Racing The World's Toughest Cyclo-Cross Race | GCN Presenter Challenge

You know it's going to be a tough race when a survival bag is a mandatory item. Welcome to the Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross, undisputedly the hardest cyclocross race Great Britain, and arguably in the world. But why so brutal? You'll have to take it from Si and Oscar...
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Not for the faint-hearted, the gruellingly steep climbs and technical descents of the 3 Peaks route must be completed on a bike with drop handlebars and tyres no wider than 35mm - certainly not the best tool for the job.
True to name, the 38 mile/61 kilometre route takes in the three summits of Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen Y Ghent and totals 5000ft climbing en route. Set in the stunning - yet barren - Yorkshire Dales, the 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross race is the ultimate test of fitness, skill and grit. Do you dare take it on?
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Watch more on GCN...
📹 Si's 3 Peaks Cyclo-Cross Trek Crockett
Music: Fall-Copse
Some Kind Of Magic 1 - Niclas Gustavsson
Photos: Cadence Images/Daniel Monaghan.
© Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Bettiniphoto / www.bettiniphoto.net/
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Leave us a comment below!

[@gcn]

Will you be adding the 3 Peaks CX to your bucket list?

[@2001MBKBooster]

HaHa! No. I ride for fun and healthy exercise - not to torture myself.

[@geohikingjani]

No I'm too much of a chicken. Arms and nerve wise 😅

[@RichardAzia]

Will you add a bit of two-day hiking and some sessions at the local climbing wall to build up the upper body? Next time you're in the Dolomites latch on a few days of hiking and via ferrata. ;-)

[@AndreasIhm]

Absolutely!

[@sparka09]

where can we get that jacket is was wearing before the race?

[@bmccall30]

Out of nearly 600 riders that started the race Oscar and Si took 8th and 20th. Holy cow! Guys, you should be very proud of that achievement. Chapeau!

[@mrwicksy]

Not only that, but on a course that never changes but you're not allowed to ride on so can't do a recce. Amazing stuff.

[@ClemensAlive]

12:25 "Who is this mad guy talking to...? Did he become mental jet?"

[@mosesbuddhajesus3362]

Exactly what I was thinking haha

[@DarkpowderUK]

Talking while grinding your way past people walking.. Talk about destroying what's left of the pusher's mind.

[@brianmessemer2973]

9:45 How classy is Oscar - he's still racing up the second mountain, and he has both the courtesy and clarity of thought to publicly apologize for possibly slowing some of the riders on the previous descent. "What a classy bike rider." One of my favorite Paul Sherwin sayings.

[@TheMusicman1654]

Red Hook Crit and now this! Loving this racing content, keep it coming!

[@gcn]

Cheers Nick!

[@imilic8]

as I already commented on the RHC video, please edit it into a full length documentary :)

[@steventhompson558]

Here Here!

[@ThePixelize]

Dude throwing his bike in the background at 15:29 about sums up the essence of this race. ^^

[@misomonster]

These GCN Presenter Challenges are absolutely brilliant.

[@do4511]

and brutal as well...

[@geohikingjani]

It's great to see some of the "original" members of GCN competing in a race 👍

[@emilianoc.6641]

Superb Video! It feels as what Nino Schurter once said 'you suffer from the 1st minute to the last minute, but enjoy every minute as well'.

[@kevinhawker2946]

Si,U are da Man!!! I got chest pain just watching your effort!!!

[@alexbeldon3633]

Love too see Si with Ian Taylor-World Champ-congrats cause my dad races against him often at the Yorkshire Cross league and he literally rides away from everyone 😂👏👏 Well done for completing it guys

[@knightwish1623]

Hi Si .... I have been living in Germany now for 49 years, watching this vid brought back memories of when I was in the Boys Army in England ... I was about 16 years old and our troop did the Three Peaks Walk, so I could relate to you when you were walking up the mountains ... had fun watching ... keep them wheels turning :-) ... PS. we also did the Lyke Wake Walk which was 64 Km (40 mi) across the Yorkshire moors .... I can't really imagine 16 year olds doing that today though

[@NZWozza]

This and the Bikepacking vid Si did are two of my favourite this year. What I love about cycling is completing challenges you never thought you were capable of as well as adventuring and finding new places. I expect to see Emma competing next year after your lessons too! More great content from the GCN crew!

