January 17, 2008 — We caught up with several Canadian cyclocross racers who spent some time in Europe over Christmas, as they got their feet wet on the racing scene in the global heart of the “˜cross discipline. Nathan Chown, Derrick St. John, Natasha Elliott, Kevin Hazzard, Vicki Thomas and Wendy Simms took part in an intense schedule of competition in Belgium and the Netherlands during the holidays, often doing back-to-back racing. The Canucks were based at the U.S. Cycling Centre in Hertsberge, Belgium. They shared their experiences with Pedal. This is Part 2 in a series of interviews.

Kevin Hazzard of Ontario races for the Jet Fuel Coffee Team and is one of Canada’s up-and-coming young cyclists. He grabbed the opportunity to test his mettle by racing cyclocross in Europe when the chance to attend a week-long training camp in Aigle, Switzerland at the UCI HQ came up in November. He stayed on afterwards, meeting up with the rest of the “˜crosser Canucks in Belgium over the holidays.

Is this your first time racing in Europe?
Kevin Hazzard: Yeah, this is my first time both being and racing in Europe. I’ve been over here since November 10, training and racing in Switzerland, Holland and Belgium.

How are Euro “˜cross races different from their North American counterparts?
KH: Racing in Europe, the starts are a lot more intense and aggressive. Also, the depth and quality of the fields is a lot higher. In North America you might have three or four guys who will win on any given day, but here you have maybe 10 to 15 guys who could win.

Do European courses differ from those in North America?
KH: The courses in Europe are much harder. In Europe we’ve maybe had one race which has barriers. But you’re still running up hills or through sand depending on the course. The courses in Europe have a mix of everything which really requires you to be a well rounded racer.

Tell me about the World Cup in Hofstade, Belgium on Boxing Day.
KH: The World Cup was awesome. It was like game seven of the Stanley Cup finals. The intensity of the races is so much higher than a normal [UCI] C1 or C2 race. Not to mention 20,000 fans watching your every move. I raced the World Cup in Koksijde in November so I kind of knew what to expect, but it’s still hard to fully grasp the magnitude of what’s going on. The fans usually only cheer for you when you crash or mess up. They seem to save themselves for when the Belgians come through.

What has been the most memorable thing about your European “˜cross experience?
KH: Racing the World Cups for sure. The atmosphere was amazing.

Do you think in order to be competitive in cyclocross at the world level, you need to race in Europe?
KH: Yeah, the racing in North America just isn’t the same level as that in Europe. For guys like myself, or others still developing, it’s okay, because we’re not dominating North America, so we can still improve. But for guys like Ryan Trebon or Tim Johnson, who are at the top in the U.S., they really need to race in Europe. You can see it with Jonathan Page. He was at the top in the U.S., then he moved to Europe and that’s what’s brought him to the next level. For me, I see racing in Europe as a continuation to the U.S. season. It’s not the really the quality of the races but the quantity that is going to help me improve.

How was your Christmas?
KH: Christmas was pretty low key. We all pre rode the World Cup course in Hofstade. For Christmas dinner, Wendy [Simms] and Barb Howe made some homemade Christmas burritos, which were really good.

What is the vibe between racers like at European races?
KH: Racing in Europe is a lot more business than in the U.S. The social aspect is really taken out and it’s more about showing up to the race and getting the job done. You can see it with the big teams like Fidea. They park their campers next to one another and they might say “Hi,” but that’s about it. As our host said, “They’re teammates, not friends.”

What has your racing schedule been like?
KH: We did six races in 10 days, so it’s been pretty tiring. It’s been a really good experience though, because we were able to experience different types of courses and really get into a system for the races. Back home you might be able to do what we did in one week over a span of three to four weeks and you’d have to drive all across the country to get there.

What were your expectations before you embarked on this trip?
KH: My main goal was just to gain experience and see what racing at the top level here was all about. I definitely accomplished that. I could see where I fit in and what I have to do differently next year. If I come back next year, I can set more specific goals now that I know what racing here is all about.

Are you sticking around for the World Championships at the end of the month?
KH: I’m back home now. Going to get another semester of school out of the way then hopefully get back to Europe next December and stay until Worlds.

Well, good job over there and good luck in 2008.
KH: Thanks!