It's essentially a road bike but it takes caliper brakes and the chainstays will be wide enough to accept wider knobby tires. Cyclocross is raced on grass/mud/snow, with obstacles that require the riders to dismount and carry or run with their bikes. It's awesome.

Gazelle is a very well regarded maker of classic steel racers. I have an '86 Gazelle Champion Mondial road bike. It's light, fast, stiff. I've even raced it a couple times. Wonderful bike.

I saw this listing and posted it in the ebay/craigslist thread. If it fit me, I'd be all over it.