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Joe Dombrowski's Euro Cross Camp Diary: My first Belgian fan

Well I think I’ve made it.  As I was warming up on Saturday for the race in Sint-Niklaas, a thick, old Belgian man approached me, and in broken English asked me “You, Dombrowski?” I couldn’t help but smile, and responded “yes.”  The man paused for a bit, and then said, “Ah, you are Amy’s brother.” I told him, “No, we aren’t related, and she is much more famous than me.” The man smiled, and leaned in and said, “Yes, but maybe someday, you will be more famous…  you have a trading card?” he asked. I told him no, but before he left he assured me he would be cheering for me.
 
The course that day had something that catered to just about everyone. Long fast drags, a beach section, in-the-woods double-track, and the crux of the course, two long, slick-as-snot, off camber sections that hugged the lake that the race was routed around. I knew from last year, that this particular off-camber was sure to draw plenty of fans. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was 20 deep the whole way around the lake; Euro fans eager to watch someone slip under the tape and take a swim.
 
There were two distinct lines along the off camber section; a high one, and a low one. Rolling through on the second lap, I figured taking a good line through there would be an easy way to make up a few spots on the otherwise pass-preventative course. Normally, I can’t hear anything during a race; and no one is cheering for me over here anyway. But as I rolled through the off camber section this time, I heard “C’mon Joe!” I was sort of taken by surprise, and looked to my right, and there was that old Belgian man I had seen before the race who had asked me for a trading card. He was pulling back the tape for me as I tried to latch my tires on to the last bits of green vegetation left, on a futile quest for traction. Despite the intense focus that the course required, I began to think to myself, things had come full circle between the anonymous fan and me during the race. Nice to know someone was cheering.


The off camber at Sint-Niklaas before it turned to slop.
 
I have finished up my last three-day block of racing in Baal, Sint-Niklaas, and St. Michelgestel with mixed results. As a whole, I was a bit disappointed with how I rode at the camp. I feel like I had good legs, but things were just not coming together. However, I feel as though I still drew a lot from the experience. Racing the best in the world puts you out of your comfort zone; you're in over your head. You're bound to make mistakes, but it's how you capitalize on those mistakes that turns into success in the future. Embrace the adversity.


Racing the final race of the camp in St. Michelgestel, Holland.

So back to the states; I'm looking forward to everything minus the arctic blast that seems to have engulfed the mid-Atlantic region. Nice to take some time off the bike. I'm looking forward to next season, as I will be switching from the mountain bike to mostly road. New challenges ahead. But for now, I think I'm just going to keep the legs up, enjoy the off-season, and do lots of American stuff.


From Saturday's race in Sint-Niklaas (I roll through at 1:20 and 4:25)

Thanks to Mom and Dad, Haymarket, and everyone who loaned me stuff for the trip. Without you all, none of this would be possible.

Thanks for reading.

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Joe Dombrowski (Haymarket / Homevisit) is at Euro Cross Camp for the second year in a row in 2009. You can follow all of his entries beginning last season here. Leave him a comment on GamJams - he'd love to hear from you.

Joe Dombrowski's Euro Cross Camp Diary: Socratic Seminars and Deep Fields

Something new to this year's camp has been post-dinner Socratic seminars based around various cycling-related topics on non-race days. Camp alums Jeremy Powers, and Jamey Driscoll, were in attendance at our latest discussion. The topic was motorpacing, and its use for 'cross training; however, the discussion eventually drifted towards the time both of those guys have invested racing in Europe, and the differences that racing here presents.

Jamey brought up an interesting point in that, the racing here is much deeper. In MABRA 'cross races, I can look across the start line and pretty accurately guess who is going to make the lead group for the day. Here, the fields are so deep, and everyone races at such a high level, that no one really settles into "their group." I raced the GVA in Loenhout yesterday, a closer look at the results from the U-23 field demonstrates just how "deep" the fields are here. Of the top twenty guys in the race, any of them could have been on the podium that day, and most of those top twenty guys have stood on a World Cup or World Championship podium at some point in their lives. Pretty amazing stuff.

