World Cup Waterloo
This is a post race portrait of Stephen Hyde. This photo is of a very unhappy Stephen Hyde. This photo was not an easy photo to take, however what I want to tell you is why this photo is a very important photo.
I want to rewind slightly, about ninety minutes before the start of the first UCI Elite Mens World Cup race of the season. The sky was grey and the energy was building, not just because the crowds just witnessed one of the all-time epic women’s World Cups (more on that later) but also because the rain started to fall. The buzz around the course suddenly heightened, as mechanics scrambled for wheels and fans bustled to their chosen vantage point to see the action unfold. I was situated on the first big climb, always an exciting spot on the first lap as the herd of cyclocross riders hit the hill and pound their way up it. Stephen and Kerry Werner were nicely positioned at this point and after their early season battles it looked like they might be able to work together to fight through this elite pack. A group formed with Stephen, Kerry and Lance and the race started to bed in. With the rain falling and a sudden change of conditions the first few laps was not without some big falls and chaos in the pits. As the race developed, Stephen began to slip off the group he was in. Slowly moving further back, and clearly not riding with his usual vigour. I had moved to another spot amongst the crowds to photograph (and cheer) Stephen on, when an unusually long time passed. It sadly became clear that Stephen was no longer part of this race. I threw my camera over my shoulder and ran back to the STFR team tent to see Stephen slumped in the team van. Tears in his eyes, he looked at me and it was clear this was not the moment for a post race image. This moment was for Stephen. I stepped back and as the roars of the crowd cheered the final moments of the race Stephen regrouped with friends. Like most of you reading, I imagine you are the same as me, sports fans on the other side of the barriers. As fans, we dream, we judge, we criticise, we emote, however we never know. We don’t know what it is like to win, lose and we certainly don’t know what it is like to DNF. For a fan a ‘DNF’ (did not finish) is just three letters we see at the end of a results sheet. As an athlete, it is never something you want to see, and there is often so much more behind those three letters than is ever told or shared. Cyclocross is like many sports, a circus of athletes, often independently travelling from race to race, trying to battle their way to the top. Just getting to a race takes years of planning, training and sacrifices, to then prime yourself to compete, pushing your mind and body to its limit, to achieve your goals, is brutal. To then not even be able to finish, to see three letters abbreviate the torture you have gone through is a punch to the gut. I have no idea what this must feel like but this happened to Stephen on Sunday and it wasn’t easy for him to take. In a previous interview fellow cyclocross rider Ellen Noble said, “vulnerability…sensitivity us our biggest super power. So to be able to harness that I think is really important and think it is going to make for a better generation to follow” and she was completely right. The simple fact that Stephen composed himself, regrouped with his friends, then walked over to me to say “lets get this photo” shows how he knows his vulnerability, as a leader in the US cyclocross community, is a power and a gift. Stephen is someone who has never been slow to share his knowledge and experiences with his peers and fans. He carries the torch for Steve Tilford, shinning his legacy brightly over the cycling community. This is something that is special and something that will only help the sport grow in a world where mental health is coming to the forefront. As I said, this is not a happy photo, this is an important photo. The team and the circus rolls onto Fayetteville for the second of three world cups in a week. It will be a spectacle for fans made up of elite athletes as we all stand in awe of their abilities, but let us remember these gladiators performing for our joy are humans, and there will be many hundreds of untold stories that make up the next race.
The other results from the weekend for the team were a strong 7th place finish for Raylyn in the Trek Cup (also known as the hardest C2 race of the season). Raylyn also finished that race as the highest placed US rider. Stephen rolled in with a 6th spot during the mens Trek Cup. Jumping forward to Sunday, to the women’s World Cup, Marianne Vos showed her tactical prowess to take home the first win of the year. Unfortunately, Raylyn did not get to show her speed and form in the race as a tricky start saw her caught up in heavy traffic. In true Raylyn style she still fought her way back to 26th. All in all, Waterloo was special, the teams first World Cup. Not necessarily following the dream script, but an example of how strong and united the team is; which will only help moving forward.
Race weekend Gallery
Words and Images by Kenza Barton Schlee
