American cyclocross Pro Amy Dombroski races for the powerful Belgian Telenet-Fidea team, and for a foreigner racing in that cross passionate land that could be considered hitting the jackpot. We had a few words with her as she got ready for a race in Rome, Italy.
Slowtwitch: Thanks for your time Amy.
Amy: My pleasure.
ST: How was Diegem?
Amy: It wasn't my favorite course- it felt like a road race. Lots of pavement and nothing challenging to the course, aside from just doing the efforts. It was very fast and proved a shock to my legs, which at the moment are more adjusted to the heavy mud! Baal, 2 days later was a much better course. Loads of mud, a very heavy and challenging circuit. That is what I like about most circuits in Europe - the sheer challenge of getting 'round smoothly and as effortlessly as possible - having finesse in the most dreary of conditions.
ST: These races are coming so tight together when racing in Europe, do you even have a chance to recover?
Amy: It's my first season taking part in the Christmas time races as I have always been sick in the past. I've found that rest days have taken on a new & profound meaning; they are exactly that- a time when I am flat out in bed or on the couch. I take my rest as seriously as my intervals! I am learning to train and recover smarter and most times I am not "fresh" at a race...but the thing to remember is that most the girls are on the same schedule- so ideally we're all puffed out at the same time! I am still learning about the racing and resting so I know next season can be even better.
ST: Along those lines, what is your favorite race venue and why?
Amy: Sorry, going to need to name 3! Hoogerheide, Namur and Koksijde. Hoogerheide holds a special place in my heart because it was my first ever European race - my first encounter with a "Euro drop" and how forceful elbows can be; and my first ever top-10 World Cup finish. Namur and Koksijde are just bloody hard in their own ways. Namur Citadel is the most stunning venue I have ever seen, something out of a fairytale. The circuit is relentless but because of the area we race on it feels a bit majestic, as if I'll look down at my bike and find I'm actually sat on a unicorn. Koksijde has taken its sweet time to appeal to me because the sand is entirely different to anything I've ever ridden; the track is ever-changing and sometimes I can ride a perfect line and the next lap be floundering and running my bike.
ST: You can name as many as you like of course. What about back in the USA?
Amy: I really enjoyed the race Myerson promoted last season on the shore in Burlington, VT because it was a sloppy mess. The amount of mud made it incredibly challenging. Again, it was a lovely venue, along the shore of Lake Champlain (or Lake Plankchain as my family affectionately refers to it as), which is where I grew up so it was special to me to race there. A home race in proper weather!
Providence is also special to me. When I was a wee little bean my God Parents brought me to the Roger Williams Zoo, which is where the race venue is located. It is another picturesque venue and the park has a lot of terrain to offer which can be even better with weather. I returned to this park for the first time since my zoo visit in 2006 for Nationals, which was also my first season racing cyclocross. My dad came from Vermont to watch his first cyclocross race, and my brother and I traveled from Colorado to race. I won my first U23 National title there so the venue is one I am fond of.
ST: You are currently the only American female racing for a European team. Does that mean extra pressure?
Amy: Not exactly - Christine Vardaros was really the first woman to forge her way into Belgian cyclocross, and she has helped me establish contacts here. Extra pressure? No, I don't see any added pressure. It's more the difficulty of making a foreign country and team feel like home. Cyclists thrive in a comfortable, home- feeling, healthy routine environment and support is so very important; it has taken a while to form this, but this season, within the last couple months I have really been feeling at home, and it is difficult to describe how good this feels because it is tying into my emotional side of life as a cyclist.
ST: How did you end up with Telenet-Fidea?
Amy: Last season Crankbrothers gave me the freedom to race a full European cyclocross season. It was a massive opportunity and was difficult through and through. As I said, support is key and I didn't have much support around me simply because I was the new kid on the block. It was eye opening to see the support some of the girls had- the campervans, the mechanics and care givers, the supporters - but I liked the racing and I liked living in Belgium and I wanted to have another season's shot, but I wanted that support to be my own. So, remembering the names of teams splashed upon hoards of gargantuan campervans, I went to their websites and clicked the "contact" tab. I sent my résumé around; a couple replies and declines and then one morning I woke to an email from Hans Van Kasteren's assistant saying they were interested and asking when I could come meet. That was a nice day...I began thinking how yellow and blue would suit me.
