Summy bustin’ the mud in Portland.   Photo Courtesy of Joe Sales   

2008-2009 ‘cross is here. Multi-splendor! In the words of a legendary Eight-Man football coach from a tiny eastern Montana town, “Work hard. Have fun. Play the game.”Notables:

• Potential inception of a USAC Cyclocross Development Program with USAC MTB/CX Director Marc Gullickson
• Euro Cross Camp VI
• Selection Procedures for Worlds soon-to-be released

While part of this vision has been up and running for now six years (Euro Cross Camp), with USAC’s creation of a job title with the word “Cyclocross” next to the position and the timely hiring of Marc Gullickson, we now have the vehicle by which to carry the whole project truly “into the field” as it were. Meaning: the real beginnings of a more seamless cross-pollination between cycling disciplines, with track-road-mtb-cross-bmx all feeding into each other such that our riders can reach the highest level. Symbiosis rather than separation.Along the same lines, Euro Cross Camp VI continues to ramp. Most frequently, I’m receiving questions about selection for the camp. Via these communications, I’ve assembled a list of 35 interested riders. Unfortunately, I can only take 16, so here’s how it’s going to go down:I will name the selection of 16 riders by Nov 17. Selection decisions will be based on the following criteria:

• my intuition–how the rider is going; my general sense of the rider’s potential for development; where the rider is in his/her development;
• my perceptions–how the rider will fit the chemistry of the camp; how well the rider has planned his/her 2008 season for strong performance in December and January 2009 (discussed and instilled at the camp and worlds last season)
• results from October and November 2008
• potentiality for making Worlds team selection
• past camp experience

It’s not easy to pare down a “long team” of 35 to 16. I wish I could accomodate more. I’m hoping to take 6 juniors, 6 espoirs, 2 women and 2 elite men.  Again, riders are encouraged to stay in touch with me via email as the season progresses. It was great to catch up in Vegas. Good to see the energy and get some early data from the players. I was most impressed with Frishi. He looks much more muscled now than he did when I was in Switzerland in the early 90’s. But still damn fast. And it was affirming for me when Lance said after the race, “those guys are in another league” referring to the guys up front. Legitimacy is ever-important for ‘cross.  Also caught up with Svenny Nys the other day, just checking in with him. Fascinating to hear the subtleties to his Olympic mountain bike preparation this summer. As pro as they come.With the season starting, look for more frequent updates here on the Director’s Journal page. The engines are revving now. The US cyclocross scene is positively viral! Close to 800 cx events around the country. Crazy.But please keep the September Sirens at bike’s length and the big picture in mind: the brio of Hoogerheide Worlds in late January. Keep that frosty/muddy icon front-and-center on your mind’s eye desktop!And consider donating this year to help a euro camper make it happen! GP

In many ways, the end of camp seems like an intermission as many of us return to Izegem just a few weeks from now for the big dessert (pre-worlds camp and worlds). But for the fifth year, the camp is indeed in the books and most of the guys are home now readjusting and back at school today.

Nick Weighall fighting his way on the run up at Zeddam. Photo ©: Cycling-pics.be

St Niklaas is always a good end-of-camp race because it’s a bit mellower for not being part of any series. Case in point: I spent some time with Sven at his camper while my juniors were out on their pre-ride and I asked him if he could stop by to say hi to them if he had a chance. He said he would eat first and then be over. At a bigger race, this would be an improbability given how many hundreds of onlookers park themselves outside the door of his mobile home. But at St Niklaas, our plan was doable, so I gave word to the soigneurs to be on the lookout for the boss of cross.

But how goes the saying?–”The best laid plans are just good intentions”. Something like that. By the time Sven came over, I was headed to the pit (at St Nik, the pit is literally half way around a big lake) and the juniors were headed to the line. Noel, who had just arrived with the elites, hadn’t been informed so his jaw just about dropped when this guy in Rabobank kit comes pedaling across the dewy athletic track infield to where we were parked. Noel is thinking, what’s Sven doing at our vans? Noel and I got a good laugh later, and fortunately, some of the espoirs and elites were there to meet the greatest cross rider in history. You won’t find a more gracious champion either.

Geoff and the Boss, Sven Nys back last summer.

