Photo by Mark Colton

I know where I’m at, and I know where I can be. If I finish outside of the top-three, I’d be pretty disappointed, but I know that with that confidence comes a lot of pressure. So the pressure and the confidence balance each other out, so I’m pretty much at level zero. I know that I can do it so now I have to do it.

I’m thinking I’m going to be psyched when we get done with this race. Truly it’s a nerve-wracking race, but I’m looking forward to getting it done. Whatever I come out of here with I’ll be happy with. If that’s not a win, that’s okay, but if it’s not, that’s okay too. I definitely want to win, though.

Jeremy Powers on the Course

This year it’s a different course. It’s muddier. I won’t know what to expect until I get out there. The course is changing very quickly, so I don’t know what’s out there. It’s definitely a hard course.

This isn’t a course that I’ve come to saying ‘oh, I’m definitely going to do well on this course.’ It’s got mud and I’m not so good when that happens. But by the same token, it’s the same for everyone, and I’ve done well in conditions like this against all of my competitors, so I keep that in the back of my head. I’d say 75% of the course is perfect for me, 25% isn’t perfect for me. I just have to make the best of it. Nothing is a sure thing at this race.

I think it’s a course that will have a lot of mechanicals, there’s going to be a lot of guys that crash, so 15 seconds isn’t going to mean a lot. 15 seconds can come or go either way in a flash. We’re going to be drowning out there. Not being over your head and uncomfortable to avoid crashes will be key.

Jeremy Powers on Being the Favorite

It’s weird. Year to year you don’t have a ton of pressure. Last year, I was a favorite, and I was doing what a favorite should do in winning the race, then I crashed out. That was super frustrating for me and I was upset, since the race was perfect for me. Tim was going really well, and I would have liked the chance without crashing to try to win.

It’s hard being the favorite but the lead up has been good. Winning both days in Portland was really good or my confidence. Physically, I’m the most prepared I’ve ever been. I have the best fitness I can have. I feel very strong on the bike, but I don’t know what’s going to happen with the course so I don’t know if it will suit me.

Jeremy Powers on Preparations

My preparation is what I’m focusing most on. Just getting the tires right before the race. Just focusing on trying to stay chill before hand. Everyone wants to wear that jersey. It’s an annual thing, everybody wants it but only one can have that experience. Trying to stay calm this whole week has been key. That’s been the biggest thing.

Not traveling too much helped a lot. Cyclocross is not just about fitness, it’s about how the course is, how much you’ve got in you. I had two goals this season: to win the USGP and to try to win Nationals. I’ve got one of those crossed off already. If I win nationals then that’s both of the list gone, and that’s awesome, but if I only get one, that’s fine too. I did what I wanted to do, and to do that is pretty good.

To be able to beat Tim as a consistent thing this year at the USGP, I’m very proud of. Not traveling was a sort of one step back two steps forward kind of thing. If Nationals goes well, then it was the right decision. If I do well, then the decision to not go to Europe was the right one. I don’t feel like I missed out on anything by not going over.

Mentally, I’m okay still. I’m not cracked, I’m not sick. To be able to get to this point in the season without having been sick, I’m really happy with that. That’s been a huge accomplishment, and something that I think everyone would strive for.

I think I have a lot left in the tank. I think my fitness is my biggest asset right now. If anything, I trained extremely hard for this weekend. After a break after Fort Collins, I took a break and trained really, really hard. If everything is on point this weekend, I should really be able to hit my peak.

Jeremy Powers on His Rivals

Tim is the biggest threat. He’s the guy to watch. Obviously Ryan is important, but I think Tim is the tried and true guy that I have to follow.

The key to staying calm and focused has been staying on the phone a lot. Talking to a lot of people and reaffirming what’s going on and talking to a lot of my friends has really helped. I’ve watched a lot of Dave Chapelle to keep my mind laughing and off of all the what-ifs.

Just staying levelheaded and not really worrying. It’s just one race, and I’ve said that a thousand times, so hopefully it sticks. I want to win, but it is true that it’s only one day and I’ve been trying to keep my mind off of it. Sleeping is been fine, so that’s the good news.

If the course stays the same, Ryan is going to go ballistic at the start and we’re all going to try to sit in. I don’t think that anyone has been as good as Ryan at the starts. He’s got 15 minutes where he’s really, really strong and that weeds out a lot of the guys.

After 15 minutes, we’ll see who’s still left. It’s such a power course, since the course has been draining. The grass isn’t going anywhere so it has been holding a lot of water. This course is definitely going to let the strongest guy win. The course has a lot of pedaling. I’d say there’s going to be five guys at the front and then some big time gaps. The course is that hard.