Aaron Schooler on Hoogerheide and preparing for snow at the world cyclocross championships

At Sunday’s final cyclocross World Cup race in Hoogerheide, The Netherlands, Edmonton’s Aaron Schooler crossed the line in 55th place, Canada’s top finisher. The result, near the back of the field that included race winner Mathieu van der Poel, World Cup series winner Kevin Pauwels, and such CX stars as Sven Nyns and Lars van der Haar, doesn’t tell the whole story.

“Sunday was really good for me,” Schooler said, “not because of my result necessarily, or not because I had a flawless race because it was far from it. It had a lot to do with me having good confidence in my form, fitness and support right now. I’m in a good space mentally right now, which is always something that an athlete hopes for when it’s a week out from the world championships.”

Schooler started the race near the back, but found the racing “much more civilized” than usual. Either that, or he had more power in his legs to push ahead and keep out of trouble. But trouble eventually found him. “I rode pretty clean for the first few laps until I took one off-camber corner a bit weird, and then got caught in a rut which forced me straight into the metal fencing,” he said. “The force of the impact busted my rear shifter in half. It was at least functional enough to shift still, but I had to stop and release the brake cable to stop the wheel from rubbing excessively. I made it back to the pits to change no problem.”

While the race in The Netherlands functioned as a dress rehearsal for the world championships in Tabor, Czech Republic, Jan. 31 to Feb. 1 for the riders, it was also a bit of a test for Schooler and Team Canada’s pit crew. “I’m pretty happy to have done a trial run with the guys who will be helping me out next weekend,” Schooler said. “Even though the current support system for cyclocross in Canada is flawed in a huge way, I’m really happy with the team Cycling Canada has put together for this year and the minor changes they have made since last year. It gives me lots of confidence that things will be sorted out well for Tabor.”

After Schooler got a new bike, he was back racing on the muddy course. He did a few laps and was then pulled. “They changed the wording in the rules of the length of CX races this year so the World Cups are getting harder and harder to finish on the lead lap now,” he said. “The races now must finish between 60 and 70 minutes for the leader (changed from finishing as close to 60 minutes as possible), which means we end up doing one lap more than normal. Plus, with the 80 per cent rule and some crazy-fast U23’s, I haven’t finished on the lead lap on a World Cup yet this year. I don’t feel so bad about the being lapped part; I think only 30 riders finished on the lead lap, which isn’t even a 50 per cent attrition rate.

“Oh well, back home to Germany to put the finishing touches on my training. I’m considering heading out to the Black Forest to do a ride or two in the snow to prepare. I hear we might need it.”