Jeremy Powers, one of cyclocross's greatest American riders with 95 UCI victories, sits down to share the raw reality of what it takes to compete at the highest level of the sport. From navigating the brutal culture shock of moving to Belgium as a teenager to understanding the subtle technical differences that separate winners from the rest, Jeremy breaks down the mental and physical demands that most people overlook—and reveals why Europeans have built such a dominant cyclocross machine.
Key Takeaways
- Americans racing in Europe face cumulative cultural, nutritional, and psychological stress that European riders don't experience—living abroad, language barriers, unfamiliar food, and social isolation create anxiety that directly impacts performance
- Tire choice and pressure are the most critical equipment decisions in cyclocross; tubular tires allow lower pressures for better traction, and lower cadence with proper line selection (taking wider, longer lines on greener grass) beats the conventional pin-to-pin approach
- Europe's cyclocross dominance stems from a larger talent pool, better infrastructure, accessible national team coaching, and a culture where the sport is actively promoted through media and sponsorship—the US simply cannot compete with this ecosystem
- The European cyclocross scene was intentionally brutal for newcomers as a filter to identify truly committed riders; this trial-by-fire approach shaped Jeremy's resilience but also isolated young American riders trying to establish themselves
- Winning four sets of tubular wheels and tires (around $1,000+ investment) is the baseline equipment needed to be competitive across varied conditions; this financial barrier alone limits participation compared to more accessible sports
Expert Quotes
"An American going to Europe is hard... you have all the Euros coming to America and they're like 'now you know my pain. Now you know what it's like to be uncomfortable in an environment, to not recognize the food, to not recognize the people' – Alex Howes"
"It took me 10 years to realise you could just do this... you can run [tubulars] at such extraordinarily low tire pressure. The lower the pressure, the more the tire is moving and molding to the ground—Jeremy Powers"
"If you're going to make a living to go race your bike in Europe, you've got to move there because that's where the sport is. Today, if you want to make it as a cyclocross racer, you have to go to Europe. There's nothing left for you in the US – Jeremy Powers"