Always appreciate late starts. Better yet, super late afternoon starts.
Reigning US Cyclocross Champ Katie Compton (R) chatting it up before the Wheelers and Dealers race.
What's not to love when there's a shark racing on a bicycle and a Jack Daniel's handoff?
RV awning makes a good place to stash the stationary roller.
The BKCP-Crendon boys relax by the CrossVegas cooler
Plenty of wheels for the Telnet-Fidnea cycling team
Custom paint job and custom shoes for the legendary Sven Nys. Oh and check out that slick chain guard
Warming up on the new Feedback Sports Omnium portable trainer
Erica Zevata of Maxxis-Shimano waits as her mechanic does a last minute adjustment
Sometimes the best viewing spot is away from the main crowd.
A pro man checking out the pro women's race
High-speed high-fives during course inspection
Ellen Van Loy warms up between RVs
Noosa Professional Cyclocross team mechanic Daimeon Shanks power washes one of Meredith Miller's race bikes minutes before start.
A well-organized tool case is crucial for a smooth running pit.
Photographers getting ready to shoot the women's start
Sand pit!
Meredith Miller (Noosa) and Georgia Gould (Luna) push through the sand pit
A spectator-friendly run-up
Waiting for the racers to come.
Katerina Nash solo to the first CrossVegas World Cup win
Boulder Cycle Sport / YogaGlo's Crystal Anthony rests on the grass after finishing 7th
An exhausted Arley Kemmerer at the finish
The winners of the women's CrossVegas World Cup
And here comes the pro men.
The always chaotic start
The pit at CrossVegas saw much less action compared to a typical Cyclocross World Cup which is usually held in colder and wetter conditions (and in Europe), but teams took zero chances and had multiple backup bikes and wheels
The king welcomes the racers and dusts through the sand pit with open arms.
... Another reason to have a backup at the pit.
Corne Van Kessel gives chase through the barriers
Eventual winner Wout Van Aert leads Sven Nyst through the Raleigh Ramp...
While reigning US Cyclcross Champ Jeremy Powers opts to ride on the grass instead
The top of the Sram race truck makes a nice race vantage point.
Anti-doping controls. Don't ever miss this.
The winners of the men's CrossVegas world cup
Over this past year or so I kept asking myself what draws me to want to photograph cycling. I love riding my bike and thanks to my understanding wife (love ya babe) I was able to do some very cool projects. Gravel Worlds, Tour of California, and now CrossVegas.
The beauty of photographing cycling is the access and the creative freedom it allows. With the amount of PR and handlers involved, access to pro athletes is such a rarity these days. But at CrossVegas, you can just walk up to pro guys like legendary Sven Nys and Katie Compton and say hello, check out their fancy super bikes, talk more trash, and make fun happy snappies. Trying to do that at a NFL/MLB/NBA game will result in your credential getting pulled and never to be seen again.
We at Element.ly were fortunate to go behind the scenes with Team Hincapie at this past Tour of California and we’re stoked to photograph CrossVegas given that it’s the first time that a WorldCup Cyclocross race is taking place in America.
Shooting CrossVegas after spending a day on the show floor at the annual InterBike convention is really akin to working a second job after a long day at the office. But the crowds! The crowds were amazing and the racing was straight up badass. Wout Van Aert and Katerina Nash drilled it.
Anyways, time to head back to the InterBike show floor. Enjoy the gallery and stay tuned for our InterBike coverage!