In Episode 13 of season 8 Neil, Matt and Xan review the Lievin World Champs with its magnificent team relay that was exciting even with just the live timing. They cover all the races and The Crosscast Podium Picker competition in which Xan proved her expertise unlike Matt and Neil who didn’t have a great year! Was the course exciting, dull, challenging, or just confusing? What do you think? In the Laatste Ronde they look forward to a much changed National Trophy calendar and a very unchanged Wor...
Feb 13, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Season 8Ep. 13
In Episode 12 of Season 8, Neil, Matt and Xan unpack a pair of tough races that rounded out the World Cup. Xan gives her on-the-ground review of just how tough they were, at the technical-tastic Maasmechelen and total classic of Hoogerheide. They give thoughts on the World Cup as whole and whether the compressed calendar worked. The most important competition of the year is on us all! Yes it is YOUR chance to compete in the annual Crosscast Podium Picker Competition at tinyurl.com/podium25 The C...
Jan 30, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Season 8Ep. 12
In Episode 11 of Season 8, Neil, Matt and Xan look back on the recent goings on in the world of cross. In a show that has more ups and downs than the Loenhout washboard (AKA the 'oopsie whoopsies') they travel from the ice of Cyclopark to the Mediterranean sunshine of Benidorm. This week the National Body has received a lot of criticism and they unpack the issues surrounding World Championships Selection and the decisions not to fill places in the Elite Women and U23 Men categories. They review ...
Jan 23, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Season 8Ep. 11
CROSSCAST LIVE from Cyclopark Gravesend. Live from the cafe, Neil Matt and Xan talk through the action from the National Champs. The big news is that Xan did it - she is National Elite Cyclocross Champion! Awesome. Support the show -- To support the show pop over to https://www.buymeacoffee.com/crosscast to make a donation towards our hosting fees - every little helps! Follow us on Insta and Facebook, and share to your networks! Neil Mansfield @crosscastneil is part of Grity Sustainable Sports A...
Jan 13, 2025•42 min•Season 8Ep. 10
In Episode 9 of Season 8, Neil Matt and Xan look back on the end of the 2024-2025 Kerste Periode remembering an entertaining Baal with Van Empel only leading the race for about 1 metre (the most important 1 metre), and Iserbyt at his best. Koksijde added Sweeck to the list of legends, and Dendermonde was somehow a great watch despite some dominant rides and its usually ultra mud bath course. The talk about Xans' peak in form with best ever result in a Belgian World Cup coming just before the Nat...
Jan 09, 2025•1 hr 32 min•Season 8Ep. 9
In Episode 8 of Season 8 Neil, Matt and Xan catch up in the middle of the busiest time of the CX calendar, the Kerste Periode. With so much action they bring you a full show covering classics such as Zonhoven and Hulst, Diegem and Loenhout, with a decent look at Besancon. Xan takes us through her experiences racing on some of the most challenging parcours of the year, and gives us insight into how she approached the barrage of huge fields, winter weather, and technical features. Despite some dom...
Jan 01, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Season 8Ep. 8
In Episode 7 of Season 8 Neil, Matt and Xan catch up after a memorable few weeks… and Xan tells us how she is after her TV-time and horrible incident on the Namur bank. They catch up on what happened and what didn’t at Clanfield National Trophy and Cabras / Namur World Cups. Neil raced day 1 of Clanfield (25th and fun had 😊) as did the regional champs crews in a very welcome and successful return to regional competitions. The main winner of the Clanfield / Cabras UCI weekend seemed to be the we...
Dec 17, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 8Ep. 7
In Episode 6 of Season 8 Neil and Matt are joined by Xan after her adventures at the World Cup that kicked off in Antwerp and then in Dublin. Xan gives us all the details of the course from a rider's view with insights on the course, the atmosphere, the (lack of) grip, and we have to say it is awesome to see that Xan has got the top 50 World Ranking that has been a target for a while - ace job! Meanwhile Matt gives us insights on what they were doing to the sand that he could see while on the mi...
Dec 04, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 8Ep. 6
In Episode 5 of Season 8 Neil and Matt (and TheGrityKitty) catch up on Round 3 of the National Trophy that came from Torbay and delivered an unexpected fast and dry(ish) course with technical flow. They talk through the tactical racing and even dip into a few stats comparing this year to last year. Neil corrects an error from last show and educates himself on Pearson Bikes and DAS. They reflect on the grim course from Niel, and talk about how individual features like ‘the Hamme bank’ can affect ...
Nov 21, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Season 8Ep. 5
In Episode 4 of season 8 Neil Matt and Xan look back on the past few weeks of racing. This included Xan’s ongoing adventures in Sweden as well as her return to the Koppenburg. Matt is back from the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, and whilst the tech remained bug free… he got infected by a virus and so a little croaky today 🦠. They look back on the south Shields National trophy where both Neil and Xan were racing. The course was fast, but remained a challenge. It should be a worthy...