It really dawned on me yesterday as I was taking corners rather gingerly because of my dysfunctional brakes. It brought meaning to Jamey's comment about the racing being "deep;" playing it safe through corners could cost you a few spots, letting up for a minute could cost you ten spots on the results. It's nose to the grindstone the whole race if you want a result.

My race went pretty well, I would guess that I was rolling in about 70th into the first corner. I worked my way up into the forties, but with two laps to go was pretty toasted. I ended up finishing 51st. Nothing stellar, but a solid ride. It felt good to go out and ride hard the whole race, no flats, no broken derailluers, and good legs.

Here is the last lap of yesterday's race:

In other news, I have a couple days off here before the final three races of the camp. I went to spin out the legs on the canal, fun to see all the different types of bikes you see whizzing past on a warm day. I also went to the local grocery store, as I was picking up waffles, speculoos, and cakes, I met Els. I had to explain to her that I was getting stuff to take home, and they were not for my own consumption.

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Joe Dombrowski (Haymarket / Homevisit) is at Euro Cross Camp for the second year in a row in 2009. You can follow all of his entries beginning last season here. Leave him a comment on GamJams - he'd love to hear from you.

Joe Dombrowski's Euro Cross Camp Diary: Passed by Sven Nys in the Run-up

Alright, so first international elite race, check that off the list. Wednesday was Noordzecross in Middlekerke. The U-23 and Elite fields were combined for this one. While not all the top riders were there, I knew that finishing on the lead lap would be no easy task. Not only was I lined up on the very last row, the laps were very short; we did ten in the elite race.

The whistle blows and off we go down the 300 meter tailwind start straight. With 50 meters to go to the first corner, the game of chicken begins. Guys here like to late-brake and cut everyone in the first corner. It's like 100 kamikazes flying in full tilt, waiting to dive bomb the first corner. In order to be successful, particularly from the back row, you have to be the latest of these late-brakers; a bit of a dangerous task, but an easy way to pick up twenty spots. Somehow, everyone always seems to keep it upright.

The course was pretty much dead flat, with three very dramatic climb-u-turn-descents. I steadily worked my way up through the pack and eventually settled into a group with some of the other Americans. I look up at the lap card after what seemed like an eternity, and saw six to go. As each lap passed I was making up a few spots, and riding solid lines.

You know the leaders are descending upon you when you hear the roar of the fans. The Belgian fans discriminate; they cheer for their favorites and stand silently for everyone else. With two to go, I was hearing the rolling tunnel of noise as Nys and Meeusen flew by in the opposite direction. At that point, I was thinking I just might make it; I had a bit of a cushion with two to go.

Coming up on one to go, I felt a little squish in my front tire. By the time I roll into the pits, my front tire was totally flat. I missed my bike. So I ran, on some futile mission to make it to the line before Sven Nys would roll in for the finish. He caught me on the run-up. Game over.

Tomorrow is the Superprestige in Diegem. This is my favorite course for sure. The race is situated in the middle of city and the circuit features cobblestone climbs, back-alley chutes, a 100 meter sandpit, and some ripping descents. I'm hoping for a good ride here because I feel the course really suits me with all the climbing.

I've had a few days off since the first couple races to rest up for the next big block. The mechanics have been setting up my wheels. After the cold and snow a week ago, things are starting to thaw out. The Dugast Rhinos should do the job tomorrow in the mud.  

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Joe Dombrowski (Haymarket / Homevisit) is at Euro Cross Camp for the second year in a row in 2009. You can follow all of his entries beginning last season here. Leave him a comment on GamJams - he'd love to hear from you.

Joe Dombrowski's Euro Cross Camp Diary: Belgian Bike Bling

Belgium doesn't joke around when it comes to bike shops. Most of the buildings in northwestern Europe look pretty crappy, as do most bike shops around here; but, when you step inside it's a whole different world. Sorry Contes and Cyclelife, but these places blow you out of the water when it comes to Gucci-ness. Never have I seen so much Di2, deep dish carbon, and Dugast all in one spot. I swear Assos had their whole line up on hand. We're going back on Thursday and doing a Dugast tire order. They're a bit cheaper over here.

