I’m new to racing cyclocross this year and did my second race last night. Just wondered if there’s some unwritten rules I should know.

I got shouted at for a ‘robust’ pass I made. No contact was made but it definitely forced the other rider off their line. I thought this was what cross was all about??

I think youve got it mixed up with cycle speedway, thats the only cycle racing i know where forcing someone else off line is acceptable.

By all means take an inside pass or get alongside and hold your line, but the other rider shouldnt be having to swerve to avoid you barging in.

You are lucky you didn’t get punched. Rider in front has the line choice, and may move over if they can do so safely, so try shouting politely. Just don’t barge !

No rules you say ?

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/cyclocross/article/bcst_rulebook_and_constitution

if your wheel is a gnats whisker ahead of the other riders you have control of the racing line 😉

i’ve been both sides of elbow-rubbing incidents all the time in ‘cross, it’s not a problem, watch a Pro race and there’s all sorts of ‘robust’ moves, there’s usually a robust move in return later on in the day mind you

No, the rules are pretty obvious.

The lapping rider has right of way. They tend to call politely when passing but not always.

If you’re on the same lap as another rider you’ve got to pass safely. There shouldn’t be any contact, and if you take someone else’s line then expect them to be annoyed, but since it’s racing some common sense is sometimes needed. (I once did a race at Margam which went over a narrow bridge causing a bottleneck on the first lap. I dived down the side of politely queuing riders making up about 10 places in the process but one veteran took offence and shoulder barged me on the next corner. I’d argue that queing in a race is ridiculous but barging is dangerous and should be a DQ.)

On the other hand you sometimes find yourself leaning on other riders or making contact just because there’s no option. Everyone understands that, just be aware thst people aren’t always too happy when they lose a place through dubious riding. 🙂

He didn’t say he was lapping ! In any case, leading rider still has the line, but is expected to may way, again, safely. Anything else would be impractical – although some knobs do try it on going around shouting “race leader”. Aye, sure you are.

He didn’t say he was lapping !

Ah but he didn’t say he wasn’t. 😆 (I’m going for the Ade Edmonson Young Ones defence here ‘It doesn’t say NOT to pour coffee into the video recorder..’ 😉

Cool thanks for link – seems I need to do some reading then as well as work on my fitness!

It was definitely for position rather than lapping someone. Basically I’d been behind them for a lap or so. They were much faster on the open sections but slow in the technical areas. I was trying to get into a technical bit first so took an inside line but braked very late into a downhill right-hand turn, missing the apex by a mile and hence forcing them offline. Sounds like I was in the wrong and in truth if I had the fitness I’d have made the pass out in the open.

I think it was “washing up liquid” ?

I was trying to get into a technical bit first so took an inside line but braked very late into a downhill right-hand turn, missing the apex by a mile and hence forcing them offline.

I’d certainly have voiced my displeasure if you’d done that to me!

I think it was “washing up liquid” ?

Was it? Could have sworn it was coffee but washing up liquid is funnier.

If you went for a late-braking move but missed the apex then you’re the one in the wrong. However it’s not something he should be getting that annoyed about unless you took him out completely, it’s just racing.
Anyway, if he saw that you were about to overshoot he should’ve stood it up, got on the brakes and then cut to the inside when you sailed past 😆

I’d say making a ‘block pass’ is unsporting but then I’d also say deliberately blocking a faster rider (as opposed to just sticking to your line) is pretty out of order also.
Work out where you are going to pass.Shout on your right/left and most importantly make it stick.
I am a really poor starter and last year I got a DNF in the first race so did’nt get a seeding until midway through the season.It made for entertaining racing being mid pack after lap 1 to podium(ish) at the end!I think I only had one ‘altercation’ all year and tbf he was a dick first 😉

I was trying to get into a technical bit first so took an inside line but braked very late into a downhill right-hand turn, missing the apex by a mile and hence forcing them offline.

Also known as the “Warren Barguil”or “Pastor Maldonado” depending on your personal preference

😀

Shout on your right/left and most importantly make it stick.

If you call ‘on your right/left’ whilst passing me* you’ll find that space on the left/right narrowing pretty rapidly without me going quite as far as to pull out in front of you 🙂

*assuming it’s for position, not the leaders putting a lap on me (which I try and avoid happening!)

haha as david jey says – shouting “on your…” is fine if you’re lapping, trying to pass and expecting me to move out the way by shouting is a no-no

Shout on your right/left and most importantly make it stick

Don’t shout that unless you are lapping.

Making mistakes and getting shouted at happens in racing. Once it’s over just shake hands and apologize.

If you call ‘on your right/left’ whilst passing me* you’ll find that space on the left/right narrowing pretty rapidly

And you’d find 6’3″ and 80kg of me there regardless.
Calling left/right is’nt asking permission.
It’s a statement of which side you’re getting passed on

Don’t forget the last lap, hill top track stand.
Very important that it’s made to look like you are struggling to get over the top,so you didn’t really mean to make them unclip. Follow this with a flat out sprint to gain as much ground as possible 😈

Calling left/right is’nt asking permission.
It’s a statement of which side you’re getting passed on

In my world, it sort of is asking for permission – calling a pass implies that you need the individual ahead to cooperate with you. I interpret it as ‘I’ll be on this side of you, just give me half a second and don’t move over on me.’ Otherwise there’s no point saying anything. Indeed if there’s plenty of space, I pass backmarkers without saying a word.

