January 9, 2007

Heading To Belgium

Scroll down to see the donation list. Updated 1/16/07

Six elite men earn nominations to world championship 'cross team:
Discretionary picks include... Tristan Schouten (Sheboygan, Wis./Trek-Volkswagen). Schouten’s success this season was all domestic based with a 15th-place finish at the national championships and several top-ten finishes in UCI-sanctioned races throughout America.

The wait is over. Today, after three and a half weeks of waiting, I was chosen as one of five elite male athletes to represent the United States at the Cyclocross World Championships in Hooglede-gits, Belgium on January 28, 2007.

All those hard and cold training rides the last 4 weeks were not in vain and it is all clear now why I was doing it. I am extremely excited for this opportunity to race the best cyclocross racers from around the world at the biggest race in the world. There is nothing bigger than this - World Cyclocross Championships in Belgium!
Come to Belgium and watch for yourself along with 45,000 other people who will all pay 30,00E to watch the madness, you won't be disappointed. It's not just a race, it' the superbowl of races!



If you don't think you can make the trip, maybe you can help me! Because I was not an automatic selection, I do not receive funding from USA Cycling, therefore I must pay the $1500 that the trip will cost.
I am hoping to raise enough money to cover the cost of the trip so that I can continue to train and prepare at the highest level possible.

There are several options if you would like to help.

1. You can mail a personal check to Tristan Schouten, 2711 Wilgus Ave. Sheboygan, WI 53081

2. Credit card through Paypal. This is very fast, easy and secure. I have an account set up and you can either send a donation to me through your own paypal account if you have one to Tschouten@gmail.com
or
Click the Paypal box below and follow the directions to donate by credit card. This will take 5 minutes.





The intervals will be a little more intense and the level of concentration and commitment have just gone up a notch. If you'd like to "sponsor" an interval workout that would be awesome, or maybe you'd like to request a double workout day ( I'll be doing it anyway, but you can get your name as title sponsor for it) either way, I'll make sure to give a shout out to those that help out in a fun and interesting way. Lucky (meaning "larger amount") donors will even sponsor race days and even the World Championships, so don't forget to let me know who you are if you make a donation.
Thank you all very much for reading and for your support. Continue to check back here to watch the trip unfold.
Tristan Schouten

TODAY'S RIDE.
Tomorrow's flight leaves at a perfect time - 9:30am. Not too early or too late. I fly through Chicago, then directly to Brussels. It's a 9.5 hour flight I think which is going to be brutal, but I've got my compression socks, a book, extra powerbars, ipod, and I'm sure there will be some inflight movies to get me there. I've got 2 bikes and 5 wheels jammed in a case, I just couldn't get that last front wheel in to make 3 sets, but two and a half will do just fine I think. I've pretty much have everything I need for riding and racing in the mud packed, then I finished with normal clothes, they always get the short end of the deal, but when you're not comfortable racing and riding it's quite a bit more miserable than not packing and extra set of jeans because of room constraints. So, bike stuff first, normal clothes second, and luxuries never.

I don't know when I'll be able to update again but I'm sure I'll be able to sometime. Check back and once again, thank you all for the gifts and support the last week, it's really been amazing!
Tristan

TODAY'S RIDE BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
  • Today's title donors:
  • Scott & Laura Cole
  • Christopher Cronin
  • Ryan Wondergem

Today's other great donors!
  • Rod Olliver http://www.ontariocyclocross.com/fccr
  • Kelly Niquette
  • Michael Martens: Working on Wisconsin's first Twilight Crit in 07' (June 16th 2007 in Grafton, WI.) Check us out. www.graftonbikerace.com
  • Ian Stanford
  • Greg Heck
  • Andrew Kruse
  • Todd Pittman, Ellicott City, MD
  • Mark Beck
  • Tony Wagner - Glenbeulah, WI
  • Jeremey Rodriguez
  • Brad Verstegen - Appleton, WI
  • Paul Belknap


