A pre-New Year’s finish line dance celebration for Trebon in SoCal for ’cross. © Philip Beckman/PB Creative
by Molly Hurford
When you’re working the pits at the race, one of the last people you would expect to see sitting in a chair in the feed zone, waiting beside a cooler for the racers to come by, is Ryan Trebon. After all, in addition to being one of the top ’crossers in the country, he’s a serious contender on the mountain bike scene as well. But last weekend at the cross country race in Bonelli in Southern California, he was doing just that, his lanky frame stretched out on a lawn chair, looking more relaxed than I’ve ever seen him. He bantered with other mechanics, handed out bottles to racers, including former Kona teammates, and seemed to be enjoying himself in the role of pit crew for the weekend. We caught up with him during the Super-D race when he was “off the clock.”
Cyclocross Magazine: So what brings you out here?
Ryan Trebon: I just came to help out with ShoAir, and ended up feeding five or six people during the race. If you can help out in any way, it’s really good.
CXM: Is it weird, pitting?
RT: I’ve been around races long enough that sometimes it’s nice to not be racing, just help out and see other people. It was hot out!
CXM: You raced in Texas a couple weeks ago. How did you shift from ’cross to MTB so fast?
RT: Between Worlds and Texas was pretty easy. I went to California for a couple of weeks of training. But after Texas, I came here and was just extremely fatigued, so that’s why I didn’t race this weekend. My body is just run down. Not riding, because I still desire to ride, but I’m waking up after nine hours of sleep still tired. So I think I need a couple more weeks of just taking it easy. I need to be training, and I feel guilty for not training… but then it’s not relaxing, it’s not time off. But I’ll be back and racing at Sea Otter. The guys are really supportive. It’s been a long year.
CXM: How is your leg, after Worlds? [Trebon sliced his leg open but still finished the race.]
RT: It’s healed up, it’s fine. I had to spend five days off the bike afterwards, I missed going to Japan. But when I was riding, it would just open back up.
CXM: What happened, exactly?
RT: I don’t really know what happened. Everyone things a chainring or disc rotor hit me, but I think someone’s quick release punctured it and it didn’t cut, it just… tore. My sock wasn’t displaced but the cut went four inches below the sock line. They only put 13 stitches in, but they were pretty far spaced apart. But it didn’t hurt. It only hurt when they cleaned it…
CXM: Are you planning a big mountain bike season?
RT: I’ll do as much as I can while still being prepared for ’cross season. I have a schedule with ShoAir. We’re up to May and June and then we’ll see what happens.
CXM: Is XC Nationals on the schedule?
RT: For sure. My goal has been, for the past few years, to win the Cross Country title. I was good a couple years ago. Last year, I wasn’t feeling fit enough to race for the win, so I wasn’t going to go out to race to race for seventh. This year, I feel that I can prepare very well, so we’ll see.