After we got some pre-race registration challenges sorted out (some of our guys didn’t yet have their 2008 licenses), it was time for the junior race, a first-time offering at St Nik and our guys didn’t disappoint. Gavin Mannion was in 3rd with a lap to go and Eric Emsky was close behind along with Steve Fisher and Clayton Omer. All these guys ended up top ten which was very encouraging. And the rest of the juniors seemed to put it together as well.

In the U-23/Elite combined race, Ryan Trebon actually led the race early on but faded and all the other guys had strong end-of-camp races. Go to results link to see some of the progress these guys are making. Then it was boogie on homewards to pack, shower, change and go out for a wee few frites and steak at a local restaurant. I made a quick toast thanking everyone, Noel and Els, all the mechanics and soigneurs and their spouses, and the riders. What a good bunch of riders and people! Thanks guys for your hard work and camraderie!

Where would you be without a good pit crew? Nick Weighall (Rad Racing NW) & Carson Miller (Fred Meyer) have their bikes lovingly cleaned in the pits at Otegem. Photo ©: Cycling-pics.be

I always love the end of this team dinner because after the main course, there’s plenty of talking and visiting, with everyone circulating and saying their bonded goodbyes to each other. Throughout the visiting and joking around, there’s this great sense of anticipation on the riders’ part that dessert is coming. But Noel and I have a thing about sweets and riders. As the Belgie cyclo-lore goes, let them leave the table a little hungry. It will make them stronger.

Now if I could just figure out a way to put the clampdown on the riders’ predilection for The Wall and all of its indulgences. Not the very least, Mitch Peterson’s penchant for quarts of ice cream!

Tot ziens! Bedankt voor alles!

Holy deficits Batman! Sven just crushed yesterday in his hometown race, leading from wire to wire. With at least six elite guys canceling due to illness, and another few like Niels Albert starting and then pulling out due to sickness, Sven just keeps rolling along. That makes four victories (Hofstade, Middlekerke, Diegem, and Baal) in the past week with only non-series race in St Niklaas today before the Belgian Nationals on Sunday. Hard to say if Wellens is really sick or playing it up in the press to come out fresh Sunday.

Zach McDonald rolling through the mud at Diegem. Photo ©: Cycling-Pics.be

We’ve had a good track record in Baal for the juniors (with Summerhill’s podium last year and Selander’s 4th in 2005) and yesterday was again a good one. Zach McDonald moved up through to 8th and Gavin Mannion rode very solidly for 9th. Both guys got some good air time on the PA with the announcer even making the bold claim that Zach McD was the grandson of fast food tycoon Ray Kroc. Or something. Solid imagination anyway. Junior Eric Emsky was pleased with his race (13th), making no real mistakes which bodes well for Worlds. And Andrew Llewellyn (17th), Clayton Omer (18th), Jeremy Ferguson (20th) and Ian Terry (34th) all drove hard in the Baal slop and slide.

Gavin Mannion, Hot Tubes, fights through the legendary sand at Hofstade. Photo ©: Cycling-Pics.be

Just getting over being sick, elite Tristan Schouten, the morning of, decided to race and it went pretty well. He had a good start, then kind of blew up and only just got lapped by le patron to finish 26th. Remember Nys was a minute up on the entire field and five minutes ahead of guys like early-to-mid-season strongman Klaas Vantournout.

Now getting ready to head off to St Niklaas for the final race of the camp. I’m already back from 4 am airport trip for departing Jeremy Ferguson and now, 15 riders, 30 bikes, 6 vehicles, 8 staff to St Niklaas. A bit like Napoleon’s army. Jonathan Page is the sleeper today, not having raced since Sunday night.

The juniors are weathering pretty well. The camp basically programs in learning to be tough. In simplest terms, coming from America where you’re finishing top-ten every race to races here with 90 starters and poor start positions, for sure, the deck is stacked. But that’s the starting point they all need to experience at this age. I always tell them that a few weeks here is worth a few seasons in the US, in terms of measuring one’s stock in the open markets. Then comes the real work: investment.

Tonight, it’s team dinner out and then serious packing for the trip home tomorrow. A job well done by the guys. Tot ziens!

Can’t seem to avoid entitling these posts with attempted phonetics. I guess it’s my subconscious trying to “bring it” to those of you reading from someplace other than Flanders. If you’d a been there last night, you’d a thought there was no place else to be.