Previous Donors:

(Special thanks)
  • Steve and Maryann Manthey
  • Andrew Klumb
  • John and Connie Holcomb
  • Jody Meyers: The bells team supports you 110%. GOOD LUCK!
  • John Meyers - Bells Brewery Quiring Cycles Race Team
  • Jason LaBella Chicago, IL WORS Comp #1111
  • Joseph Lekovish (SPONSOR: South Lyon Cycle Racing Team / Tailwind Michigan UCI CX Double-header Sept 2007)
  • Jesse Rients - MN
  • David Ziemer - Greenfield MN
  • James Jones - Sheboygan
  • Joseph Brzuchanski: On behalf of the Bells Brewery/Quiring Cycles MTB Team (Jason Lummis, Mike Simonson, Scott Quiring, John Meyers, Jason Jones and myself).
  • Scott Roehrborn:Make sure to throw down some Belgian Waffles for the guys back home on the Sat. Breakfast Ride!
  • Ronald M Stawicki
  • Scott, Alla & Ayla Shapiro
  • Mitch Graham
  • Maryann Pitner
  • Guy Schutt - Oconomowoc, WI
  • Jay Moncel
  • Brian Conant – Dekalb, IL
  • Daniel Backley
  • Kenny Dretzka
  • Carl Voss - Eyota, MN
  • Rachel Steele
  • Chris Henning: This is from the henningboyz- 2 little crossers- from northbrook. congrats and we're pullin' for ya.
  • Steve Ferguson
  • Jason Fryda - Boulder, CO
  • Eric Peltier
  • Featherman Kids
  • Rachel Kilmer
  • Christopher Zacharias
  • Christopher Plummer
  • Randy Arellano - Dearborn, MI
  • Chris & Melanie Nystrom - Ellicott City, MD
  • Jennifer and Brian Smith
  • Mark A Lalonde
  • Lil'Jane of Capitol Velo in Madison. Note: Jane is a 10-year-old cyclocross racer in the Wisconsin series. Good Luck! Richard Moran (Madcross-Garner) Jane (Capitol Velo)
  • Andrew Weir
  • Joe Doyle
  • Sean Grady
  • Michael Phillips
  • Amy Dykema - Evanston, IL
  • Sonja Schouten (this is a good one, she donated her leftover euros from her own trip -nice!)
  • Bill Schneider - Green Bay, WI
  • Chad Dean
  • Wayne Prescott
  • Brian Hammer
  • Chad Melis

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congrats and Good Luck.

Ian Stanford said...

Hell ya Tristan. Congrats man! -Ian

Anonymous said...

Congrats, man! That's awesome!
-kurt

Mark said...

Way to go Tristan!
at least I got to see you race at Harbin Park (Cincy) and Iceman before you became a world class bigtime Cross racer :)
How do you travel with your bike there?
congrats and Good Luck.

®andyA said...

Congrats Tristan! Best of luck at World's!

- Randy (i.e. ®andyA, MMBA)

Unknown said...

Congratulations!

joeyTWOwheels said...

Sweet! Have a great race over there. We'll be watching from afar.

- jd

Mountaingoat said...

Nice.

Bring back some beer.

Mike said...

Go Fast!

Anonymous said...

Way to go T-bag! I'm broke, but could I be lucky enough to sponsor a Powerbar or Gel that you may need?!

Anonymous said...

I hope you're doing some running workouts. The Hooglede World's course is gonna be a real slog; running joke is it's the "Hooglede 10K running race"

Anonymous said...

Congratulations tristan!
Above all, enjoy the ride and savor the moment.
$$ on its way to you ... :-)
The Holcombs will be cheering from Shevegas County...

Jim said...

!! Congratulations Tristen !!

Why isn't Trek paying for this great opportunity (for you and Trek)?

Good Luck!

rachel said...

Congratulations!

Have a safe trip and good luck racing!

Above all, remember that riding your bike is FUN!

Ronsta, said...

Good luck!