On board with a true B.C. cyclocross experience at the Fort Langley Classic to kick off the fall 2015 season

On September 5, 2015, the Fort Langley Classic dug deep into the soil of Aldore Acres, on the west coast of British Columbia not far from Vancouver.

Riders, to put it mildly, made a big, beautiful mess — and it was one thrill ride after another.

The Fort Langley Classic is one of the Canadian cyclocross events that welcome fall — the season for all things cyclocross — on the Lower Mainland of B.C., but it’s not the only such event. As the kick-off race of the 2015 Vancouver Cyclocross Coalition series, several are still forthcoming, like the Burnaby Foreshore cyclocross race on September 20, the Confederation Park Dubbel of October 3, West Coast Racing/Trek Red Truck Vanier Park cyclocross at Vanier Park, Vancouver on October 4, Queens Cross on October 10 in New Westminster, Atomic Superprestige in Mahon Park, North Van, and b Team Superprestige — an event whose location has yet to be determined.

The coastal regions of British Columbia are perfect for the all-terrain intensity of cyclocross, with plenty of dirt and mud for tires to eat, and of course, a wealth of hard, tricky climbs and unpredictable grounds to challenge riders of all levels of experience. This time of year, with the temperatures dropping, putting riders in their long-sleeved jerseys, events like the above carry the torch from the end of road season and right into the adventurous, hard-rolling rides of cyclocross. So have you caught your breath from reading that breakdown of listings?

Good. Because this video’s going to make you lose it all over again.

The footage was shot and posted to YouTube by rider Ben Johnson, who finished fifth in the Fort Langley Classic’s C category. As an on-board account of a cyclocross race, it’s a pulse-thumping testament to the uniqueness of the discipline — not quite road, not quite cross-country, but definitely fast, dirty and intense, all of which may be an understatement. With the cyclocross season about to hit full swing, and several key events happening this weekend, it also attests to why the end of summer never, ever means the end of cycling.