We tend to think of cyclo-cross as a northern European sport that is beginning to make leaps over oceans to Britain and the United States.

Its heartland is Belgium and Holland and accordingly the well-known images of cyclo-cross are those of the Belgian forests, sand dunes and cow pastures. Yet the sport has a strong following from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean.

Spain has never been a major player in international cyclo-cross, but periodically it has held events at the highest level. In 1966 at Besain in the Basque Country, a young Erik de Vlaeminck took the first of his seven World Championships. And not far away, the Ziklocross Igorre was a classic race that ran for 34 years. Between 2005 and 2011 Igorre was a World Cup race, well-known for the often mild and wet conditions that produced heavy, muddy races.

Spanish cyclo-cross racing is characterized by a regional structure that reflects the nation’s fragmented politics. Perhaps it is no surprise that the Basque Country and Catalunya are the two areas where cyclo-cross has most flourished.

These pictures, by Girona-based photographer Brazo de Hierro, were taken at the 29th Cursa de Ciclocròs Sant Joan Despí, part of the Copa Catalana de Ciclocròs 2016, a series of races in the towns, villages and suburbs around Barcelona. This season the Copa Catalana has grown from 10 to 14 races, climaxing with the Catalonian Championships two days before Christmas.

Back in January, in the very different setting of Luxembourg, on a snowy and muddy course, Felipe Orts gave Spain a surprise silver medal in the Under-23s World Championship, pulling a wheelie as he crossed the line behind Dutch powerhouse Joris Nieuwenhuis. If he chooses to continue focusing on cyclo-cross Orts could be Spain’s best ever cyclo-cross rider. Not that any of that really matters to the club racers who will be sliding around the parks of Guissona, Masquefa, Igualada, Manresa and Les Franqueses this winter. Because if you have a good series of local races you can challenge yourself and enjoy racing your friends. And by the time you stop biting the handlebars, Spring will be just around the corner.

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Paul Maunder is the author of Rainbows in the Mud; Inside the Intoxicating World of Cyclocross

published by Bloomsbury. Available at www.bloomsbury.com

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