Cyclocross World Cup #6 Nommay, France

While most of us are enjoying the snow and our families during the holidays, Sue Butler is chasing her dreams in Europe in preparation for the Cyclocross World Championships in early February. She will be checking in often with a behind the scenes look into World Cup cyclocross racing.

Racing in France is nothing like racing in Belgium, however mud is mud is mud!

No yellow tape here to get tangled in, plenty of riders for that. It’s all about orange ski fencing for preventing a “2007 nationals Trebon collision”.

Although this was not my best performance, I was in great company. I car pooled with Katie Compton and her husband Mark from Belgium. They stay about 45 minutes North of my home away from home so we headed down to France early on Saturday morning. With our accidental detour through the French countryside we arrived with just enough time to pre-ride and pick up our numbers.


Georgia Gould and I started in the 3rd row right next to each other. I got my aggressive euro start on and charged towards the hairpin turn to the long slippery stair run up. 20 steps, count em!

Sleep deprivation and jet lag seemed to get the best of me and I finished in 22nd place. Somehow Katie and Georgia were unfazed and made history with the first CX World Cup with 2 Americans on the podium. Katie conquered all and Georgia finished a strong 3rd. I was proud to be part of the strong U.S. contingent in Nommay! And I send out a huge thank you to the random French man that was recruited to be my pit person.

While others rushed home with long stressfull drives, we rushed back to our hotel to celebrate with the wine Katie won. Then a spin in the french countryside the morning before the drive back to Belgium.