In the Mud Mode series, we delve into the world of cyclocross. The sport where you're at full throttle for an hour, cycling alternates with climbing stairs with the bike on your shoulder, and your feet get sucked into the muddy ground. From muddy corners and steep descents to the battle for the holeshot, it's all there.
"Find a good flow and get a podium finish at the national cyclocross races." That's what Emiel Jansman said when we spoke with him at the start of this cyclocross season. He found that flow—and he achieved that podium finish, because last weekend he took the Dutch title at level 1 at the Dutch National Cyclocross Championships.
Not an ideal preparation
While his strong performance wasn't entirely surprising, Emiel's preparation was far from ideal. "I had a bit of a dip in motivation," he admits. "I was a bit tired and had received a few nasty remarks on the field, which made it hard for me to recharge." As a result, Emiel didn't get much training time for a few weeks. And just when he finally regained his motivation and was ready to give it his all, illness threw a wrench in the works.
I wasn't able to train much again until a week and a half before the National Championships. I didn't really stick to the schedule during that period, but just cycled by feel and listened to my body. He admitted he found this quite difficult, considering his motivation had only just returned: "I kept telling myself I'd been training all summer and that this couldn't just disappear."
Circumstances as an additional factor
In the run-up to the National Championships, he was far from confident about his own level. The conditions were also a major concern. "I spent the whole week looking at what the weather would do. I wouldn't have minded if there had been a lot of mud." However, with the cold weather last week, the course was in good condition. Something Emiel didn't mind, because those conditions suit him perfectly.
Waiting for the right moment
Full of motivation, yet also with some doubts, Emiel started the National Championships in Huijbergen. "I'd agreed with my coach that I wouldn't go all out from the start, because that's what I normally do." He got the holeshot ("I wanted to avoid the chaos"), but then held back, and eventually found himself in a group of four. "I then sat at the back of that group, also to see how I would feel." He felt good, and Emiel easily closed every gap that opened up. "I waited for the right moment to attack."
That moment came two laps from the finish, when someone crashed and another rider who was a bit ahead changed bikes. "That's when I thought, 'This is my moment!'" I went full throttle on the straight at the finish, where we had a headwind. I quickly built up a twenty-meter gap—that was the motivation to keep going.
Within a lap, Emiel had extended that gap to thirty seconds. "I actually couldn't believe I was that far ahead. I just wanted to make sure the lead increased, just to be safe."
A moment to never forget
Ultimately, he crossed the finish line solo—a moment he won't soon forget. "At first, I just thought, 'I've won.' Only then did I realize I'd become Dutch Class 1 champion." Something that had always been a dream of his, and now became a reality.
"I got a little emotional then. My parents were there too, so that was fantastic." The ceremony was also impressive, with the accompanying jersey, trophy, and medal. "It's really cool that I'll be riding in that jersey next season in the Class 1 races."
He'll have to wait a little longer for that, as he only has one race left this cyclocross season. "That's a shame on the one hand, but on the other hand, I can train for it in the summer. And then in September I can show it off in the races."
And as always, Emiel rode his race wearing aero socks and gloves from Airoman.cc — Every watt counts!
Want to keep up with Emiel (and other Airoman.cc riders)? Follow us on Instagram @airomancyclingclub or read more soon on Airoman.cc !
Header image by Frank Renia