Each fall, the CrossVegas cyclocross race, held during the Interbike Expo in Las Vegas, draws a huge crowd to see some of the world’s best CX racers duke it out in the warm Vegas night air. This year, the course was fast and dry, so the pros were keeping the pace high and the excitement even higher.
The Gear Junkie crew was on site, along with hundreds of spectators, and I used the opportunity to photograph the action. Kona powerhouse Ryan Trebon looked strong as he took an early lead. But it was Cannondale rider, Jamie Driscoll, that really stole the show: Young Driscoll took a solo flyer off the front on the third lap and held it all the way to the last few yards of the race. There he was dealt a major blow by French cyclocross champion, Francis Mourey, who sprinted just in time to nip Driscoll’s wheel and take the win.
If you’ve never attended a cyclocross race, you owe it to yourself to do so. Many cycling fans, including myself, consider it the best spectating in all of bicycle racing. The nighttime setting and Vegas party atmosphere make CrossVegas one of the best races on the calendar. I’m already excited for the 2011 version! —T.C. Worley
—T.C. Worley is a professional photographer and a contributing writer for GearJunkie.com. For more cyclocross imagery, go to Worley’s website www.studiobluempls.com.