Winter Olympic Cyclo-cross 'absolutely huge'

Riders react to recent comments as Lord Coe suggests a 2030 inclusion, writes James Shrubsall

- By James Shrubsall

Inclusion in the Winter Olympics would be huge for the sport of cyclo-cross, which could stand to benefit in so many ways.

That is the view of British national champions Cameron Mason and Xan Crees, who spoke to Cycling Weekly in the wake of Sebastian Coe's teaser in the Guardian that the sport was close to being included in the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.

"As a bike racer and someone who cares about the sport, it is exciting," said Mason, "because I've been in the mountain bike world, where from a British Cycling point of view, things are so driven by the Olympics.

"I know what [Olympic inclusion] means," the men's national champion added. "I know what money comes with it, I know what resources come with it and I know the hype that comes with it."

"Even from the view of the public, I know what it brings," he said. "For a niche sport like cyclo-cross, there's almost more to be gained from it, because it's just an unknown sport in the UK. Like the amount of times I've explained what cyclo-cross is..."

IOC member Lord Coe had told the