Watching Cross Vegas ain't free
Cross Vegas takes place tonight in Las Vegas, Nevada. To many of us Cross Vegas shares equal (or greater) attraction to attending Interbike. One thing is for certain, Cross Vegas + Interbike makes for a great two days of bike entertainment.
If only it weren't in Vegas. In know, I know, some people love Las Vegas, I love the bikes. This year I am not there, but I have memories of my numerous visits. Many thousands of cycling enthusiasts are in Las Vegas, and most likely they are at Cross Vegas tonight. For those of us at home, we can watch Cross Vegas online, for a fee (info below).
We can also read the fantastic bike equipment reviews online, and catch up on the latest and greatest equipment that we may have missed at Eurobike last month, by reading the reports from Interbike by:
Bike Radar does Interbike
Pink Bike does mountain bikes at Interbike
VeloNews Tech at Interbike
Peloton Magazine Tested at Interbike
Road Bike Review Interbike Coverage
I have been to Interbike a number of times, so I know what we cannot get online is .....
Meeting Miguel Indurain (omg) in person
Miguel Indurain at Interbike 2012 Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®
Basically stalking Mario Cipollini
Mario Cipollini at Interbike 2012 Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®
Getting to meet Steve Hill of Steephill.TV and Michele Acquarone, Race Organizer of the Giro d'Italia (and hold that awesome trophy!). 
Steve Hill and Michele Acquarone at Interbike 2012 Photo by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®
Looking at the BMC Team Machine SLR01
Or seeing a super fast McLaren Venge
Look over there it's a Scott Plasma Premium time trail bike
A Fuji Track Elite bike
Isle after isle of bikes at Interbike, and people!
People making business deals for apparel and equipment
Standing and staring at bikes
And drooling over disc brakes
Or fancy road shoes
And some Pinarello bikes
But there is more than just road bikes at Interbike
You'll see rows and rows of Zipp wheels
Plus they have really cool winning bikes on display like Tom Boonen's Paris Roubaix bike below (also Sagan's Cannondale, the Tour de France yellow winning Pinarello, and many other team bikes are on display)
It was cool to see this bike again since I had seen Tom Boonen race and win the Paris-Roubaix in that same year.
Lots of book signings go on as well - here is Louis Garneau
Sometimes the old classics are the best
And then I usually go up and down the same isle again just to make sure Mario Cipollini is still hanging around.
Say a quick hello to Elvis
And finally after breathing air conditioned convention air for 7 hours, I walk outside where I realize - Las Vegas is one weird place.
Cross Vegas is fun, but it aint' free !
It is one of a kind, and while watching online is possible, it costs - and I am CHEAP.
I understand that ads and ads alone cannot cover the costs of broadcasting a race like Cross Vegas for free to us viewers, but I fear the viewership will drop drastically with this paid scheme. Race Organizers should increase visitor tickets by $2-4 and subsidize Cycling Dirt's coverage to promote their race around the world. They have the international riders, they should be delivering race viewing to international (and national) fans.
And/or Cycling Dirt should make viewing the race, the same as renting a video, a one-time renting deal for $6.99. No confusing strings of a magazine membership attached.
Cycling Dirt is charging to watch Cross Vegas online this year
Cycling Dirt is LIVE streaming Cross Vegas 2013, (more info) you'll have to pay $14.95. You have to become a PROdirt member, for a month, then cancel your subscription if you are no longer interested, or continue to be billed $19.95 a month. If you’re not already a member, sign up now (pay now).
Cross Vegas - at night under the lights, every view is a good view of the race
Tons of fun for fans. I have no photos of the mens race because I was drinking beer and handing up dollar bills!
Being there far surpasses watching it online, because try as you may to stuff your dollars bills into your screen, only the stragglers at the back of the real pack of cyclocross racers in Vegas will gladly collect your dollars and stuff them into parts you don't want to know about. (Cross Vegas - Vegas style)
For this much fun, you must go to Cross Vegas. A ticket to Cross Vegas costs $10.00. Hotels (for 1 night) are about the same price as your flight to and from the city of glitz, taxis are ungodly expensive (and you will still walk miles and miles), but free shuttle buses are provided from Interbike to the park where the cyclocross race is held north of the Vegas stripe.
As always riding the bus (and also any plane to and from Interbike) is guaranteed fun as you will be surrounded by bike geeks on par with yourself. A scary but comforting notion.
Also this year Cross Vegas race organizers are offering a Special Interbike entrance for Cross Vegas Fans: CrossVegas fans are invited to attend Interbike for only $25.00 on Friday September, 20th, from 11am-6pm. Register here.
Cross Vegas Information and Schedule
Location: Desert Breeze Soccer Complex in Las Vegas, Nevada
Transportation Maps
Course Map
www.crossvegas.com
Men's Elite startlist
Women's Elite startlist
Wheelers & Dealers startlist
6:30 – Wheelers & Dealers to Start Grid
6:50 – Wheelers & Dealers Intros
7:00 – Wheelers & Dealers race Starts
7:40 – Wheelers & Dealers race Ends
7:45 – Course Open for warm-up
7:45 – Wheelers & Dealers Award Ceremony
8:00 – Course Closed for warm-up
8:00 – Elite Women to Start Grid
8:05 – Elite Women Intros
8:20 – Elite Women Start
9:00 – Elite Women Finish
9:10 – Elite Women Award Ceremony
9:10 – Elite Men to Start Grid
9:20 – Elite Men Intros
9:30 – Elite Men Start
10:30 – Elite Men Finish
10:50 – Elite Men Award Ceremony
11:00 – Curtains
World Champion CX Sven Nys is competing tonight!
We found some strange Belgian luggage in Vegas... @wielerman @sven_nys @svenvth @CrossVegas pic.twitter.com/ldm8VZxlfl
— BrakeThrough Media (@BrakeThrough) September 17, 2013
Gambling men
Spotted @sven_nys getting some blackjack lessons before @CrossVegas… Double down Sven & good luck tomorrow!! pic.twitter.com/46BLwgYLdB
— Monte Carlo Resort (@MonteCarloVegas) September 17, 2013
An interesting photo Cross Vegas 2013, this is what it feels like to watch CX under the lights at night in Las Vegas.:
#crossvegas http://t.co/ruFmqaj5ep
— beth gerdes walsh (@IMbethwalsh) September 19, 2013
Results Cross Vegas 2013
Elite Mens Race
1. Sven Nys (Crelan-Euphony)
2. Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus)
3. Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox Racing)
Elite Womens Race
1. Katerina Nash (Luna)
2. Lea Davison (Specialized)
3. Catharine Pendrel
(Luna)
Wheelers and Dealers Race
1. Christian Heule
2. Johnny Sunndt
3. Edwin Bull (Van Dessel)
Cross Vegas is sponsored by Cliff Bar!! Thank you.
All photos in this post taken by Karen Rakestraw at Pedal Dancer®