Nov 06, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 8Ep. 4
In Epidode 3 of Season 8 Neil, Matt and Xan look back on One National Trophy , Two races in Sweden , and Three Peaks . They remember 2017’s Season 1 Episode 2 of The Crosscast when they mentioned Zoe Roche and Finlay Goodman who were U10s. Class shows… Zoe just won Juniors at the Derby National Trophy and Finlay just won the Junior World X-Terra title. Awesome. In Crosstalk, Neil re-lives a memorable 3 Peaks , that certainly went to plan… but maybe the plan wasn’t perfect? They talk through how ...
Oct 15, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Season 8Ep. 3
In Episode 2 of Season 8 Neil and Matt are joined by Spectra’s Xan Crees fresh from her complete set of Hope Supercross finishes. They reflect on how the series has quickly become established and has attracted riders from across the world to the joys of Yorkshire Cross. They highlight who is standing out as starting the season on form and who has more to give. In the Laatste Ronde they preview the awesomeness that is the Three Peaks coming in a few days. Xan gives her top tips on what to expect ...
Sep 24, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 8Ep. 2
In Episode 1 of Season 8, Neil and Matt look forward to the 2024-25 Cyclocross Season. It is a very strange one in terms of calendar that will come in a series of distinct chapters September is all about Yorkshire. We kick off with the Hope Supercross series of 4 UCI C2 races in the UK in a short block - a must for anyone chasing the UCI points. Then there is the diversion westwards for the Three Peaks which Neil is returning to… listen to Episodes 2 and 3 for his plans and whether they worked! ...
Sep 08, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 8Ep. 1
In Episode 12 of Season 7, Neil Mansfield and Matt Payne are joined by Ian Field to review the 2024 World Championships that came from Tabor, Czechia. The weekend started with a compelling team relay where strategy was key, and where GB were just pipped to the line by France. Surely this race needs to be covered in full with dedicated graphics to make it more accessible to the less obsessive CX fans out there? They talk through how day 1 saw Gery take her second jersey of the weekend and how the...
Feb 07, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Season 7Ep. 12
In Episode 11 of Season 7, Neil and Matt are joined by cyclocross talent, coach extraordinaire, and commentator on Discovery+, Ian Field. They review the 14th round of the World Cup that came from Hoogerheide and query whose form is peaking when... some were at the end of a training block to prepare for the World Championships, and others seem to be coming along just nicely potentially challenging for a jersey next weekend. They discuss whether Belgian Cyclocross is going through a rough patch w...
Jan 30, 2024•1 hr 41 min•Season 7Ep. 11
In Episode 10 of Season 7 Neil and Matt look back on a fabulous Falkirk National Championships with its perfect January weather, superb location, awesome atmosphere and cracking course. They talk through each of the UCI category races, with Mason defending his jersey and Kay taking the title for the first time. Both were popular wins with the local crowd for Mason and Kay having been a CX pro for a while, and the win coming 5 years after her first time on the National elite podium. They talk thr...
Jan 22, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 7Ep. 10
In Episode 9 of Season 7, Neil and Matt pull together a bumper show as a special for those of you who have long drive to Falkirk to watch or even race at the British National Cyclocross Championships. The final round of the 23-24 Trophy is reviewed, a race that came from Tong where a respectably rideable course was a great achievement for a race that coincided with serious floods and waterlogged ground across much of the UK. They also talk through what makes an event a success... and agree that ...
Jan 10, 2024•1 hr 49 min•Season 7Ep. 9
In Episode 8 of Season 7, Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by cycling icon, Canyon SRAM sports director, and expert pit crew Magnus Bäckstedt. They review the first half of the kersteperiod that has featured fully loaded A-Z of start lists (Alvarado to Zoe Bäckstedt) a featuring World Cups with the sand of Antwerp and the mud of Gavere. They talk through a great edition of Zolder with Van Aert clocking up a hat trick of consecutive Zolder wins, and the annual excitement of Diegem. The inci...
Dec 29, 2023•1 hr 42 min
In Episode 7 of Season 7 Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by Lars Van Der Haar, simply one of the most successful cyclocross riders of his generation. They talk about the cyclocross community and fitting in family with CX, as well as how young riders can be inspired to pursue sport by the pros. While chatting through the action from Herentals and Namur they talk through race tactics and how the Van Der Holeshot can be important in keeping a race under control, and of course they mention th...
Dec 19, 2023•49 min•Season 7Ep. 7
In Episode 6 of Season 7 Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by legend of cyclocross development Steve Grimwood. Neil and Steve were both fresh back from the Masters World Championships from Hamburg that turned out to be a proper winter wonderland, giving Val di Sole a run for its money in terms of snow and ice. Neil reports back on his experiences in Germany, and some of the many memorable GB performances that included titles for John McGrath, Sally Reid, and Luke Mahoney. They cover Flamanv...
