Amy Dombroski (Crank Brothers) cracked the top-10 in Gavere. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
Amy Dombroski (CrankBrothers) announced today that she would not be returning Stateside from her European base in Belgium to contest the elite women's race at the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships, due to the effects of a virus.
After opening her 'cross season with three races in the United States, the 24-year-old Dombroski has spent the rest of her racing campaign in Europe where she has been a consistent top-10 finisher in the elite women's field, highlighted by a sixth place finish in the opening UCI World Cup round in Plzen, Czech Republic.
However, Dombroski revealed that she had been battling illness since November and was ultimately forced to miss the recent Christmas-time flourish of 'cross racing in Belgium.
"When I became sick in November I never fully recovered and in December that turned into a sinus infection which the doctor remedied with a round of antibiotics," Dombroski said on her website. "The antibiotics ended the day before Zolder World Cup. Overall my energy seemed good, but living and racing are two different beasts. After 1 lap I felt like a steaming lump of rubbish and that race turned into a feat of merely surviving for the finish.
"I returned to the Doc for a blood test which has revealed a virus of some sort. I was unable to start the manic week of Christmas races; they will need to wait for another year.
"With health in question and while I wait for the results of a second, more specific blood test I will not be returning to the US for Nationals. For now, as my body attempts to fight a war without ammunition, I am trying to salvage something out the remainder of this season."
Dombroski told Cyclingnews that she's hoping to contest the final two rounds of the World Cup in Liévin, France on January 15 and Hoogerheide, Netherlands on January 22 in advance of the world championships, but that's contingent on the results of her latest blood work, which she expects later this week.
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Based in the southeastern United States, Peter produces race coverage for all disciplines, edits news and writes features. The New Jersey native has 30 years of road racing and cyclo-cross experience, starting in the early 1980s as a Junior in the days of toe clips and leather hairnets. Over the years he's had the good fortune to race throughout the United States and has competed in national championships for both road and 'cross in the Junior and Masters categories. The passion for cycling started young, as before he switched to the road Peter's mission in life was catching big air on his BMX bike.