ST: They must be pleased with what they got, because word has it that your contract with the team was renewed.
Amy: Yes I have renewed for 2 seasons. The stability of this is very calming. It means I can put all my energy into making myself stronger and smarter for next season because I know what I am up against. I have changed teams every year and this instability was suffocating because I was never fully happy. I've received a lot of negative criticism for this, which I suppose I can understand from the outside. The truth of it is that a lot of people just don't know me, and what makes me happy - what makes me tick. From the outside things can seem so perfect, but it is through trial that we discover what makes an individual tick. So those people can think and say what they want to, but people change through their lives and aspirations change too, and for now, Telenet Fidea has become a home for me to foster my cyclocross goals and dreams. Maybe Telenet Fidea believe in me as much as I believe in me.
ST: Was that a big monkey off your back?
Amy: A fat, hairy, screeching, smelly monkey off my back!
ST: During the super muddy races, how many bikes do you have in the pits?
Amy: 3 total bikes - the one I'm racing on and 2 spares in the pits, 9 sets of wheels.
ST: When you go to races like here in Rome, how does that change?
Amy: Easiest travel ever! I dropped 2 of my bikes, all my wheels and my luggage with my mechanic and he drove to Rome on Wednesday. I kept one bike at home in Belgium to train on until I flew to Rome on Friday. I flew to Rome only with a small carry-on and met my mechanic at the hotel. The real challenge will be racing back in America without the camper and fleet of wheels!
ST: Do you get the full team support during your race or are they busy prepping for the men’s events?
Amy: For the women, we share one big camper and we have 2-3 caregivers and 5-7 mechanics. It is very good support and quite an operation!
ST: While you are in Europe do you hang mostly with your Belgian team mates or your North American acquaintances?
Amy: I live with a British couple and spend most my time there. I have made a lot of Belgian friends who are incredibly supportive. It really has become a home for me and when I'm in America I will miss them just as when I'm in Belgium I miss my American friends. There is a strong and deep family feeling in Belgium and I really appreciate that feeling and how willing the Belgians are to take me under their wing.
ST: During the races in Belgium, which scent is most dominant? Beer, fries, warm-up oil or something else?
Amy: In the camper, embro and olbas oil. At the venue in the morning - frites. At our race time, a unique dank beer & mud concoction.
ST: Talk about your diet.
Amy: Pretty similar to my diet in America, lots of fruit and vegetables. Porridge every morning, English breakfast tea with a touch of milk. Lots of soup, beans, rice, chicken, eggs & my new favorite is zwarte penson or blood pudding. I make a valiant attempt to limit the nectarous bread and chocolate consumption.
ST: Can you elaborate on zwarte pensen? What does it most taste like?
Amy: zwarte pensen, also know as bloedworst, it's just a sausage that is very dark red in color. I don't really like to think of exactly what is in blood pudding...but I think it is pig blood and rice! Tastes like a nice sausage I guess.
ST: When will you return to North America?
Amy: 22 January to race Cincinnati on 26 January. I fly back to Belgium 4 February after the Worlds to race for another month because there are still another 8 races following the Worlds.
ST: Do you have sponsors outside of Telenet Fidea?
Amy: I am very picky in some of my equipment choices so fortunately I am able to pick a few of my equipment sponsors. SRM provides power for each of my bikes, an invaluable training tool. Russell Stevenson with Peaks Coaching Group sponsors me with coaching. Crankbrothers supports me with pedals. Pearl Izumi with shoes. Clement for tires. Chamois Butt'r for well, butt'ring my chamois. SRAM and Lazer have been longtime sponsors of mine, so I am happy to continue with them with Telenet Fidea. Back in Colorado I have local sponsor support of KneadEd Massage, Pro Peloton, Super Rupair (car sponsorship), CrossPropz, and Peak Sports Chiropractic
ST: Anything else we should know?
Amy: I felt quite good pre-riding today in Rome! Must be the sunshine; finally every piece of my body felt sun-warmed. I've forgotten how good strong sunshine feels. Ya know in The Grinch when his heart grows so much with the spirit of Christmas? It felt like my heart finally warmed that much today.
Images 1 and 3 are courtesy of ace shooter Tom Prenen.
