Charclo Cross: The Magic of Not Caring Who Wins
A few weeks ago, I shared my experience from the event I organized for Weis in Paris. It took almost everything I had in me for an entire week, but it also made me eager to learn more about event organizing for the cycling community.
Here on SSS, one of my goals is to give you the best tools and insights possible so you can go on your own adventures and/or take action in your local cycling scene. Events are, of course, one of the best ways to bring people together, but in my opinion, they’re also one of the hardest things to organize. Races, group rides, flea markets… They all require a few people to do the work, to actually make things happen.
But what if I told you that, after helping some friends with their event, I realized there’s something in between a multi-day production with sponsors, dozens of staff, and a simple sprint race you can wrap up in an afternoon?
Something that needs almost zero resources, just human willpower and a healthy dose of “It is what it is.”
Enter Charclo Cross! The brainchild of two close friends Diego and Joris who decided to create a one-day race with one simple theme: “It doesn’t need to be so serious.” The recipe? Minimal staff, a short circuit, any bike allowed, and only two requirements: wear a helmet, and have fun.
And it worked wonders! The third edition saw around 50 racers, on everything from vintage Cannondales to cargo bikes, carbon CX Canyons, and brakeless tracklocross setups. The races were split into three categories: Cargo, Singlespeed/Fixed Gear, and… the rest, which ran as a special relay called “The Slip Race”.
Now, “Slip” in French has no link with slipstream or any aerodynamics references… It is simply… Underwear. Yes, you read that right. After two laps, you’ll have to take off your giant slip and pass it to your teammate, who has to put it on before starting their relay. On top of that, organizers are always watching for anyone not wearing it correctly, and they’re not shy about throwing in random mid-race rules like, “Next lap will be in the opposite direction.” And that’s the beauty of it, because at Charclo, anything goes.
Don’t get me wrong, I also enjoy events with food stands, sponsors showing off their latest collections, and brands proudly backing something interesting and for the people. But I can’t shake the feeling that, sometimes, coming back to basics is exactly what we need. Charclo Cross had no timing system, no strict schedule, no live streaming, or over the top communication, a bring-your-own-meal-and-beer policy, and one big speaker blasting one of the most random playlists I’ve ever heard. Bring your stuff, pay five euros if you want to race, and that’s it.
Between the two organizers, a few volunteers, and myself, we pulled this whole thing off with just a handful of people, race numbers made from old cardboard boxes, a bunch of zip-ties, and prizes donated by an insider at the Tour de France. And if we can do it, you can too!
It’s about creating moments for people to meet, try something new, and ride in an environment so unpolished that there’s zero pressure about gear, style, or performance. So keep it easy. Keep it Charclo!
Side note: For the pictures, as you can see I’m still experimenting with my new setup, which I’ll hopefully share more about soon! Even though I’m not 100% happy with the results yet, I feel like I’m on the right track. Shooting an event digitally is actually the main reason I decided to pick up something other than a film camera. So far, it’s been 100% worth it in terms of results, but the shooting experience itself still leaves me with mixed feelings. More on that soon, I promise.
It’s ok… Because it’s Charclo…
🐗: Charclo Cross
💾: ???
📍: Sevres
