{"id":22243,"title":"Cyclocross Tips","description":"Want to get better at cyclocross? Who doesn't? We asked qualified cyclocross coaches, including five times British Champion Ian Field, for some tips to help us up our game.","content":"

Published in<\/strong>: CYCLOCROSS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

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Want to know how to improve at cyclocross? The best way is to ask an expert. So that\u2019s what we did. We\u2019ve top tips from level-3 cyclocross coach Lynn Minchinton and five times British champion Ian Field.<\/span><\/p>

\"5mclfymxi10bfxxexvd9qw7eppfi3zpcncmb0rw44akw43b8.jpg\"<\/p>

Improve at cyclocross<\/h2>

Like most cyclocross riders, I\u2019m always looking for ways to improve. I know I\u2019m fundamentally handicapped by a lack of talent but it doesn\u2019t stop me from seeking out those golden nuggets of information.<\/p>

I\u2019ve Googled and watched cyclocross YouTube videos like an obsessive but there\u2019s nothing like asking a qualified cyclocross coach. So that\u2019s exactly what I did. I turned to five times British National Champion Ian Field and level-3 cyclocross coach Lynn Minchinton <\/span>for some tips.<\/p>

Lynn Minchinton<\/h2>

Lynn is a British Cycling coach for cyclocross, road, time-trial and track based in the beautiful Channel Island of Jersey. Lynn was the first Channel Islander to medal at the British National track championships and represented Jersey at the Commonwealth Games.<\/p>

\"swpxl9fzq2babmtw7voioqp62nxfpojahr8vkfqasoaf3oso.jpg\"Lynn wrapped up for another coaching session<\/em><\/strong> Image: Lynn Minchinton<\/em><\/p>

Lynn was WCRA (Women's Cycle Racing Association) sprint champion at the elite level, Challenge Regional champion in Brittany and four times World Masters\u2019 champion<\/p>

As well as running her coaching business Plan2coaching<\/strong><\/a>, Lynn is keen to develop cyclocross on Jersey. As you can imagine, there are logistical hurdles that those of us on the British mainland rarely face.<\/p>

Their local league is sponsored by Groupe Legendre which also sponsors French cyclocross star Steve Chainel. A cyclocross clinic with the former French national champion is a future possibility.<\/p>

Cyclocross is a growing sport on the Channel Islands and they are running the first inter-Island series next year. Lynn also has ambitions to organise a round for a British cyclocross league that features her favourite terrain - sand. It\u2019s something the island has in bucketfuls.<\/p>

Ian Field<\/h2>

Ian is such a well-known character in British cyclocross that he hardly needs an introduction. But if you\u2019re very new to cyclocross and never listened to his commentary on GCN, you may be unaware that he\u2019s won the British National Cyclocross Championships five times.<\/p>

\"ipimhbudr7pc7aowzkgcynmehbxubsoxx0zklhzqsz6sd9eg.jpeg\"Former British champion Ian Field<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

You can find out more about Ian\u2019s career in our interview with him when we talked about racing and living in Belgium<\/strong><\/a>. Listening to Ian\u2019s commentary on GCN is illuminating. He\u2019ll spot things that I usually miss about a rider\u2019s technique. Often I\u2019ll replay the video feed and observe what he\u2019s just commented on.<\/p>

Apart from commentating for GCN, Ian runs Veld Coaching<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>

Lynn\u2019s Tips<\/h2>

Tip 1 - If in doubt run<\/h3>

\u201cIf in doubt run it out!\u201d My riders are now conditioned with this mantra. This is a phrase I aim to get them on board with immediately. I see too much indecisiveness by riders in races. Their lack of decision as they try to decide what to do costs them valuable time and placings.<\/p>

\"pa1vxo6npz3zhnis6kkoorthvhhwomn9o7wznkhgieiwy0jj.jpg\" Indecision can cost you dear<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Next time you\u2019re spectating at a race, position yourself at a \u2018bottleneck\u2019. Look out for those riders who preempt a situation unfolding in front of them compared to those that wait too long to react.<\/p>

