Axel Zeebroek and Dirk Bockel gained fame during their breakaway in the Beijing Olympics, but that is not the only connection. Now they are reunited at team UPlace-BMC.
Slowtwitch: I am sitting here with Dirk Bockel and Axel Zeebroek who are part of the 2014 UPlace-BMC Triathlon Team and these two guys have actually more in common than this powerful new squad. Axel, let me ask you first since you have been with Uplace for a while, how surprising was it for you to see how big the team had grown?
Axel Zeebroek: It is a nice surprise and I was really happy to know who is on the team now and it is a good opportunity for us to train together and push ourselves to the top.
ST: When did you learn who might be on your team?
Axel: I would say it was in November when I learned that I was resigned. At that time I knew who might be on the team.
ST: What about you Dirk?
Dirk Bockel: It was important for me to know the quality of the team and I was very surprised when I heard all the names, and I was flattered to be one of them. That was actually a major reason for me to sign.
ST: Uplace-BMC not only changed to a more international team, but also changed to a much larger team.
Dirk: I followed the team before and had known Axel for a long time. I also knew the other athletes and once I heard the rumors that it is going to be a big international team instead of a national Belgian team I got interested. I looked around to figure out to whom they might be talking too, but no one could possibly know. I was interested early on and I talked to them - I love the team environment.
ST: Axel, how did you find that change from Belgian team to larger international squad?
Axel: It is just the normal next step. It was the goal from Bart Verhaeghe (owner of UPlace) since the beginning. He said ‘we want the best team in the world, but first we have to help the Belgian guys because we have a lot of guys who can do it well. I basically knew that for 3 years that it would eventually be international. It is just a great step to get into that direction – it is positive for everyone.
ST: For you two this is actually the third time to be together on a team, and Axel, why don’t you tell us about the team you raced for in France.
Axel: It was around 2006/2007 and I was racing in Mulhouse in the French Grand Prix. We met each other a few times on the World Cup circuit and we also did a few training camps together. He is a nice guy and I like to talk with him and share a lot of things – not just triathlon, but normal life. We talked about getting him on the team and it was interesting for him because it was a good level and still is in the French Gran Prix. Everybody was happy. I was happy to get him on the team, he was happy to be there and the coach of the team was happy too.
ST: Was that for one or two seasons?
Axel: I think maybe two and Dirk responded by giving me the opportunity to compete for Buschhütten in the Bundesliga.
ST: Well Dirk, when did you two race in Buschhütten?
Dirk: I don’t exactly remember the year but I think it was 2007 and maybe 2006 already. We were able at that time to race for different clubs and there was no limitation back then. Racing in Germany for a French team but also for the Bundesliga, and the races have nothing to do with each other since they were only national league races. It was possibly at that time and there was a bit of double dipping for us. It helped us to move forward and perform better on the World Cup circuit.
ST: Can you talk about how you got Axel into the Buschhütten team?
Dirk: Having had a great experience in France I thought about maybe doing something for Axel in Germany. I talked to the team manager and at that time the team was about to win the first of many titles and I asked him to get Axel on board. He was very happy and it didn’t take very long. A few weeks later we were reunited on the German side and traveled a whole year together. Now being here together again, it is pretty amazing. This Uplace-BMC Pro team is likely the biggest step for us and we are reunited as you said for the third time, and hopefully this is the last time and this team continues and has great success.
ST: When you two raced in the Olympic games together was that break something you guys had arranged ahead of time or was that somewhat of a coincidence?
Dirk: It was a very cool accident because if I recall you were up the road first, right?
Axel: Yeah, with the Mexican guy.
Dirk: With Serrano.
Axel: Yes, Serrano.
Dirk: So when I heard that Axel was up the road I thought ‘man, he is a good biker and this could be my chance and I don’t want to wait for the run.’ At one point I attacked and I think it was towards the halfway point of the bike. I closed the gap and it was us three up front and we realized that the Mexican guy was a bit weaker than we were on the bike. I figured if I talked to Axel in English it doesn’t make sense so I told him in French to attack. So we attacked and then it was just us - and then there was our cool handshake at the end. Which was pretty cool and I still have very emotional memories about that.
ST: I think that handshake became famous.
