Video: Page makes whirlwind trip to US for 'cross Nationals
Belgium-based rider contender for 4th elite title
Riding a wave of morale from two recent top-10 'cross race finishes in Belgium, Jonathan Page (Planet Bike-Blue) arrived Friday night in Madison, Wisconsin to contest Sunday's USA Cycling Cyclo-cross Championship for elite men.
The vastly experienced European campaigner will line up against rivals such as Ryan Trebon, Tim Johnson and Jeremy Powers and hopes to return to his base in Oudenaarde, Belgium with the fourth elite men's stars-and-stripes jersey of his career.
The demanding parcours at Badger Prairie Park leaves little room for recovery, featuring two climbs per lap, and power-sapping stretches of mud for much of the circuit.
Page spoke to Cyclingnews on Saturday afternoon under bright sunshine and unseasonably balmy weather to discuss his European season, his quick trip back to the US, and his impressions of the 2012 'cross Nationals venue.
Watch Page contest the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross Championships via live online coverage at Cyclingnews. Both the women's elite championship, starting at 12:00pm CST, and the men's elite championship, beginning at 2:15pm CST, will be available to Cyclingnews readers on Sunday.
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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.