[@ZeroSeriesMMX]

What, not prepping bottles of champagne after Emma becomes cyclocross world champ? 😂😂😂

[@mlee6136]

Must say these ride challenges really have changed up GCN... I"m resubscribing... less marketing more riding.. .love it.!!!

[@pahouseholder]

Epic. And I love that it is only on drop bar cross bikes. I think we'll see more of these in the years ahead with the growth of gravel/adventure/cross. This race was simply ahed of its time.

[@disgruntledtoons]

Obviously we need to see how Emma does on this. If she doesn't do well she can always blame Si's coaching.

[@MihoStreams]

She'd be good at the running bit!

[@davidbrayton1143]

Being a GCN journalist/commentator looks like the best job in the world for an ex-pro racer. Fly all over the world to ride some of the most beautiful/gnarly/historic/epic rides imaginable. Heck, they wouldn’t even hafta pay me to do that job.

[@linglingjr]

Si is definitely my favorite presenter. These challenges are awesome to binge watch.

[@gregg1571]

Has to be one of the best GCN videos ever. Really captured how difficult the race must be and great to see the camaraderie between you guys too

[@Calum_S]

I don't think the guy pushing his bike was too pleased when you rode past doing your bit to camera

[@KandiKlover]

He was laughing

[@ZeroSeriesMMX]

I love a sprint-type 'cross race. 😁 And yeah, time to christen Oscar as the Moustached Mountain Goat 🐐 -- all compliments. 😊

[@stuartdryer1352]

Some of that looked completely terrifying.

[@gcn]

On the edge most of the time; figuratively and literally!

[@utoobia6872]

Wow, this race really makes you respect your bike. You carry it as much as it carries you.

[@Mububban23]

That looked absolutely brutal. Excellent results from both of you! Brilliant terrain flyover graphics. Personally I didn't like the cropped "freeze frame" effect at parts of the video, but I love that the GCN production crew are trying new things to keep it fresh :-)

[@andrew.mccarter]

I dont get tired watching this and guys 8th and 20th just shows that you love the sport great job and thanks for sharing your race insight.

[@gauloisrefractaireenexilvo4366]

Well done Si & Oscar, you guys rock, literally. Amazing race footage, breath-taking landscape, the downhill sections looked absolutely mental. Si is not only a talented all-rounder on his bike, but he's also a great presenter who enjoys his time in front of the camera. I really enjoy these adventure-themed races. More of that stuff GCN, thank you!

[@Ystadcop]

I rode it when Mr. Rawnsley made us all look like fools. John Atkins, Eric Stone (disgraced), the loony Mick Ives, Keith Mernickle. Great races. Whatever happened to Chris Wreghitt? Greatest potential British cross rider ever was Jeff Morris. I remember one year he only entered 2 crosses. He won them both, one was the National. He didn't bother with too much training, pure class. One winter day he turned up at my house, it was just above freezing. He was wearing tracksuit bottoms, a jersey, arm warmers and no hat. (No silly helmets in those days, we didn't envisage falling off). No bloody gloves (to make him harden up). 50 very cold miles later, he lay on my sitting room floor then set off for the next 10 miles home in the freezing dark, no lights. He was forced to abandon his serious career by some kind of appalling arthritis. He made a comeback with his ankles strapped up, just for the love of the sport. His brother Derek was in our club. So skinny we called him bones. Great bloke.

[@gcn]

Thanks for sharing such great memories and reminding us of these iconic names.

[@mrwicksy]

Disgraced? WIthout any legal risk to yourself, what did he do? All I can find is he moved to Australia...

[@Ystadcop]

I raced against him several times and he seemed a nice chap. He was a fell runner and switched to 'cross as a complete novice. But he got a doping ban.

[@mrwicksy]

@@Ystadcop Ah that was my suspicion, thanks for letting us know :)

[@javaquickscope7300]

That trek looks a beauty with the zipp wheels, if only my pocket was deep enough

[@MrBobswire]

Great to see an actual talking head, "walk the walk" and not just "talk the walk". I mean that in all respect, you guys on GCN are the best. Kudos.

[@fritzcoleman4915]

That was so cool to watch. Si you made me laugh out loud with your push-up/arm comment. I need to get out and ride!

[@singlespeedchronicles7640]

Absolutely brilliant!!!! Has to be the best GCN videography yet! No stupid gimmicks here, just pure sweet cycling CX style...

[@seanwilby1411]

Just Brilliant - plus Cracking Result 8 and 20 places , you both need a Holiday 😃😃

[@ltu42]

One of the most beautiful GCN videos, well done to whoever shot it and edited it!