Today we went to the bike shop in town. Sportiva. It was nice to get out of the house. The weather in belgium has been snotty. We can't train on the roads here, because they don't plow them. Just a couple inches of slush everywhere. In the meantime, I've been learning to ride rollers, watching Euro pop music videos, and consuming large quantities of Nutella and waffles.

    

In other news, while my dismal performance in Kalmthout netted me zero coin from the prize list. I did get 53 euro travel money. Travel money? Not sure what it's for, but I'm not complaining. C'mon MABRA promoters, where's my travel and start money?

Also, tomorrow, Noordzecross; racing with the elites. Should be fun. Supposed to be a muddy, sandy, mess.

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Joe Dombrowski (Haymarket / Homevisit) is at Euro Cross Camp for the second year in a row in 2009. You can follow all of his entries beginning last season here. Leave him a comment on GamJams - he'd love to hear from you.

Joe Dombrowski's Euro Cross Camp Diary: Snow in Belgium Too

Well I have finally gotten settled in here in Izegem. The flight over was an absolute fiasco; my one three-hour layover in London Heathrow turned into fourteen because the Brussels airport was closed on Friday. I was supposed to be in Izegem by noon friday, but ended up getting in 1:00 a.m. Saturday morning. 37 hours without sleep. Rough.

Nonetheless, it's nice to see everyone here back doing there thing. Marc and the rest of the mechanics prepping bikes, Geoff going to manager's meetings, and Els having a conniption any time anyone is walking around without a hat... or just walking around period.

The weather in Flanders has been about as crazy as it looks to be back at home. There is three inches of snow on the ground, with sub-freezing temps expected for the next few days. Some of the Belgian guys at the house said it hasn't snowed in Belgium like this in probably fifteen years. Crazy for a country that usually doesn't even see temperatures that drop below the freezing point.

Today was the world cup in Kalmthout. Noel had us get up at 5:00 a.m. to ride the rollers at the house before we left for the race - sort of like pro roadies do for TT's. The race was pretty much a bust for me; I started with a leaking valve stem from my back tire with about 10 psi. I missed the pit on the first half lap, and rode the whole first lap on a flat back tire. By the time I switched bikes I was rolling in dead last. The rest of the race consisted of me crashing in a couple corners, tripping up the stairs, and getting pulled with one lap to go.

I didn't get any pictures today, but here's a video summary of our race from the evening news:

We race next in Middlekerke, on Wednesday at the Noordzecross. I'm pretty sure that the Elite and U-23 field is combined for this one. I'm sure it will be a cool view of Nys, Stybar and Albert from the trenches. 

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Joe Dombrowski (Haymarket / Homevisit) is at Euro Cross Camp for the second year in a row in 2009. You can follow all of his entries beginning last season here. Leave him a comment on GamJams - he'd love to hear from you.

Joe Dombrowski's Euro Cross Camp Diary: Last Race, Best Result

For my final entry from Euro Cross Camp, I would like to begin by thanking everyone that helped make this trip possible for me. A big thanks to Mom, Dad, and the rest of the family, Mike May, 53X11 Coffee, Haymarket Bicycles, all individual donors, and all loaners of bike cases and spare parts. Your help is greatly appreciated as I try to continue on in my cycling.
 
Things have finally come to a close. Euro Cross Camp is in the books, as is my season. Some of the guys are staying over in Europe through Worlds in late January in Hoogerheide, while others are going back home to the states to make their last final preparations. Still others, me included, will be going home to begin preparing for the coming road and mountain bike seasons.
 
Euro Cross Camp really was the best possible to way to cap off an already great season. As promised, I learned more racing the biggest Cyclocross races in the world in sixteen days than I learned racing the past year in the U.S. Europe is not a forgiving place and only the fastest guys stand a chance at making it to the top. For a young American cyclist, it’s definitely an eye-opener. The experience was both a humbling reality check, and a point of strong motivation for the future.
 