Axel: I did not think about it during the race of course but I was just so happy to do that and the way we did it and as you said with someone like Dirk who was a good friend of mine, and still is a good friend of mine, and I was just happy to share that moment with him.
When I saw the Mexican guy moving I said ‘ok, it is late but why not’ so I just took the wheel, but when I passed him I realized that he was not able to work with me. I said ‘now I am sitting between two chairs and what am I going to do?’ I was really happy to see Dirk coming because I knew at that point that we could do something together. It was the perfect way to do it.
ST: At what point did you think that you might not have enough of an advantage?
Dirk: I think at the end we had 52 seconds if I remember correctly. In a World Cup race and especially the Olympic games a bunch of nations had workers with them on board. They had people who did the work in front of the group and reeled us in as much as they could. I knew we were in trouble with 52 seconds but in a perfect world we could have had 2 minutes and we would talk about a different race scenario. Ok, It didn’t happen but we tried. The Olympic games only happen every four years and you have to put all the cards on the table that you have and I think we both tried our maximum. We were really strong and did our best. Axel had and excellent 13th place and I finished 25th. Axel was great and I was ok. But I wouldn’t do it different now.
ST: Well, let us talk about now. With you two being on the same team now will you race more often together, or is still planned independent?
Axel: It depends. In the beginning we might go to Melbourne together, but it depends on Dirk, I will be there for sure. We will have the same preparation for the race – which is good for me because I am used to train alone in Belgium. I will get to Florida in a few weeks and then after that we will see. I don’t want to do the same as him and he probably doesn’t want to the same as me, he just needs to do what he wants and me too. But for the key races we will be likely together.
ST: Axel I think you two also have the same coach now.
Axel: Yes, Michael Krüger now coaches me too.
Dirk: The nice preparation started with the official team training camp. He will come to Florida to train with me as I am usually based in Florida during the winter and in Luxembourg of course during the summer time. It looks like I will race Ironman Melbourne as well and get some Kona points and hopefully qualify directly for Hawaii with one race. That would be an ideal scenario. This summer it looks a little bit different but it all depends now on the points. We will give our best and try to get the qualification done and then either relax or race some preparation races or some other peak races during the summer.
The declared goal will be being in Hawaii and being there competitive and showing the world that our team is not just a team out of individual athletes but also a real team effort. We want to bring as many of course to the start line there.
ST: What about you Axel, what else is on schedule for you?
Axel: Just like Dirk, after Melbourne I have to wait and see how many points do I have and if I need to get to another Ironman or not. I hope no. Which means I can do something different, probably more 70.3 but maybe another Ironman distance but maybe not on the WTC label. I will see. I would like to get back to Luxembourg because I have a title to defend and …
Dirk: Ahmm, objection. It is also on my schedule. (laughs)
Axel: I know. It will finally be the fight we didn’t have last year.
Dirk: Yes, I guess so. Well, it is a fight in a good way. We will prepare together and share the pain and one we race there is nothing we can do.
Axel: Yeah.
Dirk: When you pass me you will put out your hand again and I will do the same. (laughs)
ST: Dirk, where you not in Luxembourg last year?
Dirk: I was actually injured after winning Roth last year and I took a short break to prepare for Hawaii. I got a knee injury, which unfortunately kept me from racing. I tried 2 days before, but it was a little sad because it is the biggest race that we have in Luxembourg. I wish I could have been there but I am very glad that Axel did a great show there and I was there to support him the whole day.
ST: With this new team come new sponsors and gear. Not so much for you Axel, but what are your initial thoughts Dirk?
Dirk: For me everything is new basically. I am very excited and I am getting used to all the new material. It is amazing and it is top quality, I guess we just have to add a little bit performance to it and then we have the winning formula.
ST: You two were also roommates in camp. Was that a coincidence or something you asked for?
Dirk: No, did you ask for it? (points at Axel)
Axel: No, I did not ask for it but I am pretty sure that it was about the wait.
Dirk: I thought so too. We were at reception together as we had the same flight. I flew to Belgium before and had a meeting there the night before. We got to the hotel to the reception and asked which room we were in and we got one key, and I said all right cool.
ST: Well thank you for your time and I wish you a great season.
Axel: Thank you very much.
Dirk: Thanks.