[@supernpstr]

One of the best gcn videos of this year!

[@milanbabic92]

One on the Espanol seems even better, even though i didn't understand a single word.

[@sabiduria_ancestral7]

I agree

[@lisapet160]

In addition to "survival bag" (like one can't walk a bike for 5-7 miles), I'd suggest giving each participan a "messenger bag", which is filled with Thank You Letters to the landlords who are so kind to let the race happened on their properties. Put mail boxes on top of each hill, let the cyclists distribute the letters: one letter for each large farmers' family members :). Walking up to the third hill would be easier: the messenger bag will be 1/3 full (or even more optimistic - 2/3 empty!)

[@steventhompson558]

LOVE the in-race videos like this and RHC-Milan! Good job with the video and even better job by Si & Oscar. Although is this really a cross race?!?...I didn't see any hand-ups! :-)

[@therealfaintinggoat]

Soooo good GCN. Great cinematography and editing. Excellent riding Simon and Oscar.

[@CL-dh2mf]

GCN guys - thank you! This was so good!!! Loved every minute of it. Greetings from Germany!

[@mcorbett01]

Serious challenge and seriously great video. Congrats to both Oscar and Simon, very impressive performances.

[@gcn]

Cheers Malcolm!

[@chrisdenison2277]

Amazing video and audio quality during an actual race event. Well done. Si, you made it sound like you were doing so bad. 20th place is fantastic. Well done to you both!

[@Fox71586]

Loving these new race profiles. Helps international riders find other challenges out there.

[@FlatSpinMan]

It's the presenter suffering I come for these days. Such great entertainment. Like everyone else, I love these challenge videos.

[@kazimirsmith]

lovely pairing of music with the footage in this one, especially around the 10 min mark on the descents ... nice job, gcn

[@roxic1212]

20th place is still very respectable Si 👍

[@michaelb9664]

Great video, well done to both of you guys! 8th and 20th are very respectable positions!

[@winstoncat6785]

Brilliant! Thanks so much for that report and the effort. Absolutely great!

[@hoser7706]

Added. Me and my son will target it in 5 years. Such an epic in the cx world! And you finished 20th?? Well done!!!

[@markludiman3363]

Priceless, you screamed C'mon Richardson in the same place I screamed C'mon Ludiman (all be it over an hour later!)

[@ramsesm]

Loved this content - first, Si - kudos and thank you for almost making us feel like were were there. Great episode guys...

[@sureshchinnappa2290]

Well done Si. Great effort my friend!

[@josef3805]

This video was brilliant, enjoyed every minute. Would love to see more 'start to finish' event videos like this and Red hook. Amazing effort too, well done both of you.

[@nominalboar5606]

i love this GCN cameos!

[@themrtimmyboy]

13:43 love it. Great video. Congrats Simon and Oscar.

[@alpha_robo2400]

Advice for after the race: Don't sit down. Keep moving to help avoid cramping in your muscles. Love your guys' content!!!!

[@Scohen415]

Really fun video. Love seeing different events and GCN presenters participating!

[@MrHockaluger]

Great video along with the last Redhook Crit one. Wasn't expecting Oscar as much as Emma this time considering the recent cross videos, or even Katherine, but damn, he's a beast.

[@MrStarford]

Just awesome, no other way to describe it, well done Si and Oscar and what I think has been one of the best presenter challenges yet. Also nice to see the ever improving production quality

[@DrJRMCFC]

Great video, excellent production. Totally engrossed while I ironed my shirts for next week at work!

[@philj7823]

Absolutely great content, as always. Brilliant.

[@Windband1]

First a big congratulations to both of you on finishing that epic ride!! Second, Si please post on how the riders (you) handled nutrition and hydration, as well as your tools!! There's no way that was self supported for that long of a race. No one was using "camelbaks" etc. How do they work that? Thanks mate!!

[@burtdouglas6705]

Loving these Sunday features. Great video

[@robhermansky8624]

Great stuff. I’d like to see more of this live racing on GCN

[@jack.g.gutierrez]

superb coverage! love the editing, and all the cycling bits too obviously haha

[@scottishjohn]

Yikes, we have seen Tom last do his increasing faces of pain but I think that Si really did go super deep here. Gosh that is one brutal race, I don't even think that riding on the roads in that part of North Yorkshire is always easy but then deciding to do a mix of cyclocross and fell running to add to the mix... just nuts! I mean it does totally make for an absolutely spectacular race and I must say a huge amount of respect to both Si and Oscar for that effort! 👊Would I ever consider doing it myself? err.... probably not but I do hope that you guys go back and conquer it one day! Really one of the great GCN videos! Thanks guys!