On Friday, I finished off my European racing campaign with St. Niklaas; a Belgian national race located near Brussels. Because it was the last race, we were allowed to stick around for the rest of the day. Over here, us Americans stick together; along with the camp riders, guys like Page, Trebon, Powers, Gould and Compton share tents, trainers, and race camaraderie with fellow Americans. It’s quite the familial type atmosphere which definitely helps when you are trying to scratch out a result amongst the fastest ‘cross kids in the world.
 
The course at St. Niklaas started on a paved boardwalk along the beach, flew through a tree section, and incorporated some very slick lakeside off-camber. The rest of the lap was grass along with a long strip of beach sand which was about half rideable.
 

Some of the races here use a stoplight system for race starts
 
I came into the race with the same strategy I have had the whole camp: work my way up from the back, riding aggressively, but smoothly. On Friday, the plan worked quite well. From my back of the pack start spot I eventually worked my way up to a final spot of 13th, moving up about 40 spots from my position on lap one. A pretty great result by Euro standards.

Racing my final race here in Belgium
 
My result was good enough for 15 euro prize money. On top of that we received 25 euro start money. It is much cheaper to race over in Europe; for example, typically we pay 3 euro to get into the race, but get 5 euro back for turning our number back in (they recycle them.) That leaves us 2 extra euro. On top of that we usually receive between 25 and 150 euro start money from the promoter, as well as any prize money you are able to collect. It is a very efficient system. Registration is much simpler as well because instead of a license you have a credit card type barcode containing all your information. That way, rather than filling out all your information at the race, the UCI officials just scan the card, pull up your information, and you're good to go.
 
Following the race, us Juniors were able to watch the elite race. We hurriedly got out of our kits, readying to see Nys and Wellens duke it out on the slick course. We found a spot along the off-camber section by the lake. The crowd was absolutely phenomenal, lining the entire stretch of the course, 20 to 30 deep in spots. The off-camber was quite entertaining as well; guys would slip down the slick slope an into the course tape, sometimes narrowly missing a cold swim in the lake. In the end Bart Wellens took the close win with Niels Albert hot on his heels.
 
After the race, the camp went out with the staff and directors Geoff Proctor and Noel Dejonckheere for dinner. Here we enjoyed steak, frites, and samplings of Belgian beers. It was certainly a good way to cap off a great trip and a great season.
 
I leave you with a video teaser from Transition 2 'Cross the Pond . This was a film made a few years ago on Euro Cross Camp, portraying the top American ‘crossers preparing for worlds and trying to make it in the rough and tumble world of European cyclocross. If you turn up the volume there is commentary from some of the American riders, and if you liked my account of Euro Cross Camp you can still buy the video online.

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Joe's Euro Cross Camp Diary is sponsored by 53x11 Coffee, who is donating 15% of all GamJams coffee sales to Joe's fund. If you like Joe's journal, or you like coffee, buy some and help him out.

Joe Dombrowski's Euro Cross Camp Diary: In the Money at GP Sven Nys

Today was the GVA at Baal. Baal is the hometown of Sven Nys and Niels Albert so their fans were out in full force. Over here, fans are far different than in the U.S. The majority of the pro riders have a "supporters club", the supporters club travels around in an RV together and wear matching jackets and hats. Usually the RV and clothing are decaled out to say "Supporter of Lars Boom" or "Supporter of Erwin Vervecken."
 
During the race, the crowd, which consists primarily of old Belgian men, sits quietly waiting for there favorite rider to come by and cheers only for them. Belgium does not necessarily have outwardly friendly culture and as an American I have zero fan base over here. Occasionally, the old Belgian men will yell out lines that they feel are the best choice. If you take their line sometimes you'll get a pat on the butt as you go buy... I suppose that this is their sign of approval.
 
