Cyclocross exhibit debuts at Louisville Main Library | Events

LOUISVILLE, KY – In celebration of the upcoming Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Cyclocross Elite World Championships in Louisville on February 2 and 3, the Louisville Free Public Library is hosting a new exhibit, The World of Cyclocross, in the Bernheim Gallery of the Main Library. The exhibit features a collection of photographs, “The Hardest Hour,” by Wil Matthews, as well as information and examples of the who, what, and why of cyclocross. 

California-based photographer Wil Matthews has covered cyclocross for the past three years for Velo Magazine, Velonews.com, major bicycle brands, the U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross, and a host of other media outlets in the United States and abroad. As a photojournalist and dedicated cyclist, Matthews strives to capture the satisfying feeling of the sport. The photos on display reveal the sport from the front lines, exploring it from all angles - from the quiet moment before the start to the white-hot heat of competition, from the joy for those headed to the podium to the sorrow of those headed home empty-handed.  His self-professed love of “that hypoxic euphoria cyclists experience after a hard ride” combined with his own experience and knowledge of the sport gives him inside access to the athletes in competition.

“I’m honored and privileged to be accepted by and have access to the athletes in this sport and to be able to work with them on an intimate level,” says Matthews.  “Without their cooperation, I’d only be able to show a fraction of this sport.”

Originating in Western Europe, cyclocross is a wintertime discipline of bicycle racing. Rugged, fast, athletic, and exciting for spectators, these hour-long races take place over multiple laps of a dirt course that includes obstacles requiring cyclists to dismount and carry their bikes for portions of the race. On February 2 and 3, Louisville Metro Parks’ Eva Bandman Park will be the site of the UCI Cyclocross Elite World Championships.  This marks the first time that the event will take place outside of Europe.

The Library will host a public reception with photographer Wil Matthews and organizers of the UCI Cyclocross Elite World Championships on Thursday, January 31, from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information about the exhibit, please call 574-1611. For more information about the upcoming World Championships in Louisville, please visit www.louisville2013.com.

Source: Paul Burns