The Party's Over. But the Party Never Stops.

The Cyclocross Party is over and these people have gone home - thankfully. But for some, it's hard saying goodbye, and a lot of it we'll miss ...

Yeah like Katrina Nash and Georgia Gould can stick around and party all they want. They're always fun.

And those laugh-a-minute Belgians (except for K-Paws). They're home and partying down after kicking everybody's ass. Take that World.

And how long will it be before we see the Katies together again? A small Katie and a Big Katie in matching poofy jackets no less.

And crazy fuckers like this dressed up for a cross race or a trip to the mental ward? Yeah I can't get enough costumes.

Well it's over and I'm a bit gutted, floundering around the internet looking for more 'cross videos and pics I might have missed. Going down to the basement to sniff Mastik and watch my tires rot, building up bikes for next year that are way more than I need ... it's either that or watch road racing. Yeah, sitting down and watching 3k prologues won by guys with UCI illegal helmets is so exciting I couldn't get up off the couch to get another beer.

You know this is the kind of shit that makes me want to dig my eyes out of my head with a grapefruit spoon when I watch road cycling. So the guy who won had an illegal helmet and looks like the Green Lantern, and the guy that lost had short sleeves? Are you f*cking kidding me? So now that we're supposedly past the doping era in cycling where going to with illegal helmets and short sleeves? It's no wonder your mom won't even come to watch you road race ...

Gaudin won prologue with illegal helmet,QuickStep DS claims

Keep your mouth shut and your hands on the bars you'll be faster!

Chavanel lost due to short sleeves and sticker on Gaudin's helmet, Peeters says: Sylvain Chavanel lost the Paris-Nice prologue by 56 one hundredths of a second, and Omega Pharma-Quick Step sport director Wilfried Peeters thinks he knows why – it was the material. Winner Damien Gaudin wore not only a different jersey, but may also owe his victory to an illegal helmet, Peeters indicated.Europcar's Gaudin covered the technical 2.9km course in 3:37, beating Chavanel by a whisker. One of the reasons for this, Peeters told Het Nieuwsblad, is that “Sylvain rode with short sleeves while Gaudin wore long sleeves. This kind of detail made the difference.”

2013 UCI World Cyclocross Championships from Gizmo Pictures on Vimeo.

So what we to do now? Stuck with helmet and short sleeve controversies, waiting for next cross season to roll around is a long wait. And there isn't going to any of this ...  though I find this video above a little sad ... maybe it's the music. Maybe it's the fact that there won't be another World Championship Cross race in America in my lifetime (maybe yours, but not mine, I'm old). If you're still in the mood to look back just take a look at these ESPN Sports photos of World Championships. Very nice stuff.

You really know that the Cyclocross Party is over for the year when the Blue Lights come on and the terrible Belgium entertainers come out to serenade the cyclocross stars, and then torment them with uncomfortable (you can tell they're uncomfortable even though you can understand them - body language I guess - everybody starts looking like Pauwels, except Nys) in Superprestige Awards show that happens ever year. And it's always the same ... right down to the blue lights, white chair condoms and cheesy singers. If you've got the time it's really interesting to watch - quite a look at the Belgium culture and their lurve of cyclocross. I'm sure they have something like this in Canada for Curling.

If the blue lights and Belgian crooners are enough to let you know the cross season is over, then the goofy Masters race is. It's kind of the Inside Out race of World Champions. 

I wonder if the Koala was there to take note? He always loves Quixotic and unusual racing with bikes and venues that may or may not actually be racing.