Dec 12, 2023•1 hr 28 min
In Episode 5 of Season 7 Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by cyclocross talent Ruby James, having her best season for ages and doing those Hope Factory Racing colours proud. They talk through her experiences racing at the World Cups in Troyes and Dublin and how she has worked with the Hope crew to get the best out of her season. They discuss the Paignton National Trophy that delivered a challenging and fun course, mixing up mud, a bit of running, and some open faster sections. Neil reports...
Nov 30, 2023•1 hr 37 min•Season 7Ep. 5
In Episode 4 of Season 7 Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by GB coach and CX guru Matt Ellis. Matt E was fresh back from the European Champs that saw GB feature on 4 of the 7 podiums with a win and three silvers across Team, Junior, U23 and Elite in male and female categories. They talk about EvoDevo https://www.evodevocycling.org.uk/ and how much it is benefiting GB riders at a key time of development. They are back from the first trip and planning on Trip 2, which you can help with the C...
Nov 08, 2023•1 hr 23 min
In Episode 3 of Season 7 Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by top USA talent Keira Bond (@keira.bond). Keira has recently made an impact on the UK scene, racing cyclocross for @cxdtrekbikes and already a regular podium visitor. Keira gives us a great insight into the USA scene, and the Waterloo World Cup course, as a rider who raced it last year. Neil and Keira reflect on their experiences at round 2 of the National Trophy from Thornton Hall, both of whom feeling like they have unfinished b...
Oct 25, 2023•1 hr 17 min
In Episode 2 of Season 7 Neil and Matt are joined in the studio by 'CXOli' - Oli Akers - from Ribble Verge cyclocross team. Oli brings us up to speed on his MTB camp with Trek Future Racing and his speedy start to his season, characterised by his speedy starts. Neil and Oli go into fine detail on their racing in South Shields, how they found the course, and how Oli managed to come on top in a sprint and Neil... didn't ( oh come on... it was a photo finish with identical times to the 10th! ). The...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 7Ep. 2
The Crosscast is back! In Episode 1 of season 7, Neil and Matt are joined in the studio, by freshly crowned National Elite gravel champion Xan Crees. They get the inside story of Xan's win for Spectra Cannondale over at the Kings Cup National Championships. Before the cyclo-cross purists get too jittery, they quickly refocus on the early cyclocross season, reflecting on the Hope Supercross series, the three UCI C2 races, promoted in partnership with CX North East, North West Cyclocross Associati...
Sep 28, 2023•1 hr 11 min
In Episode 15 of Season 6, Neil and Matt look back on the season as a whole and reflect on the final standings in the X2O and Superprestige series. In a season that was affected by injury and incident, but kept fresh by having close racing at the front week in, week out, they decide on their own riders of the year for UK female (with shortlist including Baker, Backstedt, Crees, Strathdee, Weijack, Day), and UK male (with shortlist including Barnes, Akers, Mason, Pidcock)... and then World female...
Mar 09, 2023•1 hr 37 min•Season 6Ep. 15
In Episode 14 of Season 6, Neil and Matt are joined by Ian Field to review the 2023 World Championships that came from Hoogerheide. Matt, just back from UCI / BBC commentary duties, Ian, just back from GCN / Eurosport commentary duties, and Neil, just back from sofa duties, reflect on a weekend that started with a GB Silver in the relay, and built to what will inevitably become an iconic sprint finish in the elite men's competition, between Van Aert and Van der Poel. After a Canadian 1-2 in the ...
Feb 09, 2023•1 hr 33 min•Season 6Ep. 14
In Episode 13 of Season 6, Neil and Matt are joined by cyclocross talent and 5 times British Champion, Ian Field. They look back on the final two races of the World Cup that both delivered the unexpected. Benidorm, a fast race that was reminiscent of the early season dry events, was full of action and, in the end, decided the World Cup series with Sweeck and Van Empel taking the titles. They also review the rather strange weekend before the World Champs with Besançon no longer being quite the Wo...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr 39 min•Season 6Ep. 13
In Episode 12 of Season 6, Neil and Matt take a look at CX fashion week, where riders decide who is going to be wearing which colours for the next season. Naturally they focus on the UK Champs that came from Milnthorpe with its extra contribution to the 'Lake' District. The look at the thrills and spills that came from a tough course that really split the fields and ended up with the fewest riders finishing on the lead lap for many years. They also look back at how the extended points regime in ...
Jan 18, 2023•1 hr 18 min
In Episode 11 of Season 6, Neil and Matt look back on (yet) another series of cracking races from Belgium and the UK. They go from the puncture affected woods of Herentals, to the dunes of Koksijde. They also wonder how much Chumbawumba can be invoked*, with Riberolle getting up again after her knock down at Gullegem, and pretty much half the field coming a cropper in the revised... and dare we say improved... epic of Zonhoven. They look back on the second UK UCI double-header of the season with...
Jan 11, 2023•1 hr 29 min
