Ryan Kamp stunned by his situation: "Everything was suddenly uncertain. Would I have to work at a supermarket?"

The road season may have come to a halt, but the cyclo-cross world keeps rolling. Ryan Kamp is navigating the cyclo-cross circuit with some ups and downs, especially after a year filled with uncertainty about his team. This week, he was a guest on Laurens ten Dam's podcast, where they discussed the precarious nature of cyclo-cross, something Kamp has experienced firsthand.

For Kamp, an important period of the year is coming up, with many races on his calendar. Ten Dam was pleased to have the cyclo-cross rider on the show, and to offer him support. “Last year, we suddenly heard that Ryan would be left without a contract, and that was crazy because he’s one of the better riders in the field,” said Ten Dam. The Roodhooft brothers took the rider from Breda in the Netherlands under their wing through a unique arrangement. But uncertainty still looms, which Ten Dam finds disheartening.

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Ryan Kamp managed to remain a pro rider, thanks to a unique arrangement with the Roodhooft brothers

Kamp reflects on late 2023: "I really asked myself how we got here"

Kamp’s talent for cyclo-cross was discovered almost by accident. “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. It turned out he had a natural gift. “At one point, I became Dutch champion as a youth rider.” In 2020, as a U23 rider, he had an exceptional season, but the last four years have been tougher, with Kamp struggling to meet high expectations. Even so, he continues to develop. “I think I’m still in the building phase. I haven’t gotten the best out of myself yet.”

Getting the right support is key to his further progress. “I’m a slow developer. There’s still so much room to improve. I also struggle with the duration of the races.” Uncertainty about contracts adds to the challenges. At the end of 2023, Kamp found himself in limbo, stuck between teams and, as a result, he is now racing as a lone wolf in the peloton. “I saw it coming,” he said about his departure from the Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal team. “They were already becoming less giving than they used to be. Then I read online that my contract wouldn’t be renewed.”

It was a bizarre situation, but Kamp just had to deal with it. “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. 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.”

The situation reflected the challenges in the cyclo-cross world as a whole. “Someone on the first starting row who's suddenly without a team — that was unbelievable. There weren’t enough sponsors, it was the wider picture. 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.’” And so, the arrangement remains as it is: Kamp continues to race in cyclo-cross. And he continues to make progress.

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