Origins of Cyclo-Cross

[Wyndbrook]

The various national champs coming up this weekend show its been around a long time, the French champs were first held in 1902 and Belgium from 1910.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Indeed it started in France. In Dutch it's called "veldrijden" which translates to "field riding"... you can take that quite literally as that was the exact origin. There were no fabricated obstacles. Just a course on a farmer's field, with creeks running through them where they'd need to jump over etc. I'm looking for a really early video i once saw, but i can't seem to find it. I did find one of the 1950s, but the one i was looking for was even earlier.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beXa5iDJENE

 

[the delgados]

Indeed it started in France. In Dutch it's called "veldrijden" which translates to "field riding"... you can take that quite literally as that was the exact origin. There were no fabricated obstacles. Just a course on a farmer's field, with creeks running through them where they'd need to jump over etc. I'm looking for a really early video i once saw, but i can't seem to find it. I did find one of the 1950s, but the one i was looking for was even earlier.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beXa5iDJENE

Note the triumphant musical background. Well before the John Tesh days of synth soundtracks to TdF coverage. I love it.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Note the triumphant musical background. Well before the John Tesh days of synth soundtracks to TdF coverage. I love it.

Sounds like commentary by Eamon Andrews.

 

[CXXC]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9_Fs1QtsOY&t=294s


One of the most interesting/funny old cyclocross videos I have ever seen . Race is set not far from where I live so names/places are familiar.

Hope others may enjoy.

 

[Sciatic]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9_Fs1QtsOY&t=294s


One of the most interesting/funny old cyclocross videos I have ever seen . Race is set not far from where I live so names/places are familiar.

Hope others may enjoy.

Love the stream crossing!

 

[the delgados]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9_Fs1QtsOY&t=294s


One of the most interesting/funny old cyclocross videos I have ever seen . Race is set not far from where I live so names/places are familiar.

Hope others may enjoy.

Did you see the part where the head of finance passed the recent recipient of a kidney transplant? That's not fair.
Then you have the reporter for the Chronicle battling it out with the finance lad and the retired cheese worker.
RAF guy should have taken an early leave to train. Poor guy just threw his bike into the pond and is bringing up the rear.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Indeed it started in France. In Dutch it's called "veldrijden" which translates to "field riding"... you can take that quite literally as that was the exact origin. There were no fabricated obstacles. Just a course on a farmer's field, with creeks running through them where they'd need to jump over etc. I'm looking for a really early video i once saw, but i can't seem to find it. I did find one of the 1950s, but the one i was looking for was even earlier.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beXa5iDJENE

”After several hours of this sort of thing…” 😂
Damn well it was better in the old days. 🎺

 

[RedheadDane]

I think it was some guy who went for a ride, got lost, had to ride across a field, then met some friends, and decided to pretend that he totally meant to do that.