26,000 people on a route less than 3 kilometers long. 26,000 people standing near you, none of whom will ask if it is too cold to ride a bike in the winter, whether you have already put on winter tires or if you want to ride in such weather. 26,000 people, each one on this beautiful Sunday in the south of the Netherlands, lost their voice ... or dignity. A few who will sign gold letters in the history of cycling as world champions. This is Valkenburg - 2018.

The famous sea of ​​fans at cross-country events in the Benelux countries is probably associated by every cycling supporter. It's something that I've wanted to see for a long time. Valkenburg lies in the middle of the triangle Cologne, Brussels, Eindhoven - to each of these places flies from Modlin for less than PLN 90 one way Ryanair. Adding a rental car for a few dozen zlotys, accommodation in a beautiful Dutch agritourism, which looks like a monastery adapted for these needs, and the night also costs 60 PLN / head - we find the perfect idea for the weekend.

It was the best idea for a long time. Why?

The World Cross Country Championship is the best cycling event in which I participated. Dot.

I was on the Tour de France, I was on Giro, I watched the race on the track and XC races. Each of them was great, but nothing equals what we saw the weekend. The untrained eye would think that it is a classic German Oktoberfest, not the most important event in the season of the cross-country. There are many reasons and we will come to them soon.

If you do not like reading, remember this one sentence: If in life you would like to see one cycling party and feel like a real fan, nothing better, in my opinion, you will not find. If you've seen a lot of them - this will probably be better.

He does not know what mud is
Who did not set foot in the Netherlands

I do not like such statements. 2 minutes after crossing the gates on which our tickets for 42.50 Eurs have not been checked (and the entrance bands, like the Egyptian all-inclusive, we got anyway) just such a thought appears in my head. I have seen many types of mud in my life. I have won more than one dog's pile with a spring stick from the sole. The first step in the mud that covers everything in the park on the Cauberg hill, immediately explains to us why in the parking lot thousands of people were wearing wellies. It's mud that I did not know before. Mud, which is both disgustingly slippery and incredibly sucking. There is a good chance that many fans stand by the route until today. A moment of inattention, dropping the ankle, stop for two-three minutes and we must call friends to help them take their legs out. I remembered all the jungle movies in which the main character is drawn in by moving sands. The view of a man whose shoe has been in the ground and he crawls on the mud is not strange. Even a miracle that is still sober.

How to ride this bike? I have no idea. I know, however, why competitors change equipment every 10 minutes.

Supporters of the bobsleigh representation of Jamaica

The route is amazingly many people from quite distant parts of the world: USA, Australia, Iceland, Japan. But we are like the famous supporters of Jamaican bobsleighs. If you've watched Reggae on Ice (org. Cool Runners) - you know what I am writing about. This is a story based on facts, about a team that has no chance from the beginning. On the lack of equipment and online snapshots. About lost luggage and training on a track made of banana skins. It was they, in this unpopular sport, who gathered the greatest cheer. It's the same with us - only harder. Because the obstacles are much more serious obstacles - finances, lack of interest, relationships, formalities ...

Because what to call a situation in which competitors a few days before the start, do not see if they will go to the place. What is the name of a situation in which next to the buses, from which a dozen or so mechanics come out, there is a small Polish bus and bikes worse than even sporadically used to cross 90% of us? Or the fact that the only representative of the country in Elite (or more precisely a representative) changes the bicycle during the competition for the first time in a career? I promised myself that this entry will not be about hopelessness. The time will come for it. Today I can declare one. If a similar situation happened in a year, I will be the first one who will help in putting a screenshot on the polakpotrafi and the first one that will help in arranging sensible bikes. I believe that shops and companies are more likely to launch an advertisement We support Polish athletes at the World Championshipsthan The well-known incluencer rides on our bike.

Jamaicans in bobsleighs are riding on banana skins

A huge estimate is due to our representatives, written down for a devastation already at the start. We cheer for as much as we can, but when we see that in Marta Marty's bike the wheels stop spinning already in the middle of the first lap, we know that we will not be watching it for a long time. This was the only time we see her. The limit of 80% of the time of the first player is unrelenting. He then publishes on relationship:  Whoever was not and never raced in such mud can not imagine how difficult it was. And I believe her. The last one arrives, she did as she could. The plus is that you can create a header: The Polish representative ends the race first. In the men's elite, the competition ends with 22 out of 57 competitors. There is no one there from us, some regret. Mr. Tomasz in U23 goes very well at first, then he starts to fall. It comes to the third place from the end among those who have reached the finish line, and 15 people do not arrive at all. We are happy about the fact that on the last lap you can not overtake the German. You know how it is: no matter which, it is important that it is before the German. People look at us as fools when Frederik Hahnel, who rides in the last place, falls into the band and loses time, and we are happy about it. Small luck.