So if it’s a pass for position, you should be able to make the move cleanly, and once you get a wheel in front, it’s your line. If my wheel is still in front, it’s mine. I’m 6’3″ too btw and whilst I carry a little less mass than you, my elbows are quite sharp 😉

No need to call unless you’re lapping. Why advertise?

Lol at you guys thinking 80kg is heavy 😉

Definitely seems that I was in the wrong then so lesson learned, although….

Don’t forget the last lap, hill top track stand.

I know just the place for this one next week.

No need to call unless you’re lapping. Why advertise?

1.Being taken out by someone who did’nt know you were there is’nt very quick.
2.Not being a dick.
I marshalled and raced at a race last year.By the time I’d run back to the car to get ready and ridden to the startline they had just started.I was last out of 102 as I crossed the line.I managed to get to 6th by the end and the only riders who were arsey were those ‘racing’ for 40something place.Which says a lot.

1) You won’t get taken out as that guy will follow his line, as will you, and there won’t be any contact. Otherwise you were the one who screwed up (as per the OP).
2) Not shouting is nothing to do with being a dick. In fact I’d say just the opposite. Shouting the passing side comes from lapping, doing it when racing for position implies that you expect someone to get out of the way.

CX isn’t MTB.

I try and call a pass when lapping, often it is a grunt of left/right if I’m on the limit but try to be more articulate when I can (including thanks).

In general when I lap people my speed is considerably higher than there’s (hence why I’m a lap up). It is my job to get round them, I do not expect them to stop or even move off the racing line. Calling a side is polite and helps prevent incidents. Starting on the back row is something you need to deal with. If you are worthy of being at the front you should be able to get there using speed and skill safely.

If I’m overtaking for racing then I’ll normally just go for it. In general I’m trying to make a gap at that point so my overtake will be fast and I will be intending to create a couple of bike lengths. Occasionally it gets a bit close and there is leaning if it is tight but never in way that would endanger either rider. I would be very careful overtaking into a corner to avoid an accident. In cross I find merely getting in front of someone isn’t good enough – you need to actually create distance – if the pace is good then I stay behind until I can time my attack.

In reference to the OP. Some one once tried that on me – They tried to force me wide on a corner and off the line. I didn’t budge, they ended up in the tape. We shook hands and laughed about it at the end of the race. It really depends on who it is. There are a handful of riders in my league with whom I would not mind a bit of aggressive racing – we all know the score and are strong competent riders. I wouldn’t try it on someone I didn’t know or in a different league.

From the rule book

11.8
When being lapped, it is the responsibility of the
lapped rider to surrender the racing line

the only riders who were arsey were those ‘racing’ for 40something place.Which says a lot

When you say they were arsey, do you mean you they had the temerity to try and fight you for position in a race they were also a part of? Next time try shouting ‘top ten rider coming through’, they’ll definitely be more cooperative then 😀

Next time try shouting ‘top ten rider coming through’, they’ll definitely be more cooperative then

And you remember what happened on FB when someone tried that at Melin Mynach last season? 😆

If it’s clearly a rider who’s out of position, it’s normally obvious as they will be catching/passing at the speed of someone lapping, I get out of their way when it’s sensible to do and hopefully catch a draft for a bit.

OP was fine until he lost the line and cut the rider up. Say sorry and get back on with it.

If you’re lapping, call out – makes everything easier for both parties.

If you’re racing the person in front, don’t call out. Don’t ride like a dick, trying to barge them off the course (doing so is more likely to cause the other rider to behave equally back at you), but don’t muck about either. Hound them in the corners. Shoulders get rubbed in ‘cross, more so than in crits/road races. Stick your wheel in if a gap opens – it’s a race not a procession and decent courses will allow for some side-by-side bravery through the twists and turns.

it’s a race not a procession

Or, as was explained to me rather bluntly as a youngster, “It’s a bike race lad, not a *ing Post Office queue”. At least in cross, if it all goes wrong you’ve generally got some nice soft mud to land on, instead of tarmac.

Shoulders get rubbed in ‘cross, more so than in crits/road races.

Which is another point. Especially early season, you get a lot of roadies giving it a go with 100+psi in their tyres and shouting at everyone to “get on the wheel” and not liking anyone putting them out of their line.

They will disappear as soon as the mud comes.

IdleJon – Member
Next time try shouting ‘top ten rider coming through’, they’ll definitely be more cooperative then
And you remember what happened on FB when someone tried that at Melin Mynach last season?

Aaah, Shoutygate 😆 I thought it was something even more helpful like “Get out the way, you’re ruining my race”

“Get out the way, you’re ruining my race”

Well, it was very similar. 😆