Originally Posted by
Doge
The experienced roadie kids new to cross, they are pretty far along on the skills (they can hop barriers). It is just the knowing what to do when. Same for track. Same for doing early races in other places. It is a tactics thing, not a skill thing.
As you mentioned pacing is a real good one. In watching the pros the decision to ride up a hill or run up is something many do differently.
I find that awfully hard to believe Doge. The only kids I've seen that are good barrier hoppers are the kids the specialize in and focus on cross, can't imagine most roadie specific kids, with minimal dirt time, being good at it or being remotely comfortable doing it in a cross race.
Lots of hills in cross that are skill based too, you can watch many of the UCI races and see how MVDP can stay on line, carry speed and ride while many of the others can't....its s skill more than fitness related issue. Nine times out of ten if they can ride they do. Unlike those Belgian stairs, if they lose momentum on a typically run/ride up of get off line, it's an easy out to hop off and run with little to no time loss.