Indeed, with a number of rising stars coming through the under-23 ranks, including Evie Richards, who we caught up with earlier this week, and Tom Pidcock, Field has a better understanding of the rise of British ‘cross than most. Where once he was the sole British man on the European circuit, at a time when Nikki Brammeier and Helen Wyman were making significant in-roads on the women’s circuit, Britain’s young riders are now expected to come back from the worlds with medals.

Read on for Field’s thoughts on his season to date, the worlds and the future of British ‘cross.

[series]

You chose to prioritise the National Trophy Series this year over World Cup races – is that a sign the domestic scene is getting stronger?

“The British scene is getting better and better each year. Especially with a lot of overseas riders coming over this year, it was a high standard. It was good racing and good to support the UK scene. It made sense, what with riding for a British team, for British sponsors, and getting coverage in the British press.”

“Cyclo-cross is definitely getting bigger and bigger each season. It’s been growing for several years and each year the organisers really step it up with how professional races look”

Have you seen a noticeable rise in the popularity of cyclo-cross and participation in races?

“It definitely gets bigger and bigger each season. It’s been growing for several years and each year the organisers really step it up with how professional races look. It’s really good for the sport and there are also so many people participating on a local level. That eventually comes through to the national level, with more people racing to a higher standard, as we’ve seen with the younger guys and girls at the moment. It’s great for the sport of cyclo-cross – and also for the sport of cycling in general.”

Nikki and Matt Brammeier’s new Mudiiita Project is encouraging similar, trying to give young riders a pathway to the European scene…

“I think it’s as good a time as any to race abroad. It’s never easy going abroad and racing but it’s great the project Nikki and Matt are doing to make it easier. And the GB setup is actually doing a really good job with the cyclo-cross side of things, taking them to races throughout the season so they don’t get to the World Championships and feel like a fish out of water. It’s a good setup we’ve got now.”

“We need these young riders to stay in the sport, filter up into elite level and have success there. That’s the real role model figure we need”

How can the British CX scene keep growing and move on to the next level?

“We need these young riders to stay in the sport, filter up into elite level and have success there. That’s the real role model figure we need. We’ve got it at the women’s level with Nikki and Helen, and we need other people to really carry on. If there are two or three guys racing the elite races then it makes it look a bit more achievable for the younger guys, so they will stay with the sport and it grows from there.”

The 2018 UCI World Cyclo-Cross World Championships will take place in Valkenburg, the Netherlands, on Saturday February 3 (men’s junior, women’s under-23 and women’s elite) and Sunday February 4 (men’s under-23, men’s elite)