A seriously solid attempt at “avondcross” or “eveningcross” by VT4 (with 80 television personnel on hand), Nissan, and the host of other Super Prestige sponsors, despite the post race comments from guys like Sven Vantourenhout who felt like the scene was more spectacle than sport. “Clowns in a circus” was the soundbyte I saw in the newspaper. Probably more a factor of where he finished (24th) than anything to do with the venue or the controversy surrounding the bad lighting in spots (Simunek crashed out of the break with Sven in a dark corner). Certainly, the ambiance was electric and plenty of smack going down during the course of the hour-long elite men’s race. Enough to fill a book. Maybe.

Earlier in the day, Jaime Driscoll made us all proud with an absolutely stellar ride, again moving up through the field after a mediocre start, to finish 12th in the U-23 race. Nick Weighall again pouring on the coals for 25th. For some past-historical-camp-Diegem-espoirs-context, Bjorn Selander was 11th last year in his first year as an espoir, Jeremy Powers was 21st in 2004, and Troy Wells 23rd in 2005. Buildin’ the bridge baby. Buildin’ the bridge.

Our juniors keep on taking things in. The Diegem circuit is totally different than the Baal parcours they’ll see tomorrow. Diegem is almost 50-50 asphalt to grass, with a little sand, hard-packed cinder path, and dirt in the woods to make it interesting. That’s a lot of pavement! Some of the guys had power for the paved hill better than others, but I just keep telling them, my goal for them for this camp is that they have one race where they feel all chambers are firing, one race where they have “good legs”, one race where their mistakes are minimal. The outcome goals can come later.

A few guys in the sick bay (Trebon, Schouten and Fisher); frustrating, but Treviso is still four Sundays away. Happy New Year!

**Watch the video of the Superprestige in Diegem here on Sport.be

Electrico (Pit 1; Diegem 2007)

Another big race! This race always impresses me with its numbers, its show. Just a throng of people turn out for it. No Frischy this year for the first time in awhile; disappointed to not be able to say hi to him.

And, it’s always a good time to revisit and catch up with other pit crews due to the “close proximity” (aka, a very tight pit); I particularly enjoy the familial aspect with fathers Boom, Groenendaal, Wellens, Simunek, Vervecken, and Powers handing up encouragement to their sons.

The congested pits at Loenhout full of bikes and mechanics. Photo Courtesy of Cycling-Pics.be

A mixed day, results-wise. Juniors battled hard from less-than-ideal start positions in a 90 rider field. (I opted to save Mannion, McDonald, and Emsky for Sunday in Diegem). Steve Fisher 43rd, Jeremy Ferguson 45th, and Andrew Llewelyn 62nd. Clayton Omer had stomach issues and Ian Terry got caught up in a crash and cut his hand trying to separate wheels and bikes. Combat style bike racing for sure. And, broken record I know, very good experience. Jeremy Ferguson told me he’s already planning next season around being good in December. That’s the ‘cross mind set!

In the U-23’s, Danny Summerhill had a great start and was in 15th through the first pit but is battling a back injury and slight cold and couldn’t sustain his initial strength. Jamey Driscoll again moved through the field and finished a creditable 21st in a field of, again, 90 starters. Nick Weighall was his steady self in 37th and Mitch Peterson (47th), Carson Miller (53rd) and Brady Kappius (55th) all kept ‘er going through the tractor-pull and whup sections.

Jeremy Powers, ECXC Alum, rode to a 23rd place at Lenhout. Photo Courtesy of Cycling-Pics.be

Ryan Trebon had a really good race going, passing through in 15th early on. Eventually he finished 21st to go with his 20th last year and his 16th in 2005 at this venue. He seems to ride pretty well on this course, says he likes the rhythm of it, but the right group here and the right hole threaded there and I think he could have been top 10. Easy for me to say from pit-side, but I then again, I always want to see more fight, no matter what the result (unless it’s the top step:). Camp grad Jeremy Powers rode pretty well also to get 23rd which, coupled with his ride in Hofstade, is another incremental improvement on his 28th from the year before in Loenhout. Those are the kind of gains you want to see. Tristan Schouten wasn’t as happy with his getting lapped but I saw some good things. I saw him nicely pilot through a pit crash and hey, 43rd in your first cross camp in the elites in Loenhout is the beginning. I told him to check back with me in a year. A year spent focusing on cross, building towards the December races and worlds. It’s all about investment, patience, learning (aka, the journey).

