Koksidje Cross Bikes

Nestling on the Belgium coast near Dunkirk is the small town of Koksijde and each year a round of the UCI World Cup Cyclo Cross is held on the local Belgian Air Force base (Men's and Women's pictures). The 'Vlaamse Duinencross' cross attracts many British spectators, who take in the Ghent 6 Day Track meeting held just up the road. Being a World Cup cross event, the racing for elite men and women features the World's best. The great thing about World class level cross is that the riders and their equipment is accessible to view and we took a long stroll around the bikes.

The course is dominated by sand dunes and almost all the riders chose to run file tread tubs at very low pressures in the hope that this will keep them pedaling in the deep sand, made extra tricky by being churned up. We noted Bart Wellen's bouncing his tyres off a curb until the right pressure had been found - almost flat.

Dominating the paddock was carbon - both frames and plenty of branded wheels (Local names being noticeable)

Nestling on the Belgium coast near Dunkirk is the small town of Koksijde and each year the UCI World Cup Cyclo Cross races on an air force base and its infamous sand dunes. The 'Vlaamse Duinencross' cross attracts many Brit's who take in the Ghent 6 Day Track meeting held just up the road. Being a World Cup cross event, the racing for elite men and women features the World's best. The great thing about World class level cross is that the riders and their equipment is accessible to view and we took a long stroll around the bikes.

The sand dunes sees almost the riders choosing to run file tread tubs at very low pressures in the hope that this will keep them pedaling in the deep sand, made extra tricky by being churned up.

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Carbon is very much part of the cross scene - this is a Focus	The 'Vander Kitten' Abrens of Christine Vardaros	Rob Peeters Landbowkrediet Team Colnago
The Swift Racing Guerciotti of Gabi Day	Primus Mootry of American Jonathan Bacon	'Customer' Ridley's were often the 2nd from top carbon X-Fire whilst the Fidea squad used the top of range X-Night with its integrated seat tube
The Collstrop Palmans team ride carbon Empella Bonfire	Italian RCS Cross with nice carbon Gipiemme wheels	Prior to his switch to the Liquigas team Enrico Franzoi raced this lovely Wilier, sadly his race ended with a start line crash
Italins pedigree with this Pinarello, not the 'Charisma' wheels from MOST	Typical of any World Cup cross are bikes from unknown manufacture's, this being a Brama kiitted out with 'clubman's' wheels for Dutch woman Arenda Grimberg	A lovely Steel Inderpendent Farbrication machine featuring SRAM groupset, a gold Chris King headset, Reynold's carbon fork and gold Fizik saddle.
Women's race winner Daphne Van Den Brand' s petite alloy frame Merida	Alan once ruled the World Cross roost, but have lost ground but nonetheless their latest Tig welded alloy triangle with carbon stays and forks looks the business	3rd placed Lars Boom's Colnag
There were a number of Merida's in evidence	Little known in the UK the Stevens' brand is not uncommon in mainland Europe, this their latest carbon cross	Team issue Colnago's of the mighty Rabobank team, home of World Cup Champion Sven Njys and World Champion Lars Boom
Expensive Lightweight wheels on this Focus and this wasn't the only bike to feature these carbon lovelies	Elite men's race winner Sven Nys' Colnago	2006/2007 World Champion Erwin Vervecken's Fidea Team Ridley X-Night (2nd this day)

More pictures

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