Piotr Kryński in Juniorach comes 54. He is 20 players behind him. The result sounds hopeless, in fact, I think it is quite a success. Because this is how to go on a road race with a trekking bike.

Post-record comments of our players can be found on mtb-xc.pl - o here. Everyone agrees that it was the hardest race in their career. I believe them - my shoes, after two muddy days, I never think again.

And with all due respect, but you have to be a finite snippet to write a comment in the style on the day of the start, after the race: why ours were driving. If you see the best players in the world, on the best world equipment (with innovative solutions, such as baking spray, that the mud does not stick ;-)), with the best service, and next to them our representatives on slightly tire-cut tires (not tubular ones!), this reminds you of the siege of Jasna Góra. You can comment, but not on a day like this, not with them and not in this way. Even in the world of amateurs, it is known that it is better to lose with better than to win with the weaker (which obviously does not necessarily have to be true, see MMA, in which defeating the weak, you can get out of the market). But about it at other times ...

Oktoberfest in the rhythm of the Carousel musical

On Sunday, only two races are held, one at 11.00 and the second at 15.00. There were more on Saturday. I am a bit surprised because the longest rivalries last about an hour. We arrive at the place about an hour before the start of U23 and everything becomes clear. We are made aware of a colorful string of people stretching from the center of Valkenburg to the Kauberg peak. Organization and the ability to run queues is something that the Americans could learn from the Dutch even if they are reliable in these matters. If you think that the time of the supply is the right amount to stand in the first row - forget. It's not enough to stand in the third row in the right place. A good place is, of course, where the accumulation of suffering, unhappiness and pain is the greatest. Of course, no one wants anything bad. But several thousand people at the same time making a sound Uuuuuuu (and its multinational counterparts: ouch, auu, o ku * wa, yyyiaks, sacrebleu!) is just as impressive as it is funny. Similarly, like cheering for a man running along the route in the same slips or in the guise of Leprechauna.

And disguises are something that adds extra color to the party. Similarly to the Great Tour, only here everything is gathered in a much smaller area. Instead of stretching on a few kilometers long driveways, here everyone is standing by the route or near the food boxes. So there are people-fries, people-people, people-characters-fairytales and people with everything they found at home, and maybe look funny. If an alien invasion happened that day, they would probably go home. Because how to name thousands of people, dressed in colorful costumes, dancing to the rhythms of their heads and shouting to the guests riding in circles over the mud? Where did our civilization turn in the wrong direction? ;-) Music is a different thing, it does not matter at such events. Did you know that the Dutch have their own version of each song, even YMCA?

The event itself is the intersection of the atmosphere in the British pub before the Liverpool match with the German beer festival. Looking at the current cycling machine that started England, there is nothing strange about it. If we add to this not very good alcohol acceptance by the Japanese, I believe that a lot of people could not see the race of the elite.

Astrologers warn: the World Championships are coming,
The fries population is decreasing

How many supporters are there? I will answer it diplomatically: the booths selling food, is probably more than the total number of spectators on the Polish cross-country Cup. Of course, the fries are dominating, with the only right adder, or mayonnaise ... and beer. Everything is perfectly cheap - you buy tickets in a separate booth, and then exchange them for a bite. Beer costs one, mulled wine too, food two. Simple. Beer in size 0.2l for one sounds very good, until you remember that the ticket costs 3 euros. So we stick to the ticket nomenclature, it makes life easier. It's better to pay one than three. It is important to abandon this way of thinking before a daily trip to Lidl for food, which shame to tick every day.

I think that there is no place in the world on this day where larger amounts of potato per square meter are eaten. I also think that a fries never tastes better than when you are standing outside in the 5th hour at a temperature close to zero, grabbing this piece of potato with a tartar sauce. The worst is when the casual fan from the crowd pokes you and the frit lands on the ground. While in the case of beer you can reconcile with it (and even you have to assume that with 0.2l we drink max 0,15l), then the rule: it was not lying 5 10 15 seconds, so you can eat, does not apply here. Even I will not eat such a muddy fries.