The Baal course was by far the hilliest we have seen yet. The course snaked it's way up and down a grassy hillside while incorporating a flyover, a set of barriers, and a few tight corners. For our Junior race the ground was still frozen making the rutted corners especially tricky.
 
Geoff instructed us to be sure to get to the staging area early so we wouldn't miss our call up. Somehow, once again, I did not get one, despite the fact that I have points. So, once again, I was in the very last row. In cyclocross, this is very disadvantageous; every acceleration you have to make to pass someone is one that everyone ahead of you doesn't have to make. Not a very efficient way to race.
 
Through out the race, I gradually worked my way up. With two laps to go, I caught the group with three other Americans in it. Not thinking, I attacked on the road without allowing time to recover from my effort to catch the group. I eventually slinked back to the back end of the group and proceeded to sit on and not work for the majority of the rest of the race. In the end, I managed to finish at the front of the group, and produced a good result for over here: 19th. Good enough for twenty five euro.
 
Tomorrow is my final race for the trip in St. Niiklaas which will be followed by the formal team dinner.  Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to get any photos. However, I do have race footage of the final lap.

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Joe's Euro Cross Camp Diary is sponsored by 53x11 Coffee, who is donating 15% of all GamJams coffee sales to Joe's fund. If you like Joe's journal, or you like coffee, buy some and help him out.

Joe Dombrowski's Euro Cross Camp Diary: Azencross at Loenhout

Today was the Azencross at Loenhout. This is a GVA (Gazet van Antwerpen) series race that takes place in the northern part of Belgium; just a few kilometers from The Netherlands. The race is pancake flat, absolutely zero elevation change. However, the race is well known for it's interesting slew of course features which include a motocross-style whoop section, four high rise bridges, and huge dirt mounds which can be doubled at speed as jumps... the course definitely keeps you on your toes.
 
The weather in Belgium has been totally uncharacteristic of the typical drizzly, cloudy, and mild winters. The first ten days of my stay were fairly normal, warm and cloudy, but dry. It has remained dry, but the sun is shining (and is supposed to all week) and the air is cold (28 degrees at the start today.) This odd weather pattern has affected the course conditions as well; rather than the standard Belgian mud, we have had dry fast courses. Today this was especially true on the frozen flat ground of the Loenhout course. In fact, the average speed of the leaders in the Elite race today was 25 mph!
 
So after about an hour and a half of driving the first wave, us juniors, arrived at the venue. We all piled out of the van and immediately sook shelter in the warming van due to the extreme cold. After an abbreviated warm up due to a hour long wait at registration I found myself sitting in the staging area waiting for my call up. The first fifty or so riders had gotten called up, including all the Americans, and I still had not heard my name. Once again, the UCI officials over here screwed up the start grid; I wasn't even on the start list! Geoff saw this and instructed me to just roll up once they started calling up names fast towards the end of the list. I wasn't dead last on the start grid, but I definitely got the shaft on a potentially decent start position.
 
As the announcer boomed in Flemish over the mic, we all sat tensely waiting for the start. The start at Loenhout is done with a "stop light" system over the start/finish area. The green light can go off anytime so you have to really watch in order to get a good start. The light turned green and we were off, I maintained my position into the grass and began working my way up. About halfway through the first lap the course made a right-hander onto pavement, some kid tried to pass me on the inside line but slid out and took me with him into the course barriers. My sunglasses and chain were both off and the field was streaking by. When I eventually remounted I was sitting in dead last along with my crash buddy.
 
The rest of the race I slowly but surely worked up a few positions, but remained largely unsuccessful overall. I finished 54th in the end. Not a very good result, but with this many races, I have to expect a rough one eventually.

Tommorow is an off day, I will be trying to recover well as I have my final two races over here back-to-back on Thursday and Friday.
 
I did manage to find a video of the final lap from today's race. Its a great finish, you can check it out here:

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Joe's Euro Cross Camp Diary is sponsored by 53x11 Coffee, who is donating 15% of all GamJams coffee sales to Joe's fund. If you like Joe's journal, or you like coffee, buy some and help him out.

