Cyclocross is no longer cycling's hidden gem. Its rapid growth in the US--and its new popularity as off-season training--means this intense and dramatic sport is exploding into the mainstream. With a season running from September to February, cyclocross is cycling's only purely winter discipline, demanding a combination of athleticism, supreme technical skill, and ruthless tactics for the muddy conditions.

In the sport's heartland of Belgium, major races attract crowds of thousands and have a carnival atmosphere fueled by heavy drinking, ringing cowbells, and pumping airhorns. Many top riders have enthusiastic fan-clubs and are national celebrities--one even had his own reality TV show. On race day, Belgian and Dutch television coverage is akin to a major football game in the US, stretching for hours with pre--race interviews, pundits, and behind-the-scenes films.

In Rainbows in the Mud, Paul Maunder spends a season soaking up the sport's rich culture and history, and mixing with the obsessive fans, celebrity riders, and old-fashioned patriarchs of the sport. Following the riders--novices, veterans, American, British--as they slog their way through the season, he captures the spirit of this flamboyant cult sport, and paints a picture so vibrant you can almost feel the mud under your feet.