The historic Herne Hill Velodrome hosts the MAAP Summer Cyclocross Series, mixing cyclocross, DJ tracks, pizza, and beer for idyllic, bike-centric summer evenings. Below, Conor Courtney sets the scene for an inclusive racing event in London’s bustling cycling culture. Let’s take a look…
The first thing I see on the banked concrete track is the bikes. There are Bromptons stacked on picnic tables, S-Works frames and multi-colored Cinellis gently leaning against a fence, unnamed beaters and rack-bearing commuters locked up in the bicycle parking.
I hear the ring of cowbells and shouts from a group of kids watching the riders dismount and run over the barriers. I smell the smoke from the pizza truck, a long line snaking through the crowd. I can taste summer in the air.
Herne Hill Velodrome is tucked down a long, alley-like road in a leafy neighborhood near Dulwich Park. Built in 1891, the velodrome has been serving cyclists through pandemics, world wars, and the countless ups and downs of cycling popularity.
During the First World War, it also served footballers, housing Crystal Palace FC while their home ground was used by the military. In the Second World War, the track was used as a barrage balloon site by the British Army.
Herne Hill is the only remaining Olympic venue from the 1948 “Austerity Games,” and from 1992 through the 2012 Olympics was London’s only velodrome.
As mountain biking and cyclocross gained traction, Herne Hill expanded to include these disciplines, eventually leading to the MAAP Summer Cyclocross Series making the venue its home in 2022.
The third of the four-race series took place Friday night under sweltering temperatures and rare, London sunshine uninhibited by clouds. Kids and youth races set off before 6:30 pm as adult racers filtered in and the crowds began to form.
A pizza truck, DJ spinning hip-hop classics, custom merch, and £3 MAAP branded beers created an ultimate backyard party atmosphere. The racing brought out riders from a wide range of abilities and backgrounds, from national champions to first-timers.
Kofi Kyei, the founder of Ride For Unity, a group that celebrates diversity and cohesion in cycling, was riding cyclocross for the first time after trying out gravel and crit racing. He had previously worked on an event at Herne Hill helping get under-privileged kids on bikes, which points to the inclusivity Herne Hill embodies. Before each Friday race, there is a free cyclocross clinic for female-identifying riders put on by Herne Hill and MAAP.
Kyei said he had always wanted to come out to one of the events. He said, “I won’t lie, There’s some nerves creeping in because I haven’t seen the course and people seem to go really fast. But you’ve got one shot in life, so I’m here to send it.”
The 30-minute races of the veterans, women, and seniors commenced under golden hour rays. The course looped from the grassy center of the velodrome, through the surrounding trails with technical lumps and bumps, tight corners, and steep pitches. Spectators flocked to the barriers of the velodrome where they could see the turns in the grassy center and catch a view of the outside trails.
The famous “Big Bob” climb, a roughly 20-foot tall, nearly vertical wall was left off this week’s route, but normally plays a defining role in cross races. The route looped back to the center of the velodrome, with two sharp rollers and two barriers to bunny hop.
Xan Crees of Spectra Racing, the Great Britain Gravel National Champion, took the win in the women’s field and noted how the atmosphere was one of the elements of the race that drew her in.
“It’s just so good, there are so many people, I think everyone here is here for a good time,” said Crees, “The friendly banter with the riders, all the cowbells, and because it’s quite a compact course you can hear people cheering you on pretty much the whole way round, which just makes it really nice.”
Hugs, smiles, and relief greeted the riders at the finish scrum, as exhausted racers poured water over themselves while sweat dripped onto the pavement. Despite the technical course and the sharp flint rock just under the dirt, there were few mechanicals and crashes.
Sandra Bennett had watched her kids race in the youth division and stayed for the later racing, sitting at a sun-soaked picnic table on the edge of the track.
“What amazes me is that there’s so many different types of cycling,” said Bennett, “You get such a variety here, it’s fun. Even just this one single race, you can see a tiny bit of track, lots of grass, hills, all out under the trees, there’s a gravel pit, jumps.”
The racing and the social scene seemed to have similar importance, as the sun dipped behind the trees bordering the velodrome and racing finished, hundreds of racers and spectators stayed after the racing ended, chatting and laughing in the warm summer air.
The racing will return to Herne Hill for the final day of the series this Friday, July 26th, with a different course layout but the same sunny atmosphere.
Find info about the series and the registration link. The deadline to sign up is 11pm Thursday night (London time) for the event on July 26!