Joe Dombrowski's Euro Cross Camp Diary: Sizing up the Whoops at Loenhout

A rest day here in Izegem. I woke up to a rare, cloudless sky; but temperatures had dropped significantly from the balmy fiftys I have seen here the last ten days. All that was on the schedule for today was a two hour recovery ride to spin out the legs from yesterday's race effort and try to stay fresh for tomorrow's race in Loenhout.
 
I decided to do the "dual sport" loop from Izegem, toward Roselare, along the canal.The ride starts on pavement, goes to gravel and cobbles, and then turns to singletrack. This was all perfect terrain for the 'cross bike.
 

Fast and flowy Belgian singletrack
 
Tomorrow is another big race in Loenhout. The race is famous for it's whoop section, steep bridges, and huge dirt mounds. It has been uncharacteristically dry in Belgium over the last week so the course will be scary fast.
 

Working the whoops at Loenhout

On one final note, I found some highlights of yesterday's race in Diegem. Click here for the video.
 

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Joe's Euro Cross Camp Diary is sponsored by 53x11 Coffee, who is donating 15% of all GamJams coffee sales to Joe's fund. If you like Joe's journal, or you like coffee, buy some and help him out.

Joe Dombrowski's Euro Cross Camp Diary: Superprestige #6, Diegem

Geoff told us that today's race in Diegem would have some urban elements but I wasn't expecting quite what we had today. The race was literally right in the middle of the city of Diegem.

 

The tower in the middle of the race venue at Diegem

We found a spot to park amongst all the other pro team vans scattered across the parking area. The Superprestige at Diegem is a major race and all the top guys were in attendance Nys, Wellens, Vervecken, Boom, Stybar and Vantourenhout just to name a few. All the top teams were also at the race: Rabobank, Bouygues Telecom, Credit Agricole, AG2R, Fidea, Sunweb Projob; really pretty amazing to be warming up next to these guys.

                    
Rabobank and Bouygues Telecom were just a few of the major pro teams in attendance

Geoff instructed us to all get out and pre-ride the course before we got on the trainers. The course at Diegem was probably the most fun I have ever ridden. From the start we made a hard right turn and shot down a steep wooden bridge about one hundred feet long. From here the course wound it's way through the streets and extremely tight back alleys of Diegem. On my second pre-ride lap I came into a corner way too hot and ate it on the pavement ripping my leg warmers and and jacket and not mentally preparing me for my race like I wanted. Luckily Els, the team Mom, was instantly on the scene to dress the wound so I could hop on the trainer and finish my warmup.

The bikes sit ready to go in the Team USA warmup area

So we all made our way up to staging where the announcer was booming in Flemish while the UCI officials were shouting in a variety of foreign languages. Every racer was supposed to get a call up to the start grid. For the first forty or so call ups everyone waited there turn to roll to the line. But then, as though it was planned, everyone just rolled to the line grabbing as high of a spot as they could while the UCI officials were still announcing call ups. I was totally unprepared for this and ended up at least eight rows back, a terrible start position.

The race went fairly well. I still don't know where I finished, I just know that I consistently passed people from my back of the pack starting spot through the majority of the race. I got a slow-leak flat about 3/4 of the way through the race and managed to nurse the bike into the pits. The rest of the race went fine, I had a minor altercation in the sand pit with another rider, but came out unscathed.

We got back to the USA house just in time to catch the elites racing on the same course we just did on television. It's kind of cool seeing Sven Nys and Lars Boom rip the same downhill you rode just a few hours ago.

Tomorrow is a rest day, Im planning just an easy two hour training ride. On Tuesday we will be racing at Loenhout, this is another major cross race in Belgium that is notorious for its whoop section.

    

Flandrian pride- the flag of Flanders was out in force in streets of Diegem

An action shot from today's U-23 race

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Joe's Euro Cross Camp Diary is sponsored by 53x11 Coffee, who is donating 15% of all GamJams coffee sales to Joe's fund. If you like Joe's journal, or you like coffee, buy some and help him out.