Twisted Cross at Tondro Pray Bike Park

photos by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)

This weekend is the sixth edition of Twisted Cross in Cedar Falls: two days of cyclocross racing, presented by Twisted Spokes Racing Team, at Tondro Pray Bike Park.

Tondro Pray sits just north of the Cedar River, a flat, sprawling flood plain repurposed by the City after the historic flood in 2008. The park offers pump track, a mtb skills area, single track, and a fast, fun cyclocross course.

An Eastern Iowa favorite, Twisted Cross is well known for two things -- a flat, flowing course and the potential for lots of mud. Fortunately, flooding doesn't seem likely this weekend, but if the forecast holds up the race might not be entirely dry, either. With or without mud, expect a fast course with a sand trap, a series of mole hills, and sets of both tall and short barriers.
Tondro Pray provides Twisted with a perfect course for beginning 'crossers and fast fun for every racer. It's also a great venue for cheering them on.

In some ways the race will be much like editions before, with a similar course and perks like Other Place pizza and Single Speed beer for the racers, even Fat Cup Coffee flowing all day. But this year it also features some familiar faces in different roles. "Our long-time Race Director needed to step down, so I decided to help keep the race going," said the new Race Director, Twisted Spokes' Steffoni Schmidt. "We have a great local bike community and an awesome cross scene in Iowa, so I wanted to be sure that Twisted Cross would continue to be part of that."

"Steffoni took over when Joel Mason stepped down," said Cedar Valley Cyclists' Kimberly Breuer. "She got a group of us together to help out. I talked to a few sponsors, did the design work, and posted some stuff on social media."

"We’ve still got an amazing team of volunteers who are helping with the race," said Schmidt, "it’s definitely  not just me! I hope the race is fun and people enjoy racing and watching."

"I’m not racing this year," Schmidt explained. "Life just got in the way of training. I hope to race in the future, but I’m even more excited to watch my kids grow for a love of the sport and cheer them on if they decide to race. The cycling community is wonderful and racing has provided me with confidence and tons of fun. That’s my wish for anyone thinking they might want to jump on a bike!"

Twisted Cross features a full slate of Juniors races and a Kids' Race both days. Sunday this year will also include a Doggy Cross.

"We'll have a Doggy Cross this year as a warmup for Jingle Cross's," said Breuer.  Dogs in three weight categories will compete in three short laps including barriers, sit, roll over, and crawling sections in addition to running.
​No doubt they'll be dragging their humans the whole way.

Doggy Cross rules can be found at JingleCross.com/Doggy-Cross/.

Follow Twisted Cross on Facebook and register through Thursday on BikeReg.com.