Tip 2 - Pretty is unimportant<\/h3>

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t need to look pretty just effective!\u201d My riders are all individuals and as such their skill and performance plans need to work for them. There is a textbook way of doing things but if it\u2019s not working we need to understand why not and adapt.<\/p>

\"kvpg9avccht9iqcz9wodx0bfoqonwaglmcnlztpcxjydj2kr.jpg\"Cyclocross rewards mental flexibility <\/em><\/strong>Image: The Mick Searle Collection<\/em><\/p>

Flexibility is something we work on a lot, not in physiological terms although still an important attribute but being able to be flexible in decision-making and adapt under race conditions to make it effective for that rider.<\/p>

Tip 3 - Keep smiling<\/h3>

\u201cKeep smiling!\u201d I learned early in order to win you needed to go to the \u2018hurt locker\u2019 on many occasions and it was my late mum who asked me \u201cwhy do you make those funny faces?\u201d<\/p>

I had not realised I did this but I needed to do something once I saw a photo, it was neither pretty nor effective! What changed? I began developing a facial expression to hide where I was on the pain scale. This gave me an edge over my rivals. My smile was disguising a grimace and I still wear it out riding even to this day as I hate big long hills!<\/p>

\"fzyfts2wa2zqzkb3sqhnfsx6jtqnsiplxlwvvbqcslki6wrr.jpg\"Ellen van Loy adopts her race face<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

As you can probably tell by now psychology plays a big part in my coaching delivery. Once a rider can understand and harness who they really are they can become the rider they want to be.<\/p>

Ian\u2019s Tips<\/h2>

Tip 1 - Kick out the sweat<\/h3>

If warming up on turbo or rollers, then once you finish and before you head to the start line change your undervest. Yours should be sweaty. You\u2019ll stay warmer between warm-up and start if you remove the old one along with some sweat.<\/p>

Editor\u2019s comment: And a tiny amount of weight.<\/p>

Tip 2 - Race pace practice<\/h3>

During course practice, make sure you try out the key technical parts as near to the race pace as possible. This will help with lines and tyre pressure. Sometimes a line and the required pressure can be completely different if you add 5kph.<\/p>

Tip 3 - Don\u2019t practice in the race<\/h3>

If you can't ride a feature while fresh in practice don't think during the race suddenly you are going to be able to. Choose instead to dismount at the same point each lap and carry good momentum and speed through.<\/p>

Tip 4 - Power on<\/h3>

Break the course down into 'on' and 'off' power segments. The easiest way to work this out is to do the hard bits hard and easy bits easily. Think of it the same as pacing a TT or hill climb, when you are going slow put the most power out and when you are going fast take it easy and recover.<\/p>

Tip 5 - Why am I fading?<\/h3>

If you find you\u2019re fading in races, i.e. you start well but then drop back through the field, there are two reasons. Either you\u2019re trying too hard and effectively \u2018blowing up\u2019, i.e. poor pacing, or lack of fatigue resistance training. <\/a>A fatigue resistance session would last three to four hours. Within this, ride three eight-minute efforts close to your FTP. In the final hour, ride for 20 minutes at 90% of FTP. If you can complete a session like this then you know it\u2019s not a fitness issue but a pacing one.<\/p>

If it\u2019s a pacing issue, don\u2019t burn all your matches in the first couple of laps. Just hold steady with the people around you. If you still feel fresh after a couple of laps then increase the pace.<\/p>

\"oycm5hojg8qox6iztxdajpyugtem26vq5oqdb7jvxqvbi74j.jpg\"<\/u><\/a><\/p>

Contacts<\/h3>

Lynn Minchinton can be contacted at <\/span>Plan2coaching<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>

Ian Field can be contacted at <\/span>Veld Coaching<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>

Our thanks for their cyclocross tips.<\/span><\/p>

<\/p>

9 November 2022<\/span><\/p>

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