Podcast: Trash talk and disses from the cyclocross sidelines

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A mother tells her son that he sucks. A pro, on his way to a race win, lobs a retort revealing local knowledge. A masters rider can’t stop thinking about a burn yelled at him across a field years ago. A course designer screams platitudes with the frightening intensity of a death metal singer. These are all part of the world of cyclocross heckles, which sting, amuse, elate and perplex. They’re supposed to be fun. But sometimes they go terribly wrong.

At a recent CX race in Toronto, I decided to look into the cyclocross heckle for the CCM Podcast. I spoke with Isabella Holmgren, the current elite Pan Am champion participating in one of her first ‘cross races of the season. She revealed how family can unleash some pretty harsh words. Ian Ackert, the under-23 Pan Am champ racing in bleached blond hair, seemed to have corralled any disses around his locks. Sidney McGill, two-time under-23 national champion, has been followed by a squirrel-related heckle. The three pro riders not only spoke about course-side razzing, but their goals for the ’cross season ahead as well.

I also went looking for a heckler who landed what I consider some of the harshest burns I’d ever received (while racing CX, that is). The meeting and the conversation goes in a direction that I didn’t expect. Could it be time to retire the heckle and replace it with something more positive?

In this episode, I have help with CX heckle analysis from Canadian Cycling Magazine web editor Matt Hansen and feature writer Jake Williams, two guys who know all about unleashing trash talk.