What is the Cx Fever fund? 

History

You may wonder what exactly is the CX Fever… CX Fever is my way of expressing the passion I feel towards the sport of cyclocross. I call it a Fever, because it’s a very deep and visceral feeling…but also because a fever is a contagious and I feel like this passion for cyclocross is very contagious, and I want to spread it as much as I can. 

That’s why, back in 2015, I decided to make t-shirts. I felt that if people had the fever, maybe they’d like to wear a shirt to express it, and then, maybe more people could catch the fever by seeing the shirt. I thought the shirt might help to create a connection between fellow cyclocross lovers. It caught on, so we then made socks, more shirts, hats, bracelets, etc… At some point, I realized that we could potentially do more with this CX Fever platform, so in 2017, we created the CX Fever Fund. In the first year, we invited a young woman CX racer to spend a weekend of racing with us, where all her expenses were paid, and where she could see how it is to be a pro, and where she could learn from my teammates and I. In 2018, we offered 2 grants to young cx racers from Canada to help them travel to Europe. 

2019 CX Fever Fund - 5000$ donation to cyclocross Canada

This year, thanks to all of you, we have been able to raise more money than ever. In fact, with your support, we were able to raise a little more than 4000$. And for that, I would like to thank each and everyone of you who helped supporting the fund by purchasing CX Fever gear, by donating, or simply by sharing your passion for cyclocross. 

That being said, we are really proud to announce that this year, with the CX Fever Fund, David and I have made a 5000$ donation to Cyclocross Canada’s Christmas camp. We chose to partner with Cyclocross Canada because we felt like this was the best way for our donation to make the most impactful difference for more people. 

As you may know, cyclocross is not an Olympic sport, and that means we get no funding and absolutely no help or support from our governing body (Cycling Canada). However, Cyclocross Canada is a volunteer organization, founded by Scott Kelly, who decided a few years ago to take over the Cyclocross program in Canada. They offer support, structure, and opportunities to Canadian cyclocross athletes. 

Going to Europe to race on your own can be extremely difficult, costly, and even a little bit discouraging sometimes. However, Cyclocross Canada offers logistical support, help on site, lodging, moral support, and more. Most importantly, it offers a team and a tight community for young cyclocrossers going over to Europe. It makes the experience more valuable and more fun. 

These experiences of going over to Europe to race with a good group of people have changed my life as an athlete and as a person, and I truly believe the experience is beneficial for every young person going over. And that is why we decided to donate 5000$ to the program, because we know it will go directly to the athletes and will make the experience of racing the Kerstperiod more accessible and more valuable to many Canadian athletes. 

Again, I’d like to send the warmest thank you to everyone who supported us. You can follow the Cyclocross Canada adventures here. 

2018 Grants

In 2018, we offered two 500$ grants to 2 Junior Racers from Canada to offset the costs of their racing seasons.

The two recipients were Paul Mysko and Matis Boyer. Matis (16) used the funds to travel outside of Quebec and participate in his first UCI events in the USA, whereas Paul used the funds to go to Europe with the Cyclocross Canada program and race in several Junior World Cups, as well as the World Championships.

2017 CX Fever Grant

In 2017, we offered a grant of a 1500$ financial value to an up-and-coming CX rider. The grant recipient got to come to the PanAmerican Championships with the CLIF Pro Team and become a member of the team for a weekend of racing. The goal was to share our experience and ressources with her so she can see what it's like to be on a professional CX team. 

If you want to here more about past years’ projects, you can read our stories here: 

• CX Fever Part 1: What is Cyclocross Fever?

• CX Fever Part 2: How to prepare for a CX Race?

• CX Fever Part 3: Weekend perspective. The Pro and the Rookie