Taupō cyclocross champ takes national title

As well as winning at the national competition, Coen Nicol also went to the world cyclocross championship in Holland this year.

Cyclocross might be an unfamiliar sport to most, but Waikato is home to one of its national champions.

It has been described as the ‘punk rock of bike racing’, which might be a fitting description given cyclocross’s underground status.

The emerging sport involves completing several laps of a short course over different kinds of terrain, including pavement and grass.

There are even obstacles like steps, which mean the rider has to dismount and carry their bike for short stretches.

It means there’s an interesting variety of skills in races, said Taupō cyclocross rider Coen Nicol.

“It’s normally held around the winter in New Zealand. It’s usually around a three-kilometre circuit, and that can have grass, tarmac, sand, cobbles.

“You get off for a run - there are steps and stuff to jump over.”

The discipline supposedly got its start in early-1900s Europe, when road cyclists would take race shortcuts through farmers’ fields.

Although the wider public might not have heard of cyclocross, it’s enjoying increasing popularity both in Aotearoa and internationally.

Nicol has long been a keen rider, but is more recent to the cyclocross world.

“Two years ago, there was a race in Hawke’s Bay that my brother and dad went to, and [they] said it was pretty fun.”

He gave it a try and became hooked on the unique skill set it brought out.

“Cyclocross is just about power and technical ability to ride.”

Because it’s a less well-known discipline, he has had to establish his own training routine.

“There are no real courses - you pretty much just have to train on the road.”

“You just go hard-out for five minutes.”

That formula has proven a winning one for him.

In August, Nicol stormed the national competition to become the New Zealand under-23 champion.

It was his first shot at the category, having taken the under-19 title for the last two years.

This meant he was one of the youngest riders in the race.

“There’s definitely people [in the under-23 category] who have been riding a lot longer than me.

“You obviously have to be pretty confident in yourself.”

The stakes were high, especially as the elite and under-23 category riders raced together.

This meant Nicol was actually second over the finish line behind the first-place elite rider, who he spent the whole race chasing.

“During the race, it was me and the other guy always making a little gap towards the third and fourth place people.

“You’re laser-focused on the guy in front of you.”

Nicol hasn’t used the win as an excuse to slow down, though.

Next up is the Whaka 100 in Rotorua later in October, a punishing, 100km race with a 3000-metre elevation gain.

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