Chasing Paris Olympic Gold
Two weeks of preparation in Belgium with Team USA
Part One: Prep Camp in Belgium
In mid-July, as thunderstorms rumbled across the great expanse of the United States, we, the members of Team USA’s track cycling ensemble, embarked on a journey not merely across the country but across the very ocean itself. Our destination? Belgium, that small, unassuming nation, to serve as the stage for our final act of preparation before the grand spectacle of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
My own departure was marked by a seemingly simple itinerary—a brief jaunt from upstate New York to Brussels. Yet, as often happens when one places their trust in the whims of airlines and weather, this simple plan unraveled in a rather spectacular fashion. Torrential rains besieged New York, transforming what should have been an uneventful two-flight trip into a mad dash through the chaos of LaGuardia after missing my connection. The result: a rather circuitous detour through Amsterdam, which—while not unpleasant in itself—resulted in an arrival seven hours behind schedule. As it turns out, I was not alone in this misfortune; indeed, my teammates arrived in Belgium at various hours, delayed by their own encounters with the forces of nature and airline inefficiency. And so, for the first few days, our staff made repeated pilgrimages to the Brussels airport, collecting us one by one like the wayward travelers we were.
Soigneur is pronounced “Swan-yer”, and is often abbreviated in the US to “Swanny”, ie “have the Swannies pick you up some Hi-Pro yogurt from the store, and get some chocolate for the coaches and Red Bulls for the mechanics” :-)
Belgium itself was not the first choice for our camp—a late addition after plans for Portugal fell through. Yet, as with so many things in life, this unforeseen change proved to be most fortuitous. Belgium, for all its modest size, boasts two exquisite velodromes, the crown jewel of which was a new facility nestled deep in the northeastern forests, between Brussels and the Dutch towns of Sittard and Maastricht. This would be our home for two weeks—a quiet retreat, where athletes and staff alike would make their final preparations.
Our accommodations were equally charming. The athletes and a fellow soigneur stayed at a small, elegant inn tucked into the trees, while the rest of us dispersed between two nearby Airbnbs. My own lodgings came equipped with an e-bike, a delightful contraption that allowed me to traverse the picturesque kilometer between the airbnb, inn and the velodrome with ease and vitesse. As I cycled through the serene hamlet of Bolderberg where our lodgings were, I could not help but feel an unexpected sense of calm—an odd but welcome contrast to the intensity of our training regimen.
Ah, and the food! We were graced by the presence of Chef Maria, a culinary wizard from Mallorca, whose fresh, delicious creations were tailored to the specific needs of our athletes. The inn’s backyard, a quiet haven, was home to a flock of chickens who became unintended beneficiaries of Maria’s genius—feasting on the leftovers from our meals. By the end of our stay, the innkeeper gleefully remarked on the extraordinary size of their eggs, nearly doubled in size thanks to their rich diet. Meanwhile, at the Airbnbs, the staff indulged in barbecues of the finest order, prepared in the true Australian and Kiwi fashion. For me, it was an enviable dilemma—should I dine with the athletes at the inn or cycle back to the Airbnb for some barbecue with the staff? A happy predicament, indeed.
The velodrome itself was a marvel of modern design—a sanctuary for cyclists, complete with a fine restaurant, a state-of-the-art gym, and even a gymnastics school for the local youth. Our training overlapped with the Belgian national team and a small contingent of sprinters from Mexico, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie amidst the intensity. Alongside myself and my fellow soigneur, Berthy, we had two mechanics and a sport scientist from England, who meticulously filmed the workouts and analyzed the athletes’ power data. These figures, scrutinized by both athletes and coaches, would inform strategic decisions as we approached the Games.
The role of the soigneur is a curious one, combining the duties of bodywork, medical care, and general caretaker. It is a role I relish, for it allows me to serve in so many capacities—making drinks and coffee, ensuring the athletes are well-fueled and hydrated, keeping their spirits buoyant as they prepare for the most important rides of their lives. There is, I find, a certain rhythm to the work, not unlike my days as a camp counselor or barista. It is my task to maintain the delicate balance between levity and seriousness, for while the athletes’ minds are occupied with the weight of their forthcoming challenges, it is my privilege to offer them a moment’s reprieve, a bit of joy amidst the rigor.
Of the events Team USA qualified for, the Team Pursuit is the most intricate—a dance of precision and endurance, where strategy is as important as strength. The pursuit requires four riders, but only three need to finish the 4k race, which means careful orchestration of effort. The rider who begins the race expends their energy early, peeling away before the final lap, while the remaining three carry on. During camp, we experimented with different rider orders and combinations, analyzing the data with the utmost care, searching for the optimal strategy that would carry us to victory in Paris.
Naturally, in any endeavor as complex as this, one must account for the unexpected. A rider could fall ill, or sustain an injury, and so we brought extra athletes as a precaution. Some of our track cyclists were also competing in road events, which meant that one of our key riders, Chloe Dygert, was unable to join us in Belgium. In her absence, we used two others at various times to fill her place in the lineup. It was, as always, a matter of adapting, adjusting, and pushing forward.
As the final days of camp approached, a restlessness took hold of us. We had trained, strategized, and analyzed, but the pull of Paris was undeniable. It was time. We packed our gear into two borrowed vans and set our course for the City of Light.
To be continued… At the Paris Olympics!
(originally posted Sept 26th, 2024 at https://focusptbend.com)