue running straight away. "You can also practise this in trainers on the way to the bakery," says the multiple world champion.
Jumping and falling
A speciality that also helps racing cyclists on other terrain is the bunny hop. This involves riders jumping over obstacles. This can be practised well on roots: weight backwards, pull up the handlebars with a swing, then immediately jump upwards with the body and lift the bike backwards using the feet fixed in the clipless pedals. Of course, this can also go wrong. That's why training involves being prepared to crash from time to time. "It doesn't happen that much because it's often muddy and the speeds aren't as high as on the road."
Ball sports for the reaction
Hanka Kupfernagel gives another special tip: just as you benefit from off-road riding skills in road cycling, you benefit from skills from other sports in cyclocross. She therefore believes that fast ball sports in particular are a good exercise for sharpening the senses: The Sydney 2000 silver medallist mentions squash, badminton or volleyball - on the road, not off-road. "You also learn to roll in beach volleyball," says Kupfernagel. Other, versatile physical skills therefore help with every crisp tour through the mud.
