Cyclocross Nationals: Snot, Sweat and Tears

The sound of screaming fans, jingling cowbells and the whine of Axl Rose belting “Welcome to the Jungle” rang out at Tiffany Springs Park yesterday as the Cyclocross National Championships kicked off four days of muddy mayhem.

“He’s riding that bike like he just stole it from the front of a 7-Eleven!” shouted one of the announcers as a grime-spattered cyclist shot past a patio of picnic tables where racers and spectators were enjoying beer and barbecue in the barely 40-degree weather.

This is the second consecutive year the crowning event of American cyclocross — a grueling sport that takes the endurance of road cycling, the agility of mountain biking and the tenacity of adventure racing — has churned up muck in Kansas City. Yesterday was just the start. The action continues all weekend and culminates with the elite men’s and women’s races on Sunday afternoon.

Click the photo for a slide show of yesterday’s action and a preview of what to expect this weekend. To get more amped up, check out a trailer of the movie “Zero Traction” (produced by a Topeka outfit) that the competitors watched last night at a beer-swilling, brat-eating kickoff party. — Carolyn Szczepanski