A happy Trebon in the car on the way back to “The House” after a successful day at Loenhout. Photo Courtesy Tristan Shouten.

As many of you know, I’m on sabbatical from teaching this year, and in the process of trying to write a book about modern cyclocross. I emphasize the “trying”, because it’s not an easy undertaking! Anyways, during my research, I’ve gotten to know Sven Nys pretty well.

At our team meeting last night at the camp, I was sharing with the guys that Sven told me a few months ago he was considering using a cross bike to race in the mtb Olympics. He won a mtb UCI earlier this fall in Gieten on a cross bike. After he told me, I asked Adam Craig at the Louisville USGP if he thought the Olympic mtb course could be ridden on a cross bike. Adam was just back from the pre-Olympic race and said he thought it could be done for sure. From the link below, it looks like Sven will take full measure when he does some recon in the spring in Peking.

That’s one way to get cyclocross into the Olympics! Leave it to Sven. I admire those who think outside the box.

Here’s the link from Sporza today. If your Dutch is a little rusty, wait…I’m sure the story will show up on cyclingnews later this week.

Sven and Isabelle (early November)

Tristan Schouten gets a fresh bikes in the pits at Hofdstade from Director Geoff Proctor. Photo Courtesy of Cycling-Pics.be

Hofstade WC is always a crusher for us. Yesterday, no exception. While the sand is more rideable than last year, the course still provides a formidable challenge. The first two uphills taken at warp bottleneck speed from the start, the loose sections of sand off the waterline, and the sapping sand sections right on the beach demand finesse and speed. At one point, when Nys and Boom are off the front with Wellens chasing, Wellens rides the 2nd pit section like a rocket ship. Like a rocket ship. I am down lower in pit 1 waiting for my guys so I can only look slightly up and across at Wellens. I can’t see his wheels; just his body. He looks like he is riding on the road even though he’s riding through 6 inches of moist sand. Finesse. Chapeau.

Why am I in pit 1 while Nys, Boom, and Wellens are passing pit 2? Because that’s how far ahead they are! In fact, these top 3 are in pit 2 while the chase group (!) is passing pit 1, racing for 4th place, 2 minutes behind! Vervecken and co. 2 minutes down! Whoa. Woe.

Earlier in the day, I speak with Jean Paul Van Poppel (multiple stage winner in the Tour back in late 80’s/SuperConfex sprinter) in the pit. His son Boy (World Jr. Cross Champ 2006) eventually finishes 5th in the espoirs yesterday. Anyways, we both speak of how encouraged we are to have such good young guys coming up through. The promise they hold. And he ends with some words that resonate: “the young guys just need time”. This really hits home with me. Needing time. Our guys race Hofstade yesterday and get schooled. Everything takes time. Including their development. I walk away thankful to be reminded that pressure should only have to come later.

Head down, pretty dejected after the hiding our guys take in the elite race, I toil my way back to the van encumbered with two bikes, a pump and two sets of spare wheels. Passing the beer tent in ankle deep sand, I’m suddenly broadsided by a scrum of maybe six sauced-up slammers clamoring to clock each other with every ounce of power they can muster. Knocked several feet and in a tangle of bikes, I scramble for higher ground and gaze forlornly as these boozed-up Belgian broozers pummel each other to a pulp. One guy has a hold of another guy’s belt and he’s yanking, just yanking to cinch it up tighter. The guy’s face is a splotchy mess of blues and reds.

Been awhile since I’ve seen such primal, animalistic, valorless violence. Hooliganism, cyclocross-style Certainly a direction we don’t need to see the sport go.

Loenhout whups tomorrow! A restful day today. Catching breath.

Trebon’s stable of bikes and wheels overshadows the others.

