Niloc

So I'm reading "Slaying the Badger" the recent book about the epic 1986 Tour de France when Bernard Hinault, also known as "Le Blaireau" or the Badger, was fighting it out with Greg Lemond for the win. Anyways it mentioned that he usually took the winters off, but when he was staging his comeback for his fifth tour win he raced cyclocross. The guy was a dominating go-for-broke competitor, I bet he did well at cyclocross! Here's a pic:

NatUp

The Badger raced 'cross. I race 'cross. The Badger won Tours...

fietsbob

only Americans want to only ride the TdF as the high profile win is all that matters.

Tradition is to ride the spring classics and throughout the season..
it's a career of the working classes, not thinking yourself a film star ..

Niloc

I don't think that's true Fietsbob. Lemond had to cut his teeth like everyone else, coming up through the US junior program and then racing 2nd tier events in Europe before going for the Grand Tours. Same with Pharmstrong. But it's true that the TdF is the only cycling event that really penetrates the North American sports mindset. And that's fine, it's a European thing after all. Even the other grand tours (Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana) don't register.

Cyclocross has definitely gained a lot of profile especially in America in recent years. I understand that it was a niche sport in NW Europe and something that the pros did for winter fitness (like the Badger) but not something that was taken very seriously or regarded very highly by the public. I think it's got some "extreme sports" X games type hype going for it in America. Also it's pretty much an individual sport, every man for himself, which may be more suited to American audiences and certainly easier to understand than the complexities and intrigue of team oriented road racing in Europe with domestiques and strategy etc.

Slaying the Badger is a great read and a good introduction to the world of elite cycling. Doesn't hurt that it tells the story of the first (and still only official) American to win the Tour de France. I highly recommend it.