NATCHEZ — Scott Sandidge has been a member of the Natchez Bicycle Club for two years, mostly doing road races and the club’s Tuesday and Thursday events.

But Saturday morning at Duncan Park, he got a taste of a different type of bike racing, one that he described as “very intense.”

Sandidge competed in the Natchez Psycho-Cross race, which introduced Natchez to the cyclo-cross style of bicycle racing. The object of the race was to tally as many laps as possible within a time limit, making it through numerous obstacles along the way.

The Psycho-Cross Race included a B race for less-experienced riders, followed by a children’s race and an A race.

“It’s kind of a cross between mountain biking and road biking,” Sandidge said. “It’s difficult because of grass sections that slow the bike down, along with the sand pits and obstacles.”

Natchez Bicycle Club member Lena Yarbrough, who helped organize the event, said it was a harder course than any previous cyclo-cross courses she’s competed on.

“I’ve raced in one race in Jackson and one in Baton Rouge, and this one had a lot more obstacles that slow you down,” Yarbrough said.

The bicycle club and the Louisiana Mississippi Bicycle Racing Association sponsored the event. Yarbrough said the race at Duncan Park was part of a series that LAMBRA recently adopted.

“The series is already in place in Mississippi and Louisiana, and we were fortunate enough to be included,” Yarbrough said.

“We’re hoping more people get interested and be a part of cyclo-cross in general. Before this year, you had to go as far as Alabama to do (a cyclo-cross race.”

And Natchez is a good spot for LAMBRA to host an event given its location, Yarbrough said.

“It’s centrally-located, and we already have a LAMBRA road race every year,” she said. “We also have Crystal Springs for bike races.

“The area’s just kind of known for bike races. We’re having the championships in St. Francisville next weekend.”

Sandidge is one person that would be interested in more cyclo-cross racers, he said.

“I hope they keep having these here,” he said.

Sandidge said he sees why cyclo-cross is a popular form of bike racing in Europe.

“They usually do it Europe to stay in shape during the winter months.”

Yarbrough also said the form of racing was a good for not letting up during a normally down period.

“It’s a great way to stay in shape during the offseason,” she said.