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2007 RACE PROGRAM and DATES

10 races, 14 days, 12-16 riders, 24-32 bikes, 1 director, 1 assistant director, 6 mechanics, 2 soigneurs, 2 chefs, 7 vehicles. Bike racing at its grittiest best!

The planning of the camp’s race program involves many considerations: junior riders are only allowed to race twice a week in Belgium, elite riders often already have contracts for certain races, staff availability around New Year’s Day is an issue, and some organizers are willing to pay more start money for the mostly US National Team to be at their race. No camp riders do all the races and careful planning and attention are given to which races fit the rider’s fitness, strengths and morale.

Here’s a tentative look at what’s in store for 2007: 

For 2007, riders will depart from the US on Wednesday 19 December, just two days after US Nationals and arrive into Belgium on Thursday, 20 December. The next day is a race in Antwerp and then a weekend in Holland with the Saturday race in Huybergen and the Sunday race in Zeddam on the 2006 Worlds parcours. Then the riders will have two days off, including Christmas Day, before the real meat of the ”kersteperiode” schedule begins. Wednesday 26 December is the biggest race, the World Cup in the sand at Hofstade.  Then a possible race in Tourhout the next day followed by perhaps the most popular cyclocross race in the world, Loenhout. As part of the GVA series, the Loenhout organizers take a fairly mundane circuit and spice it up by paying big money to all the top names, men and women, Belgian and foreign. Saturday sees the riders in the small coastal town of Middlekerke and then the week concludes with the big Super Prestige in urban Brussels—Diegem. New this year in Diegem will be the elite men racing under the lights and prime-time television at around 5 pm! The camp will culminate with the New Year’s Day race in the hometown of Sven Nys, Baal, and then the elite men will do the popular mid-week St Niklaas race, home of the Erik Tonkin Supporters Club. St Niklaas always seems to provide a just dessert to the main course of racing throughout the holiday week. Juniors will depart 2 January 2008 to get back to school and the camp will officially end with riders departing the day after St NIklaas, Thursday, 3 January 2007.

Note: There is a very small chance we could go to Switzerland for two races around the New Year. Details pending.

Gallery on line

Excerpt from Transition II: ‘cross the pond by Sam Smith

Director's Anti-Doping Statement