It’s cyclocross season, and to show our love and appreciation for Bill Schieken of In the Crosshairs and his new book Skills, Drills and Bellyaches featuring Jeremy Powers (which we got to preview at Interbike), we’re collaborating on this little collection to introduce the Cyclismas fans to Bill’s genius #SVENNESS videos. We like to call it #CYCLISMASVENNESS. We’re starting at the very beginning of the series so you can get the whole backstory and get to know the cast of characters. Hope you enjoy. ~ Lesli
Hey there Cyclismasses! Bill, here, from In The Crosshairs, to introduce a little video series we produce. It’s called #SVENNESS and in it we break down the week’s Euro-pro cyclocross races to give you some play-by-play of key moments. We also know that many #SVENNESS viewers are racers, too, so we sprinkle in some tips and techniques to help you in your own cyclocross battles. In a nutshell, #SVENNESS is a mix of ESPN’s Primetime (that was a show about a ball sport, cycling friends) and VH1’s Pop Up Video.
Sounds great, Bill, but why is it called SVENNESS? Good question. It’s named after arguably the best cyclocross racer of our time, Sven Nys. To my ears, when the broadcasters on Sporza pronounce his name it sounds like Svenness. He has one of those names that you must always say the first and last together. At least it sounds better that way. So #SVENNESS became this way of describing the sublime in cyclocross. Clinical tactics, a beautiful pass, when done masterfully, it was #SVENNESS.
Oh, here’s a fun takeaway for you: the series could easily have been called “A moment of Sven” or even “Everything Sven,” but #SVENNESS, for whatever reason, stuck. I think we made the right call.
Thanks for watching.
#SVENNESS 2.15 from In The Crosshairs on Vimeo.
For episode 2.15, SVENNESS makes a stop at the Belgian National Cyclocross Championships, which took place at the Gaverbeek Hippodrome in Waregem, West Flanders, Belgium. The race takes place on a flat track with several flyovers and drainage ditches. It is a bit muddy and there is one long stretch of sand that plays an important role in this race.
We focus on the sand, the planks, the attrition of an already small field, and the solidification of a legend. For the Belgian elite race, only racers who have full-time contracts are allowed to compete. That means the field is only 14 deep. The elites without contracts race a minute after the full-time pros start their race.
This episode is presented by Skills Drills and Bellyaches: A Cyclocross Primer, which is available at www.cyclocrossbook.com.
SVENNESS is also presented by CrossVegas. Find out more at www.crossvegas.com.
SVENNESS t-shirts remain on sale at www.SVENNESS.com. Quantities are limited.
Footage for this episode via Sporza: http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/veldrijden
If you like the music, please purchase the track. Support the artists who liven up these episodes. Tracks for 2.15 are:
When I’m Down~Simone Rubi: https://simonerubi.bandcamp.com/
A Button on Your Blouse~The Drowners: https://soundcloud.com/frenchkiss_records/a-button-on-your-blouse/s-NC0Wj
Weird Purr~Eugene Quell: http://eugenequell.bandcamp.com/track/weird-purr
Tell the Teller~Toy Soldiers: https://soundcloud.com/toy-soldiers-1/tell-the-teller-1
Miss Teen Massachusetts~Skaters: https://soundcloud.com/skaters/miss-teen-massachusetts
Thanks for watching.
SVENNESS and the #SVENNESS hashtag © 2014 CXHairs LLC
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