As sort of a mneumonic mantra, I came up with acronym E.A.S.T. to help the guys focus for the camp. It seemed to work pretty well this past summer when I worked here with the national junior road 15, 16 team. Now that we’re into the meat of euro camp 07-08, it’s a good time to offer up an example of each idea:

E is for Experience. I love and teach the book Catch 22 and I love the simplistic perfection of seemingly modern illogisms like “you need a job to gain experience, yet it takes experience to get a job”. Loosely and liberally applied to Euro Camp “you need to race here to get better, yet you have to be better to race here.” Sunday’s race in Balegem was total sketch ball. Trees in the middle of the course, ridiculous off cambers, riders being carted off on stretchers. Somehow, in litigious America, we don’t see so many of these courses. As they say, you learn to ride your bike here.

A is for Adaptibility. I noticed camp grad Jeremy Powers warming down on his trainer after the race in Zeddam. With 16 guys on board for the camp, jumping on the trainer post-race isn’t so easy. It’s important to pack up and get on the road for a 3-hour return trip. In other words, if you’re part of the camp, you can’t always do your own routine, your US routine; you have to adjust and adapt for what’s best for the group. Not necessarily a bad thing!

S is for Structure. While I give the guys quite a bit of freedom to explore training routes and Izegem shops, I do want the guys to be punctual, neat, and have a routine to their day. It’s always hard in the beginning with jet lag adjustments, but we usually hit our stride around the first Wednesday of the camp. One reason to be waking the juniors early is that when it comes to a race day like tomorrow’s World Cup where we’re leaving at 6:45 am, they already have a good sleep period routine going. I always remember Hofstade for its early start time (10:00 am for juniors). It doesn’t sound early but it’s often the case that you want a headlamp for pre-riding Hofstade at 9 am. The sun is just coming up then! In fact, what I advise is that they ride their trainers first! And then pre-ride the circuit and then go to the start.

T is for Team and Tradition. These guys have been dueling all US season and it’s wonderful to see them in Belgium joking and pal-ing around, bonding for when things get testy and dicey at the big races. I often see this carry through to Worlds and it’s one of the things I enjoy most about coaching at the camp. Take 16 kids from all over the US and place them in a foreign country and listen to what they talk about, what they listen to, and what they read. As a teacher, I’m always interested in the classes they’re taking. And I also feel really proud when I see them help each other with the House chores. They just step up and help for no other reason than the job needs to get done. And Tradition: hey, the US has a really good thing going with cyclocross. We need to keep building it with our own sense of what works, what doesn’t.

Such were my thoughts on my world-is-my-oyster Christmas morning ride. Our world and our questing for what we see as good causes are such gifts, such opportunities we’ve been given. No time to waste. Merry Christmas!

Sun coming up from the E.A.S.T. Christmas morning training ride in my fave Izegem training run: the Ardooieveld.

Yesterday I went with espoirs/elites to Zeddam in Holland, site of 2006 worlds. Familiar faces in the women’s race included Wendy Simms-Thibault, Wendy Williams, Sue Butler, Barb Howe and Rebecca Wellons.

The elites were combined with the U-23’s so our younger guys had their hands full going up against Boom and Vervecken on the 5:25 per lap old course with a run-up the length of Steilacom, except for having earthen stairs. The guys rode hard, adding another chapter to their experiences. Nick Weighall was pretty toasted from his good race the day before, but the other guys rode pretty strongly. The best ride of the day was from camp grad Jeremy Powers, just drilling it in the front group for awhile. Ryan, still smarting from his Nationals crash, started well but faded. Tristan Schouten had a superb race going; he was racing for 18th but had to settle for 28th. Jamey Driscoll had a bad start and just steamed up the whole race. I was pleased with Mitch Peterson’s ride also. Both Carson Miller and Nick Weighall I think were tired from the hard effort the day before.

To give you some sense of the prize money/start money workings, yesterday the espoirs had to pay no entry fee (remember the fee structure here is based on the public paying at the gate) and they received 50 euros start money (I negotiate all start money during the fall and then construct the race program matrix based on driving distances, staff, start money, racing frequency, level of race difficulty, whether espoirs are racing with elites and rider morale), and prize money. Driscoll and Summerhill won 50 euro prize money and Summerhill and Peterson 30 euros. Normally I deduct all start money from what the riders owe on their camp balance/or give them the money if they’re all settled up. And I give them their prize money straight up. So, as I’ve mentioned elsewhere in the past, an elite guy racing 7-8 times (like Erik Tonkin in the past) can almost zero out his camp balance via start money and prize money. We’re not seeing the start money levels we used to see, but like yesterday for the espoirs, 50 euros start money and 50 euro prize money is $143. Not bad for a day’s work.

