Well, Euro’ `Cross Camp IV is in the books and now the riders are headedin a host of different directions. Some of our riders will be going offto their respective road and MTB seasons, while others will be travelinghome to the U.S. for final world's prep. Still others plan to remain in Belgiumthrough to world's.

Nonetheless, for a great 12-day period, we were all together striving,seeking and, in some cases, finding. Finding what? That answer dependson each rider and his goals, but, as director, my objective is to continueto put U.S. riders on the world cyclo-cross map.In many respects, I think we're helping to do that that through thecamp. Junior Danny Summerhill (TIAA-CREF) headlined with two third placesand one fifth place. First-year espoir Bjorn Selander (Alan) rode to anexceptional 11th place in the U-23 Deigem SuperPrestige. On the elite'sside Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly) and Barry Wicks (Kona) scored a 20th inDiegem and an 11th in St Niklaas respectively.When our guys ride to their potential, there's nothing sweeter. Hearing English reverberate across the muck of a Flemish hillside as Danny Summerhill was interviewed over the loudspeakers in Baal just before climbing onto the podium-that was one remarkable moment for all of us.Seeing national Champ Ryan Trebon (Kona) battling in the front group(despite sickness) at the World Cup in Hofstade and the improvement ofall of our other camp guys (elites Erik Tonkin, Troy Wells, espoirs JameyDriscoll, Chance Noble, Dan Neyens, Morgan Schmitt, Nick Weighall, andjuniors Jerome Townsend, Sean Worsech, Steve Fisher, Jim Lennon) was awesome.And, what about Jonathan Page (Morgan Blue) and his return to form after injury? It was super to watch him ride so smartly and outwit the Italians to finish second on the cold, wind-swept dunes of coastal Middlekerke.In the end, our camp included 16 riders, eight races in 12 days, 88 rider starts, seven vehicles, six mechanics, three massage therapists, two soigneurs, two directors, and the most important member of the crew, one, very busy, chef.In the middle of all of that chaos, our experience reinforced what Noel (Dejonckheere, Director of t/he USAC European Road Progam) and I speak of often: The cold, hard truth that it's not easy to race your bike in Europe. You have to have ambition, the willingness to fight and you can’t be afraid to go after what you want. But it's what makes you stronger too.As coach, one example, in particular, comes to mind. It was the morning of the Diegem SuperPrestige and I was still smarting from our juniors not getting mixed into the start grid at the previous race, as UCI reg’s dictate. I phoned UCI chief Peter Van den Abeele and he assured me that the situation would be corrected for Diegem.After getting verbal confirmation from the race director, I headed to the start grid for the juniors. Sure enough, all my earlier efforts amounted to nothing. All of our juniors were still start-listed on the back row. Suddenly, I was a man on a mission.I tracked down the most powerful of the UCI commissaries on site and managed to get him to randomly drop our guys into the roll-call. Finally, after standing over the announcer's shoulder, I didn't rest until Danny Summerhill was actually standing on the front row.I didn’t relax for the next race, either. Our U-23 guys were called up by their UCI points (again as dictated by UCI regs). At the end of the day, Danny's third and Bjorn's 11th were the result of their grit. These guys are the tip of the U.S. iceberg for the future of our sport. In a small way, they may have been a product of my doing my job as coach.For the riders, for the coaches, for the staff, the camp is an exercise in making rider stronger. And, really that's what it's all about. Now, if we can get and stay healthy, keep focused, and make our own luck, perhaps we can turn some of that grit into grins in Hooglede on January 27 and 28.See you there,
Geoff Proctor
Director, Euro' 'Cross Camp
National Team Coach, USA Cyclo-crossP.S. For some great photos, go to Joe Sales’ galleries:DiegemLoenhoutSt NiklaasHofstade