Major breakthrough by Ronhaar gives fellow-generation Ryan Kamp hope: "Our talent is comparable"

Not so long ago, the cyclocross world marveled at the promising talents of Pim Ronhaar and Ryan Kamp. The two were often mentioned in the same breath when discussing the future of Dutch cyclo-cross. However, only a year and a half later, their paths have diverged. While Ronhaar has ascended to the world's elite this winter, Kamp, a contemporary and good friend, grappled with various challenges. With many of those issues recently resolved, Kamp now aspires to follow the Ronhaar route, as he revealed to IDLProCycling.com after the Dutch National Championships.

The two men are six months apart in age, with Kamp born on December 12, 2000, and Ronhaar on July 20, 2001. Both rode together at Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal in 2020 and 2021, sharing victories. In 2021, Kamp secured the European Championships title, while Ronhaar triumphed at the World Championships in the Under-23 category. In their junior years, they were both Dutch champions, with Kamp also claiming the U23 Championships. However, after 2021, Ronhaar opted to join Baloise Trek Lions, while Kamp remained with Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal. "We were on the team together, so we do have a good bond. Of course, that bond is somewhat diluted when you join different teams. Then you have a bit less contact, but we still have a special connection," Kamp recounted.

Nevertheless, the Brabant-born cyclist doesn't mince words. He found, and sometimes still finds, it somewhat disheartening to witness Ronhaar's recent leap to the very top of the elite category. Ronhaar secured victories in two World Cups (in Dendermonde and Dublin) and consistently contended for podium places in recent weeks. At the Dutch National Championships, Ronhaar fought for gold and silver, while Kamp finished in fourth place, a respectable distance behind. "It's truly impressive how he's performing this year, although it's also a bitter pill to swallow. He receives all the attention, signs lucrative contracts, and everything around it. Naturally, I wish him the best, but I also know that if he can achieve such results, I can do the same. That's a positive thought," Kamp shared.

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Kamp on NK crashes and support from Roodhooft brothers

At the Dutch National Championships (NK), Kamp mentioned that he found himself further away from the podium than he anticipated. "I fell in the first turn, which was unfortunate. I believe I was in last place, so I had to play catch-up. Knowing that with those three guys from Baloise Trek Lions (Ronhaar, Joris Nieuwenhuis, and Lars van der Haar, etc.), a podium was out of the question. Fourth place was the best we could achieve, and then I fell in a corner with my ribs hitting a pole hard. That really bothered me. Right after the fall, the air was knocked out of my lungs, and I really had to recover. The pain is starting to emerge now, so that must have been the adrenaline at that point, that I didn't feel it like that anymore and still managed to finish fourth."

In summary, Kamp is actually performing quite well, even if this hasn't been reflected in his recent results. This is not surprising, considering he suddenly found himself without a team as of January 1 when Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal chose not to extend his contract. With no new contract in sight, Kamp approached Christoph and Philip Roodhooft, team managers of Alpecin-Deceuninck, Crelan-Corendon, and CycloCross Reds. They secured sponsors Colnago and Campagnolo, and soon after, Fenix joined them. 'Essentially, I am now a kind of member of the Roodhooft clan. The boss of Fenix also wanted to help me further, so at least for this cyclocross season, it is well arranged. In the summer, it's now most likely going to be the Alpecin-Deceuninck training team, just like Laurens Sweeck and the rest of the cyclocross riders are doing. Nothing is certain yet, but it looks promising. I have fresh morale again, there are people who believe in me, and there's some stability for the future. That's comforting."

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New support and new hope for Kamp

However, he did not have an ideal preparation for the Dutch National Championships (NK). In the week before the cross in Hoogeveen, he unveiled his sponsors Fenix and Colnago, sporting an olive-green shirt and riding a flashy gold bike. "I haven't had much rest in the last few days, and despite that, I had the legs to at least keep up with Lars (van der Haar, ed.). I could have finished third because the first two were riding really fast. With new shoes, a new bike, and new clothes, I got everything I could out of it, even though people usually say only the medals count," Kamp smiled.

The NK also brings new hope for the coming weeks, and especially for the next season. Because then, Kamp wants to showcase who he is, just as Ronhaar did this winter. "I believe that I still have the same potential, that our talent is comparable. For instance, if you look at my last race with my previous team in Hulst, Pim and I essentially rode the same race. If I didn't have all that trouble, with all the things and stress around it, I would be performing even better than now. Because even now, I've already taken a step. I plan to take the rest of the season off and then come back stronger next year. I have the ability to compete with those guys from Baloise Trek Lions. I train really hard, and everyone says I have made progress. But due to circumstances and pressure, it hasn't fully materialized yet. It's challenging, but at least it is improving."