Ryan Kamp, the 24-year-old Dutch rider and former Under-23
Cyclocross World Champion, recently opened up about his cyclocross
career, challenges,
and future ambitions on Laurens ten Dam’s podcast. As the
sport's busy winter period approaches, Kamp provided insights into his journey
from a road cyclist to a dedicated cyclocross competitor and the hurdles he has
faced in recent years.
"I was a road cyclist, but my coach said, ‘You can’t spend
the whole winter sitting on the couch.’ So I bought a cyclo-cross bike,” Kamp
explained. His talent became evident quickly, culminating in a Dutch
championship title as a youth rider and an exceptional U23 season in 2020,
where he claimed the world title. However, his progression in the elite ranks
has been slower than expected.
“I think I’m still in the building phase. I haven’t gotten
the best out of myself yet," Kamp said. Recognising himself as a
"slow developer," he emphasised that his journey is far from
complete. “There’s still so much room to improve. I also struggle with the
duration of the races.”
The road has not been without its bumps. At the end of 2023,
Kamp faced an uncertain future after parting ways with the Pauwels
Sauzen-Bingoal team. “I saw it coming,” he admitted. “They were already
becoming less giving than they used to be. Then I read online that my contract
wouldn’t be renewed.”
This lack of communication left Kamp frustrated and
questioning his future. “If you have some balls, you’d talk about it, right? On
what basis was the decision made? Financial or athletic? I really wondered if,
within a week, I’d still be racing cyclo-cross or if I’d have to start working
at a supermarket.” Despite these challenges, the uncertainty sharpened his
focus. “It sharpened my focus, though — I knew I had to prove myself more. But
it was a very uncertain time. I was sixth in the World Cup standings, I
definitely wanted to continue racing in cyclo-cross.”
Finding himself without a team at the beginning of the
cyclocross season was an unprecedented challenge. “Someone on the first
starting row who's suddenly without a team, that was unbelievable,” Kamp
recalled. The situation reflected a broader issue within the sport: limited
sponsorship opportunities. Despite these difficulties, Kamp reached out to the
Roodhooft brothers, hoping for an opportunity to continue racing.
“I had already been in contact with the Roodhooft brothers.
During the winter, I reached out again through my manager and coach. I called
and asked, ‘Is there a spot for me?’ Even there, it was tough; they were at
capacity. But they said, ‘You keep on racing, because you can’t end up working
in a factory.”