26,000 people and a route of less than 3 kilometers, an average of 9 people per meter. Even assuming that some are trying to get out of the mud in some ditch. How the Dutch managed to grasp this crowd deserves credit. You can not even attach to the Toi-toi, which remained cleaner than many bathrooms in the gymnasium. This is probably due to the open urinals. It's really hard to stick to anything. From the point of view of a cycling and tourist enthusiast, I can not really find any weakness in this event. It's a bit sad, because what to write about?

Route

I'm not a specialist in professional cycling. I know a few names. Ba, I knew one thing from the Polish team, mainly because it is characteristic and I got a lot of ears on the occasion of some previous events - for example Polish Championships in Koziegłowythat are not without reason in this entry as a reference point. So we mainly support colors. A little Poles, and a little bit of everything else, white and red. Above all, the Japanese, who are fans of astonishingly many, but are in doubtful emotional state through this strong Dutch beer. Luckily, he is cheering easily.

The fastest cyclist takes over in about 10 minutes, we think that moving between two, the most distant points would take a little longer. The park consists of two parts. This decorative one, on which two big tents are additionally packed, filled with people, a lot of food kiosks, souvenir shops and sponsorship points. Additional huts with frits and beer, as well as Toi-toes are scattered randomly in various places. If you want to eat something (or vice versa), the right place is always in sight. This part is circled by the race. The second is his essence, meaning mud, swirls, descents and driveways. The hills are so steep that the next part of the rate overcomes them on all fours. If, like me, you sometimes wonder if it would be faster to boot on the road, I can answer you - no. There would not be a bank. This is not mud, after which it is possible to run sensibly. The cyclists have perfected the technique of using the bike like scooters, and at other times their speed exceeds those that we would consider reasonable. The mud sucks in so much that even the headlamps choose tires that are narrower than usual.

The route is hard but perfect. There are no obstacles for cyclists to jump, but under current conditions, I do not know if it would be feasible to break away from the ground. It is slippery, effective, dangerous. I know that it is not nice, but harmless dump trucks are watching well. Just like a field fight that was not created for cycling. A large number of hills makes it possible to observe such a large part of the route from one place, that in the second half of the race, practically all the time we see cyclists.

This is the biggest advantage of this sport. Especially when comparing it to road cycling, in which we set up a few hours earlier on the hill, then we are happy with the string of advertising cars, riders pass us in 5 to 10 minutes, and then try to come back, standing in traffic for 2 hours.

Skeptical Maciej

Let's look at the event with a cool eye - as an outsider. Would it still be nice if I saw my heart at the sight of my bikes? If you take your girlfriend or boyfriend there, for whom sport is very remote in the hierarchy of values, will they like it? Well, I'm afraid not.

It will be definitely better than at any other cycling event (unless it's a track, because it's warm and you can spread it out with a book). It is still a few hours of standing and watching as cyclists ride in circles. Emotions are big, but this is not a match with a kicked or thrown ball. This event is definitely more for a break with your buddies than a family walk around the park. The average age of supporters is around 40-50 and dominated by gentlemen. At times, I get the impression that the World Cross Country Championships are for the British the same as a weekend trip to the Krakow market.

Winter melancholy

I am a bit disappointed with my photos and the report from the event. This is one of those events on which it is better to be than to describe them. No static relationship will reflect this climate. But it is not bad, photos of top sports photographers from this event also do not impress. I do not know, maybe a man has already given everything, maybe it's all gone somewhere, maybe it's just a late-winter melancholy.

It was harder for me to not get photographic accreditation. Of course, with your little camera I would look funny next to guests with cannons, but after all, it does not matter how good the photos will be, and how well they will be used. UCI has rejected my beautifully written application with the information that the number of places is limited, so that I would fall on bamboo. I had a bad feeling at the registration stage, in which I filled out a beautiful account creation form and got a login and password, which I gave in the email. UCI bravo ;-)

Once.

If you ask me today if I will come back to this event, I will say no. I do not see such a need. Somewhere deep inside, in Maciek, I feel that this is not true. Maybe when our team will get equipment, thanks to which it will be able to stand for a direct fight in the middle of the stake. Maybe, if the tickets are ridiculously cheap again. One thing I know for sure. A visit to cross-country competitions, in the place where this sport is called iconic, is a must-have. It sheds a whole new light on all this sport and makes TV relations no longer the same. I recommend 100%.