There was a time not so long ago when Jeremy Powers' name was synonymous with winning cyclo-cross races in America. The New England native won four national championships in five years, starting with his first in 2012, and he dominated the podium's top step in the nation's top races.
Powers put his string of titles together after Jonathan Page, Tim Johnson, Ryan Trebon and Todd Wells had passed the jersey around amongst themselves for a decade from 2000 through 2010. But when it was Powers' turn to rule the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross Nationals roost from 2012 through January of 2016, he only let one title slip away to Page. Powers was having his day, and he made the most of it.
The outgoing rider who liked to DJ in his spare time started the popular 'Behind the Barriers' video blog that follows his exploits around the US circuit while highlighting some of the discipline's iconic venues and history. He founded the JAM Fund to help develop up-and-coming riders, and he created his own 'Aspire' cyclo-cross team sponsored by Rapha and Focus.
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But Powers' reign as the undisputed champion of US cyclo-cross literally came crashing down during a warm-up lap at the Trek CXC Cup in September of 2016, when he fell hard on his ribs and was able to complete just one lap before abandoning the race. X-rays later showed he several broken several ribs, and the injuries set his season back substantially after he had started with two wins at Rochester.
Since that crash, untimely illness, injury and emerging new talent have limited Powers' victory tally to just one win in a UCI race over the past two seasons; he took out the victory at the NBX GP of Cross last year. Stephen Hyde, Powers' former protégé at the JAM Fund, has won the past two US titles and is now the clear favourite in any North American race he enters, while Powers has been left fighting for lesser places and hoping his health and body come around again.
"If I go back and look, it's not 12 wins in a season, but there were a lot of second and third places there that I'm happy with my ride," Powers said by phone from New Mexico, where he was spending time training ahead of today's National Championships in Louisville, Kentucky.
A season of trials
Time waits for no man
Forging ahead
Going gravel after nationals, but what about next year?
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/jeremy-powers-fighting-for-the-front-after-years-of-adversity
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