[@1jmcm]

Another absolutely amazing video. Great stuff guys.

[@richardyamin226]

Amazing Effort your guys. Thanks for sharing it.

[@bhumiriady]

That is so cool and awesome! Hats off to Oscar and Si.

[@danmathis4046]

Another excellent GCN race-u-r-there video. Kudos to Oscar and Si! Amazing performances.

[@michwoz]

Fantastic video, impressive performance! Congrats GCN!

[@jonathannewman5523]

Love these new features. This one and the Red Hook Crit video. Really interesting content. Keep it up...fun to watch. Also loved the sign at the finish for the “cake stall”

[@joefenech6839]

Amazing race! True test of bike and rider ! I hope you are not too trashed ! Thanks for the great narrative

[@Splodge360]

Loving simons little noise at 14:53

[@xavcarmic0686]

Great video. GCN just getting better and better.

[@stevenleslie8557]

Road racing, gravel biking, mountain biking, and back packing all rolled into one.

[@Vii_DT]

You had me at '...and up the slopes of Simonfell'

[@graemehill9910]

I was 2nd place junior in 1997 hardest race ever for me. If only I had believed what my old team mates told me about how much running there was. Now I ride enduro old age and fatness make gravity my friend😎😎 great video guys

[@griff9290]

That was amazing --- great job!

[@rosscads]

That was brilliant! Well done Simon and Oscar! 👏🏻

[@ianstewart8301]

What a brutal race! Great job to both.

[@markfoster2033]

You got lucky with the weather,they've had some epics in the past! Well done to you both for finishing as high as you did.

[@joeinglesfield7446]

Geezer at 15:30 dropping his bike... soiled himself? Yeeeaaaahhhh

[@jeremyboetger2934]

That looked tough! Good job guys on finishing the race.

[@alexgrytsenko85]

Definitely. I cants say about bucket list, just to ride this race yeaaa why not???? Si you are a hero to ride this race again and again! Nice video. THX.

[@danielmagana5125]

Congratulations well done Cheers from NYC

[@picc7460]

Course magnifique, merci pour cette vidéo !

[@martywild8200]

Impressive stuff, Richardson!

[@RaceLogik]

Great recap - production quality I'm certainly aiming for!

[@kerryphelvin8503]

Fantastic video guys. well done all round!

[@PrinceChanning]

Red Hook Crit and now this. WHAT'S NEXT?! PLEASE KEEP IT COMING

[@petereddy6598]

Constantly learning here on GCN. Thanks Heaps!

[@listofromantics]

That looks absolutely BONKERS on a CX bike! A lightweight XC hardtail would be ideal. I imagine even the fittest cyclists have problems with those long, hiking ascents.

[@kijkbuis8575]

The only trouble I have with this is that it just would be so much more enjoyable on a hardtail mountain bike.

[@kevinvermeer9011]

Even a full-sus XC bike or 29+ can be built to weigh just 10-12 kg...none of that (even the steps) looks like a must-walk to a 29er MTB, and they were clearly being cautious going downhill. The road sections, admittedly, would be faster on a cross bike, but you're still not on a TT machine with 35mm tires. I think a modern XC bike would destroy the record on this course, and it's a shame they artificially limit it with regulation.

[@littlebigcat]

Its not a shame. The race wouldn't have the same character or history if it just allowed XC full sus bikes.

[@ap6584]

Heroic stuff! Great video.

[@robertclarkplymouth]

Great production quality on the video, just subbed

[@alij9599]

Loved that. Got a real feel for the buzz of doing it.

[@griviljava]

What an excellent episode. I really enjoyed that. You fellas look ready for a few beers

[@Zeke102onMC]

Had an absolute blast watching this!

[@phillwhitlam6999]

Chapeau guys, great video and ride. Love to walk around there, can't imagine how hard it is to ride it. The Three peaks Challenge walk is bad enough.

[@StanislavGrabchev]

Daaamn, that's tough for real

[@Alex46312]

Such awesome quality content coming out of GCN and GMBN recently.

[@luismartingonzalez6569]

simon! what was that!!? hahaha 14:53 Incredible race guys!!!! keep racing!