Zeddam, GP Montferland:
12. Powers @1:14
17. Trebon @ 2:51
27. Driscoll @ 3:28 (9th for espoirs)
28. Schouten @3:38
31. Summerhill @ 4:16 (10th for espoirs)
36. Peterson @ 5:29 (13th for espoirs)
45. Miller @ 5:50 (20th for espoirs)
49. Weighall (24th for espoirs)

The long run-up on the “new” course & “new” stairs they made for Worlds 2006 in Zeddam.

Noel went with the 8 juniors to another local race in Balegem. From all reports it was a tough course, very hilly and sketchy. Gavin Mannion once again was having a great result in 2nd when he crashed into a tree. Dazed but ok, he jumped back on and finished the race! He’s fine today and I told him that if he was that close to winner Sean De Bie (nephew to Fidea director Danny and Belgian National mtb/cx coach Rudy de Bie) then he has a very good level. Steve Fisher and Andrew Llewelyn both crashed out, but Eric Emsky and Zach McDonald had very good rides as well. Here are the results below.

By the way, if you’re interested in these “small race” results that don’t show up on the big cycling sites, go to the Belgian site: http://www.wielerbondvlaanderen.be/. Scroll down the left to “Uitslagen (results)”; scroll over to Weg (road)- Piste (track)- Veld (Field as in field riding or cyclocross) and then double click on the date. Then you’ll find all the races that day and scoll down to whatever category you’re looking for. Quick quiz: see if you can find the results from the race we did Saturday in Laarne.

Balegem
9. Emsky @ 3:05
13. McDonald @ 3:49
19. Omer @ 5:23
27. Mannion @ 6:45
28. Ferguson @ 6:51
39. Ian Boswell (not part of camp but on exchange here; from Bend OR)
41. Ian Terry

For me, this is exactly the kind of race weekend that characterizes the camp. Gaining race experience in significantly tougher conditions and competition than our guys see in the US. Ultimately, to help them become better bike racers.

We’re trained this morning and massage and rest this afternoon. A nice Christmas Eve dinner by Els tonight. Wednesday is a big day. In addition to my daily interactions with the guys, I’m starting to meet individually with each rider. This is a good time to really check in with them. I’m thinking now about racing only some of the juniors on Friday and letting the guys who have expended the most, rest up for Sunday in Diegem. With the rain coming by Wednesday, Friday will be very heavy in Loenhout. We’ll take a look after Wednesday’s WC. Everyone is doing well and sends their Christmas Eve Day greetings.

A shot of Noel giving Gavin Mannion some advice in Laarne. (Cycling-Pics.be)

A day to get some of the bugs out; a small race in Laarne. Mixed day results-wise, but good experience for sure. The guys were pretty amped to jump into the euro fray and the course, once again, seemed tougher than what our guys face in the US. Frozen corn field tractor ruts and course posts that make running the tape an uncalculated risk. And of course plenty of bumping going down out there.

Back row start for our juniors and the ride of the day was, for sure, Gavin Mannion who rode all the way through the field to around 7th when he flatted his front. Super ride right out of the blocks. Eric Emsky very strong in 12th despite a crash, Jeremy Ferguson very steady in 15th, and Zach McDonald 19th, Clayton Omer 21st, Steve Fisher 24th, Andrew Llewelyn 29th, and Ian Terry 33rd. We just debriefed about our first race and it was great to get the juniors’ perspectives. My apologies to Steve and Zach for botched bike hand-ups. As I said, good to get the hiccups out before the big races.

In the espoir/elites, Niels Albert really put on a show and just rode like it was a training ride to win by 1:10. The highlight was Danny Summerhill leading the first lap for awhile and Nick Weighall right in the mix also. Danny was threatening for the third podium spot until half point when a crash and some bike issues drifted him back to 20th. Nick rode steady and only came unglued in the final few laps to take 14th. And Mitch Peterson, despite all of his bike troubles, finished a creditable 25th with Carson Miller right behind him in 26th after a back row start.

Cold and crisp today. Tomorrow maybe warming. Big drive to Zeddam Holland tomorrow with elites/espoirs. Juniors to Balegem. Will update on Monday morning.