And It Begins | Cyclingnews

The best way to get around in Belgian towns (Image credit: David Hackworthy)

Belgium, December 23, 2008

This being my first time to the camp and racing in Europe for that matter, everything was very much new to me. Not knowing what to expect I could only imagine what the two weeks in the heart of cyclo-cross had in store. The trip was instantly put to a standstill when my flight was delayed from Minneapolis, causing me to arrive a day and a half later then expected. However, I was not the only one with flight trouble, the majority of the group also dealt with the frustration of flying overseas with two bikes on top of the bad weather causing flight delays.

Today being my first day at camp, Bjorn Selander, Andrew Llewellyn and I went training this morning. Completely out of my element, I had not a clue where I was for the entire ride, let alone a sense of direction with the typical gloomy grey days that take place much too often in Belgium. Luckily for me, Bjorn did. Unlike home in Wisconsin where I just ride out of town and ride through more often than not farm fields and rural roads where I am rarely passed by a car., today’s ride consisted of riding from city to city on skinny one lane farm roads, or on the city streets, winding every which way through and around the cities until finally arriving back to Izegem.

For its sixth consecutive year, the Euro 'Cross Camp will travel to Izegem, Belgium for two weeks from December 20, 2008 to January 3, 2009, with some of America's most promising cyclo-cross talent. Euro 'Cross Camp Director and US National Team Coach Geoff Proctor selected 19 male riders to take on some of the toughest courses and strongest riders abroad and to prepare for the World Championships in late January. The camp has 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.