World Cup Fayetteville
“There’s an interesting comparison between the town itself and the CX community at large in the country. What started as a niche sport, a small town, there is this growth and determination to make something out of what’s there. By seemingly sheer force this sport has stayed afloat and somehow even found its footing again. In comparison, by sheer force this local community in Arkansas has put it’s claim as a mecha and done everything to make it happen. As a small town Southern person myself, I see what it takes to make something like this happen in a community with little to no connection to cycling. But seeing what bikes have done to the economy and the sheer presence of cycling in the collective vision, it’s so impressive. After racing the WC track in the most epic of conditions, I am quite certain that this Worlds will not only be pulled off but be one to remember forever. I am looking forward to trying my best to be part of it all.”
Arkansas has well and truly thrown it’s hat into the ring to be the heart of cycling in the US. The second round of the World Cup Series saw the dress rehearsal for the World Championships next year and it was epic. Off the back of a hard World Cup in Waterloo, Raylyn and Stephen were ready to take on this new course. There was a murmur around the course on the pre ride day with genuine intrigue into this new venue. It all changed half an hour before the women’s race when the rain came. A downpour changed the conditions in minutes. A dry fast course changed into a mud bath and the spectators were in for a treat. It turned into another hard day at the office for the team but Nuss and then Hyde both toughed out the conditions. Neither were particularly happy with their placing however both showed huge mental strength to fight through a leg sapping day and then also regroup after the race. Both move onto Iowa to finish this block of World Cups.
Stephen’s opening words highlight how much the US cyclocross and the Arkansas cycling community has grown. It mirrors nicely with two entries from the famous Tilford blog back in 2008 and 2010. Steve had a knack of painting a picture of large parts of the US with his words as he travelled to different races. He writes:
2008 post, “Arkansas is a nice state. Beautiful. Kind of undiscovered. But, Northwest Arkansas is going crazy with construction. I think it is Walmart trickle down, but whatever the case, it is nuts. The towns above Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale are booming. Riding around there is pretty strange. Huge 7000 sq.ft. trophy houses. Stone, brick, spectacular. Next, mobile homes surrounded by cars with no wheels. Pretty weird.” Steve Tilford
2010 post, “Kind of like West Virginia or Appalachia. You can be riding on a smooth, paved road, with million dollar horse farms one minute, and then descend into a hollow, where the road turns to gravel or dirt, and there is a cultish collection of mobile homes and such, with chickens running around and dogs roaming galore. I love it.” Steve Tilford
The team had a hard race in Fayetteville, but Northwest Arkansas is going to put on an epic show for the Worlds and the Steve Tilford Foundation will sure be there in some capacity.
Photos and words by Kenza Barton Schlee
