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Across the pond: Euro 'cross camp VI diary
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.
Belgium, December 24, 2008
We are going for a walk
By Cody Kaiser
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Euro 'Cross Camp is going well. So far we have had one race on Sunday that went well for all of us. In the junior race we all finished in the top 15 and on the U23 side we had three guys in the top 10. Those are definitely some respectable finishes for us getting off a plane less than 24 hours prior. Since then we have had a few days off and some time to explore so that’s what we have been doing.
This morning we got up and went out on a ride with Geoff through this old forest. It ended up being a nice easy ride for about an hour. Jeremy and I, along with Cody Cox, decided to extend our ride and find the rumored skate park in the area. We made a good ride out of it and found what we were looking so it all worked out. This was after a few of the guys and I went for a nice cruiser bike ride into the town square and all around. We just wanted to find where all of the stores were and just explore as much as possible.
It was super fun to get out of the house and find some cool things. There is so much to see in these small towns over here. Izegem is super small but has so many things. When we went out I noticed at least 10 different things that I had ridden past but never looked at. The whole town is full of cool statues and back alleys.
We have a few more days until the next race which is the World Cup in Zolder. It's being held at this Formula One track which will be really cool to see. Until then we need to do some more exploring and be tourists for a while.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Cody Kaiser
- Jeremy Ferguson riding up a little berm we found at the skate park in Izegem.
- A really cool statue of a man sitting with his things that we found in the city center.
- The back side has a little face on it.
Below is a complete roster and racing schedule for this year's camp.
Elite men
Brian Matter, 30
Matt Shriver, 28
Troy Wells, 24
U23 men
Will Dugan, 21
Jeremy Ferguson, 18
David Hackworthy, 19
Andrew Llewellyn, 18
Bjorn Selander, 20
Danny Summerhill, 19
Nick Weighall, 21
Junior men
Cody Cox, 17
Joe Dombrowski, 17
Eric Emsky, 17
Manny Goguen, 17
Cody Kaiser, 16
Gavin Mannion, 17
Zach McDonald, 17
Morgan Ryan, 18
Chris Wallace, 16
Racing schedule
December 21: Uitbergen
December 26: Heusden-Zolder World Cup (CDM)
December 28: Superprestige Diegem (C1)
December 30: Azencross / Cross des as, Loenhout / Wuustwezel (C1)
January 1: Grote Prijs Sven Nys, Baal (C1)
January 2: Grote Prijs De Ster, Sint-Niklaas (C1)
