Erik Box - Stepping Up

Moving from the back of the pack, Erik Box has progressed to the podium and has a shown a passion for Cross. Riding for Hub/Devinci, Erik is headed for Nationals in October and has big goals for the future. CXO Sat down with Erik on a Tuesday night in Etobicoke and brought you along. 4th Southern CX Series 2007 2nd Valley Park Cross 2nd Willow Beach Cross CXO: So, with two strong results at Hamilton and St. Catharines. How are things? EB: Great. Feeling good, just coming off a long road season and building for Nationals. St. Catharines was tough - I wound up riding stronger the next day at Time Trial Provincials. If someone pulled the long flat sections and the little run-up, I would've had less trouble. CXO: You didn't like the Anti-Jens-Voigt theme? EB: I was totally against that - the tall lanky guy doesn't want to be sitting for the whole time. I was in the small ring for the whole hour. But Hamilton suited me more with more big ring and standing up. CXO: Did you even use your small ring? EB: It was 50/50, small ring through the technical sections, but big ring from the bridge to the arena. CXO: What's big? EB: 48/38 - So it was pretty sad when I was riding around in the 38 for an hour. Hamilton was more exciting - thanks to the Apple-Sauce escapade through the woods. I think everyone ate it through there. In the race, Mark, Peter and I were 15 seconds apart, I had the gap to Batty down to 8 seconds, then I hit the apple-sauce hard and Pete caught me half way through the last lap. I knew they were leaving the barriers up and I'd be faster getting over them, so it was just down to a full out sprint and it took a bike throw. CXO: Season plans? EB: Big plans - everything is building up for Nationals. The legs aren't there yet, but everything is based around that and hopefully doing well there. I'd like to see a top 5 there for sure, and then hopefully hold on to that until the Toronto C1 race. I heard a rumour that Lance Armstrong was coming and there was going to be big prize money. After Toronto, that leaves Provincials. There's a perfect 3 weeks between races. Then there's that week in December where I eat a different box of donuts for a week - a yearly tradition at the Hub. I remember one year when Cliff didn't come to work after the 4th day. I don't know if he could even walk. Day #1 was Krispy Kreme... It was gross because we had to get it from a gas station, so they seemed like they were soaked in the stench of gas. CXO: So, how did you get to Cross? You were a mountain biker? EB: Originally I started off with BMX when I was 14, then I got into mountain biking and raced downhill for a couple of years. On the road I had the most hideous mongoose road bike and did the Kitchener crit as my first race and got pulled on the 3rd lap, but I got hooked. So, I got into a bit of road riding and a bit of cross country riding. Then Cliff explained 'cross to me and showed me the 2001 Verge series videos and I got my start racing ‘cross. Windy hill at Baldwin Farms was my first race and I got lapped 4 times. The whole season I was dead last and I puked in 3 races that year. It was addicting even though it was so hard. Then it wasn't until 2 years ago when I started to get serious and my goal was to not get lapped. Then I did my first race in the States at Gloucester and it was an eye opener. The atmosphere and the field size in particular - to be in a B-race and have 125 guys was a shock and a lot of fun. That was my first exposure to seeing pros ride ‘cross and that whole experience was awesome. I think I finished the B-race 4 minutes back. Then last year I raced the A-race and I was 4 minutes back, but it was behind Powers and Johnson. Racing for the Hub helped keep me relaxed and they're a big part of supporting the Hub/Devinci Cyclocross team. Last year at Gloucester I crashed on the second lap and DNF'd because my derailleur went into the wheel and both shifters were rotated in. So I knew I had to be set up with 2 bikes and it pushed us into putting together the Devinci team. CXO?What’s it been like working at the Hub? EB: The Hub is great – it’s the customers make it special. 9 months at the Hub, are spent talking 'cross, thinking 'cross, showing everyone 'cross movies, listening to the Paul Weiss soundtrack and hating road racing and mountain biking. Then 1 week before ‘cross season spending ridiculous amounts of money on our bikes. It's a shop pretty much based around cyclo-cross. CXO: Any big ideas for your riding future? EB: I think the goal will always be to use road racing as training. It was tough to focus on this summer that it was all still for 'cross. I did a lot more 'crits and more time trials. That was big for this year, time trialing, getting the TT bike and powering the hour. Time trials were a good effort that suits me and it's good for 'cross too. I was surprised with some good results. Then in a year or two I’m planning to go to Europe. Nationals is the big race for this year and it’s where most of my sponsorship money is going. It’s pricey to fly out to Edmonton for one race and I still have to figure out how to race full time. CXO: Do you think it takes racing road full time first? EB: Yeah, I almost look forward to that, but it's hard to make that jump. It's only my second season racing road, but I upgraded and I had the chance to go to Rochester and race my first pro road race there. I’ve raced sport in mountain biking and S3 on the road, but I could top-10 in elite 'cross where the tall skinny guy runs faster than everyone else. CXO: Have a favourite course feature? EB: Jens Voight Power Sections... thanks Nathan for taking those out. I also love over-regulation height barriers - it may be your hip height, but it's only up to my shin. CXO: Right - Well, thanks Erik - and good luck with the season.