By Jason Gay

Photos courtesy Kona website

Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s your U.S. National Champion in Cyclocross, Ryan Trebon, checking in from Belgium, where he’s mud-deep in Euro racing and training in preparation for the World Championships in Hoogerheide, The Netherlands on February 1. 

If you’ve never seen Trebon in a cyclocross race, here’s a clue when you finally go: he’s the tall one. At a lanky 6’5″, Trebon looks better suited to posting up power forwards than hopping barriers and navigating yellow tape, and yet he’s been the most dominant domestic ‘cross racer over the past several years. This year was another impressive U.S. campaign for the Florida native: while in the past Trebon paired with his Kona teammate (and fellow skyscraper) Barry Wicks, this year Trebon won mostly on his own, enduring repeated attacks from the Cyclocrossworld.com/Cannondale tandem of Tim Johnson and Jeremy Driscoll, among others. Now he’s hoping to wrap a strong year with a top 10 finish at Worlds:

1. After winning the US National Championships in Kansas City, you were quickly on a plane for Europe for some World Cup races and to prepare for the World Championships in January. How’s it going so far? Are you exhausted?

Far from exhausted! We picked a pretty good racing program this year as to try and prevent that. Plus I had a lighter summer schedule in the hopes of being fresher for the end of the CX season.   But that doesn’t mean the racing has been easier. It is so incredibly fast over here — some times its crazy.  I have had some OK races, nothing to write home about. But with 4 more races left this year, hopefully I can pull something big off. We shall see.

2. Let’s go back to your domestic season. Lot of big victories, capped by the win at Nationals. Were you happy with the way it went this year?

Yeah, it was a good year. I set out a specific set of goals I wanted to accomplish in the US.  Winning Cross Vegas, the NACT and Nationals was definitely on there. The only thing I wasn’t able to do was win the USGP for the 4^th time. Tim Johnson was riding really well this year and I just had one bad weekend that’s all she wrote. Overall I would say things were good.

3. What was your strategy going into Nationals and did it pan out the way you imagined it would?

No real strategy at all. I was surprised at who was riding well and who wasn’t. Jeremy Driscoll and Jesse Anthony  were both impressive. It was most definitely frustrating during the first couple of laps when certain racers only wanted to watch my back wheel. But if that’s how they want to race, that is their deal. I like racing hard and riding from the front so it worked out well.

4. Did you see the whole brou-ha-ha/fracas with the guy who was heckling Jonathan Page? What was the deal with that?

Ah, it happens. I have been heckled a pretty good number of times this year. As they say, if you can’t stand the heat best to stay out of the kitchen.

5. This year you didn’t ride much with your Kona teammate Barry Wicks – and yet you still had a dominant season with many wins. But how was the racing different for you?

Harder and much more tactical, Tim and Jeremy made me earn it a bit more this year. Having Barry at the front of the races makes things a bit easier. But the good thing about cross is it is still selective enough that the strongest rider usually wins.

6. What are your goals for Europe and Worlds now?

I would like to have at least one decent race before Worlds,  a top ten at Worlds would be ideal, but we shall see.

7. People in the US see how good you are and it makes them wonder how good Euro stars like Nys and Boom must be. Are they really as dominant as they appear, and why?

Nys is probably the most impressive, just in terms of consistency and the fact that he has been at the top of the sport for almost 10yrs now. Boom is just beyond powerful, that kid has an engine.

8. Are the Euros nice to you? What do you guys talk about out there?

Most of the racers are cool, some can be kind different shall we say, but I don’t need to be friends with all the guys here. By far Edwin Vervecken is the most friendly.

9. What kind of riding do you do during the week at this point to stay focused?

Right now we are racing so much there isn’t really any time for real training. Just keeping the legs moving during the week and making sure you are opened up for the next couple of races. We are going to Spain for 10 day training camp Jan.  6 thru 16^th that’s when we will do a lot of training for worlds.

10. What is your living situation like over in Europe?

Jeremy Powers and myself rented a house in Ieper, Belgium. It’s by far the best riding I have done in Belgium around here. It’s a nice house in the country about 5km from the center.   

11. It seems pretty clear that cyclocross is a growing sport here in the US — why do you think it’s taken off?’

It’s a great sport that’s why and I think that the promoters of the races are doing a great job at putting on races and making it accessible to the general public (especially the Cross Crusade in OREGON)  

12. When you got started in cyclocross, what was the scene like, by comparison?

Smaller, I wasn’t around for the days of the Super Cup series though. It has definitely gotten larger in the last 4yrs though.

13. For you, what do you love about the sport?

The fact that it is hard. You have to have an engine, but you also have to be able to handle the bike.

14. Is it hard to make a living as a cross pro here? You’re the best in the United States – is it still hard to get sponsors and so on or are people getting more helpful?

I am pretty happy with the set up and sponsorship I have with Kona, but if there are any companies out there that wanna help us step up our program so we can do more please feel free to call me.

15. In terms of getting ready for a race, do you have any routine race-day preparations?

Nothing to specific, eat a good breakfast, preride the course, dial in pressure and tire choice. Warm up and race. Easy.

16. Do you ever lift weights or do much off-the-bike training/running?

I do quite a bit of trail running from August thru Nov. Mostly as an addition and not a substitute for normal training. On weights, have you seen me — does it look like I lift weights? I can barely lift my self out of bed sometimes.

17. If you’re going to spend a few $$, what’s one thing that’s worth investing on, for a cross bike?

Some Challenge Grifo tires

18. Are people still shocked that someone as tall as you is that good at cross? Did anyone say to you early on, ‘You’re just too big?’

People still tell me I am too big all the time.

19. What is one thing USA cycling needs to do for cyclocross pros?

Communication is lacking between USAC and the riders. It’s awesome when you have to read about rule changes on cyclingnews before USAC informs us of anything.

20. We had our first cyclocross race in the New York City in many years late November – on Staten Island. What do we need to do to get you at the line in 2009?

I have never even been to New York City before. Where is Staten Island? NYC, huh? If the dates work out, who knows?