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Milton Keynes looks set to get round of 2014-15 Cyclo-cross World Cupcyclo-cross (CC licensed image by Petit Brun via Flickr)

Milton Keynes looks set to get round of 2014-15 Cyclo-cross World Cup

Weekend of cross planned, but not at the Bowl, says Simon Burney
by John Stevenson
Mon, Dec 23, 2013 10:47
7

The UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup looks set to come to the UK for the first time next year with a round in Milton Keynes on November 29, 2014.

According to cyclo-cross.info Milton Keynes was vying for a World Cup spot for the 2013-14 season, but did not meet the necessary budgetary requirements.

The town, famed for roundabouts and concrete cows, hosted a round of the cyclo-cross National Trophy series on December 1.

However, while the Belgians are getting excited about popping over to the UK for a World Cup race, Britain’s godfather of ’cross and UCI cross bloke Simon Burney took to Twitter to clarify.

He said: “Oh jeez who told Belgian press there might be a UK World Cup? Guess I can't back out now... #anyonegotanycoursetape?

“If you want to hear more about a potential Brit WC 'cross WHICH ISNT OFFICAL YET you better follow @MiltonKeynesWCX to see if we get it!

“It'll be officially official (or not) when UCI management board meet in Hoogerheide to discuss. I'd better buy 'em a few beers then...”

The plan is for a weekend of racing, with the World Cup on Saturday and a C2 grade race on Sunday, possibly a round of the National Trophy series, he said.

“And for those asking, it's NOT at the Bowl... I never forgave MK for letting U2 play there so we're somewhere MUCH nicer ;P”

European cyclo-cross champion Helen Wyman tweeted that the news was, “Very very very very very exciting.” Do you think she's excited too, then?

cyclo-cross
Simon Burney
Helen Wyman
John Stevenson

John has been writing about bikes and cycling for over 30 years since discovering that people were mug enough to pay him for it rather than expecting him to do an honest day's work.

He was heavily involved in the mountain bike boom of the late 1980s as a racer, team manager and race promoter, and that led to writing for Mountain Biking UK magazine shortly after its inception. He got the gig by phoning up the editor and telling him the magazine was rubbish and he could do better. Rather than telling him to get lost, MBUK editor Tym Manley called John’s bluff and the rest is history.

Since then he has worked on MTB Pro magazine and was editor of Maximum Mountain Bike and Australian Mountain Bike magazines, before switching to the web in 2000 to work for CyclingNews.com. Along with road.cc founder Tony Farrelly, John was on the launch team for BikeRadar.com and subsequently became editor in chief of Future Publishing’s group of cycling magazines and websites, including Cycling Plus, MBUK, What Mountain Bike and Procycling.

John has also written for Cyclist magazine, edited the BikeMagic website and was founding editor of TotalWomensCycling.com before handing over to someone far more representative of the site's main audience.

He joined road.cc in 2013. He lives in Cambridge where the lack of hills is more than made up for by the headwinds.

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7 comments

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TrekBikesUK | 10 years ago
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As MK is home to our Euro HQ, we are clearly excited about this possibly happening here.

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Linkinbassist | 10 years ago
0 likes

I'm there, I'll drag people along with me if I have to ^.^

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bikerdavecycling | 10 years ago
0 likes

Please, please! I cannot wait! 16

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banzicyclist2 | 10 years ago
0 likes

Excellent! I'm starting a new job In' MK next year 4

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djpalmer32 | 10 years ago
0 likes

Need any marshalls 36

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Roastie | 10 years ago
0 likes

Here's to hoping they pull it off.

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sean1 | 10 years ago
0 likes

Brilliant. 41

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