Kamp received help from the Roodhooft brothers, but also sounds the alarm: "Cyclo-cross is not on an upward trend"

Last Wednesday, Het Nieuwsblad published an interview with Ryan Kamp, the 23-year-old from Roosendaal who has been in the news quite often recently. The top talent from North Brabant discussed his departure from Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal, his personal future and the future of cyclo-cross. IDLProCycling.com, caught up with the likable rider before the X2O Trophy in Koksijde for a further discussion of his statements!

In early December, Kamp was told that his contract would not be renewed with Jurgen Mettepenningen's team. "That didn't come as a complete surprise, but it wasn't very pleasant either. I had felt for some time that it was coming. You notice it in all sorts of small things. But still, the message is unpleasant," he had already said in a conversation with Algemeen Dagblad. "Only in Val di Sole, and that was already December 10th, did they tell me in so many words," he continued about his departure in the Belgian daily newspaper.

Kamp is currently a consistent presence in the top fifteen - and often even higher - in cyclo-cross. "That's why it was so frustrating. If I had finished thirtieth in every race, I could have come to terms with it. Then you're just not performing adequately. But I've ridden 21 races by now, and the number of times I haven't finished in the top ten can be counted on one hand. I'm a professional athlete, I live for this, I make sacrifices for it, and I perform. Yet, it doesn't work out," he stated firmly again in Het Nieuwsblad. Similar statements can be noted in Koksijde, where he made time for this website shortly before his course reconnaissance. "The past period has not really been fun. It was mentally really tough. There were many uncertainties. So, I'm very happy that in the end, everything worked out well. It's settled, and I have a fresh dose of courage."

What's the story behind Kamp's new arrangement? The Roodhooft brothers (Christoph and Philip, ed.), renowned for leading several cyclo-cross teams including Alpecin-Deceuninck, devised a unique plan for Kamp: to continue as an independent rider, backed by Colnago and Campagnolo, two prestigious Italian bike brands. "Though they didn't have a spot for me, I stayed in touch. They were able to offer me a salary and top-notch gear. Both Colnago and Campagnolo are new to me, but Christoph and Philip were eager to help, believing it would be a waste to lose a rider like me. That's how this setup came about. I'm incredibly grateful to still be able to continue my career."

This brings a fresh start and new prospects for Kamp, who didn't quite make his mark in Baal on New Year's Day. "I had a bad day in Baal. Plus, it was my first race with the new equipment, and there are always initial hiccups. To add to that, I had several flat tires, which damaged my rims. That meant the race ended sooner for me than I hoped," he reminisces about that January day.

Addressing his earlier comments in Het Nieuwsblad, the conversation turned to cyclocross's apparent popularity, evidenced by the 20,000-plus fans often lining the course. "Those crowds, sometimes hitting twenty or thirty thousand, are mainly because of a few very quick guys – Wout, Mathieu. But when they're not racing, you really see a decline in interest over the years. The sport isn't actually growing," Kamp stated candidly. "Naturally, companies prefer sponsoring stars like Van der Poel or Van Aert over someone like me. I have immense respect for their talent. As soon as they appear at the start, the cyclo-cross world completely comes to life. However, their hefty starting fees and the fans who turn up solely for them also have a downside. It makes things harder for full-time cyclocrossers like Sweeck, Vanthourenhout, or myself."

When we confront Kamp with those quotes again in Koksijde, it's clear that his opinion hasn't changed. "It's a sad situation. Unfortunately, there's not much more I can say about it. It is what it is. Sadly. I'm not the only one in this situation. Take someone like Mees Hendrikx, whom I know well. He's a guy who puts in a tremendous effort. He might not be having his best season, but it would be such a shame if someone like him had to quit. And as I already said to Het Nieuwsblad, it looks like similar things could and will happen to others. That's unfortunately the direction we're heading."

But what about his road racing program? The multiple youth championship winner is also a gifted road cyclist. "I sincerely hope I can still have a good road program. But I don't know the specifics yet. We've agreed to get through the winter as well as we can. For the rest, we'll have to see. We'll see how it goes. Finishing the cyclo-cross season and fully adapting to the new equipment are the main priorities right now."

Anyway, first, it's cyclo-cross then. What are the youngster's priorities? "The World Cup is still my number one priority. Besides that, I obviously hope to do well in the National Championships and the World Championships. I'm heading to the Nationals with confidence. My form is good, and the morale is definitely there. I'm just riding all out at the moment, though these last weeks have been really tough mentally. The Nationals should suit me well. I suspect it'll mostly be about following the three men from Baloise Trek Lions," he concludes, referring to in-form riders Lars van der Haar, Pim Ronhaar, and Joris Nieuwenhuis, who in the absence of Mathieu van der Poel are collectively considered the top favorites."