A European podium, at last

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Drew Dillman on the podium at Loenhout(Image credit: Daniel Simms)

Yea, I haven’t even got past top-15 and just today I got my goal of top-30 at one of the bigger races. What podium? Well, I was up on that top step a few days ago at Loenhout. Not for my race performance, but rather for the after party. I bought an American flag Morphsuit and a huge American flag before I left, having pre-planned this whole fiasco.

So after my race I took off one set of spandex and put another set on. The responses from the crowd were awesome. I had crazy drunk Belgians dance with me, choke me, cuss at me, shake my head, kiss me, try to pour beer in my mouth and take a lot of pictures with me. It felt like I was a super hero and had special powers that allowed me to do things that I normally couldn’t do and quite frankly wouldn’t choose to do. For example: dancing crazily with hundreds of drunk Belgians or going onto the UCI Podium and taking a picture with the podium girl. Mom, I finally got a European podium. Aren’t you so proud of me? (She is). It was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to have more fun in the USA suit at Worlds in February.

This year I decided to make a set of videos containing all the secrets behind the Euro 'Cross Camp experience. These videos, primarily for my family and friends back home, started to get a little fun so I began to get a little better at how I edited and presented them. I’m not hoping to get a million views or anything, but it’s definitely a fun and interesting way to show my family what racing in Europe is really like and it is also great for the sponsors. As the camp proceeds I will continue to come out with new videos and I hope everyone back home enjoys them. If you want to check them out they are on my Facebook profile.

One of the coolest aspects of the camp this year is the fact that there are three riders attending Marian University that get to experience this camp together. The best part of this is that all three of us are Christians and therefore brothers in Christ. We meet frequently to read the Bible and pray together and to bring this to the Camp with us is something very special. I look forward to the moment before each race when we all three get to pray together on the start line. We are all focused on the same thing: Glorify God.

Leading up to the camp this year I wasn’t sure if I wanted to attend because I really wanted to go on a Christian Mission Trip to Ecuador for most of the 2013 summer. I was afraid that if by attending the camp I would sacrifice my trip to Ecuador which means a lot more to me than Euro 'Cross Camp. Don’t get me wrong, I love to race my bike and I aspire to become one of the best 'cross racers in the world, but it comes down to this: Which is more important eternally, racing my bike or saving the lost souls of unreached people all around the world? And by "more important" I mean which brings more pleasure to my Father in heaven? I’m sure many Christian athletes suffer from these same questions and situations, but they are tough to deal with and when all is said and done all I truly want to do is glorify God with my whole life. Thanks for reading.

Euro 'Cross Camp Director Geoff Proctor will lead the tenth annual cyclo-cross camp that will run through late December and early January. Nine juniors, six U23s and one elite rider will make the journey to Belgium to train and race over the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

What's new for this year is the location of the Euro 'Cross Camp, which will be in Vorselaar, Belgium. Racing for the campers will begin on December 23 at the Namur World Cup and run through the Baal Bpost Bank Trophee on January 1. A few of the Euro 'Cross Campers will stay a bit extra so that they can also compete in the Rome World Cup on January 6.

The camp has previously helped the careers of racers like current US National Champion Ryan Trebon, Jeremy Powers and Jamey Driscoll. Read these diaries for hints of who may emerge from this year's crop of three elite, eight U23 and eight junior racers as America's future 'cross stars? Coach Proctor and his riders will take turns contributing diary entries.

2012-2013 Euro 'Cross Camp X Roster

Elite Justin Lindine (Redline Bicycles), 28, New Salem, MA

Under 23s Manny Goguen (C.F. Racing P/B Trek Portsmouth), 21, Hopedale, MA Danny Gerow (Wolverine Racing Elite CX, 21, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI Josh Johnson (Bissell-ABG-Nuvo), 20, Fort Wayne, IN Skyler Trujillo (Boo/Enve/Challenge), 20, Fort Collins, CO Andrew Dillman (Bob’s Red Mill Cyclocross), 18, Fairdale, KY Tobin Ortenblad (Cal Giant Berry Farms/Specialized), 18, Santa Cruz, CA

Juniors Logan Owen (Redline Bicycles), 17, Bremerton, WA Curtis White (Hot Tubes Development Team), 17, Duanesburg, NY Nate Morse (Hot Tubes Development Team), 17, Cohasset, MA Stephen Bassett (Bob’s Red Mill Cyclocross), 17, Knoxville, TN Nick Torraca (Mad Duck Cyclery), 17, Grapevine, TX John Francisco (Red Zone Cycling) 17, Louisville, KY Peter Goguen (C.F. Racing P/B Trek Portsmouth), 16, Hopedale, MA David Lombardo (Verdigris-Village Cyclocross), 16, Crystal Lake, IL Josey Weik (ISCorp), 16, Wrenshall, MN