It’s the Three Peaks race this weekend. 650 cyclocrossers will rampage over the higher, pointier bits of the Yorkshire Dales. Despite it being the 52nd running of the event, it still manages to maintain a village fete-feel to it. From the virtually unintelligible announcer on a tinny PA to the ropey old army tent housing the trophy ceremony at the finish, it’s barely changed since I went to my first one some time in the ’90s.
Having just come back from the Interbike Show, which hosted Cross Vegas, ‘the biggest cyclocross race in the US’ – the two events couldn’t be more different. Cross Vegas is admittedly a circuit race, rather than a 38 mile rampage over the mountains, but it has a logo and press passes and photo vests. There are VIP areas and team trucks. By contrast, the Peaks has a collection of friends and supporters lining some of the course (while other bits are desperately lonely). As far as I know, the Peaks has never had a title sponsor – and I think that’s part of its charm. While there are good prizes (with decent cash payouts going down to at least 25th in the women’s race) it never seems quite enough to lure the pros over. It’s not a ‘cross race in the regular sense of things – more a mountain bike ride, done by a bunch of people on inappropriate bikes. And long may it continue in that vein, resisting the urge and the publicity of similar events like the Leadville 100 that have gained fame and commercialism along the way.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go and find my mandatory emergency whistle and orange survival bag.
Damn, damn and damn again – missed last year’s 3 Peaks due to a broken elbow and dislocated shoulder, this year’s due to a 6 month “holiday” in Africa. If I was only allowed to do one race a year it’d be 3 Peaks… Long may it continue!