Ben Berden’s Biggest Win in Five Years, the U.S. Boulder Cup

2011 Boulder Cup podium: Ryan Trebon 2nd, Ben Berden 1st, Tim Johnson 3rd (l to r) (Mary Topping)

Does winning the 2011 Boulder Cup make it any easier for Belgian’s Ben Berden to live in the U.S., away from his wife and two small children for four months, moving from one host family house to another?

“It’s my biggest win in five years,” Ben said, speaking to velonews.com after the race. Ben told the crowd gathered around the podium that he took it easier than usual the morning of the race, spending less time warming up. He also liked the course. The Valmont Bike Park venue included more hills, sand/gravel, and muddy sections than Saturday’s course at the Colorado Cross Classic where Ben finished fourth.

Ops-Ale, Belgian beer, one of Ben Berden's sponsors (Mary Topping)

Ben shared some details about one of his sponsors, Ops-Ale, with podium spectators. A family-run brewery crafts Ops-Ale; it’s so local that, according to Ben, it’s only known in the Flanders part of Belgium. But it’s not foreign to Ben who has known the family that owns the business since he was 15 years-old. Clement, a tire manufacturer, also sponsors Ben; Clement’s tents sheltered Ben and his equipment at the Boulder Cup. On hand to make sure Ben’s machine, a Stoemper bike, worked well, was Jordan Schware, Ben’s mechanic. Jordan reveled in Ben’s win along with Donn Kellogg of Donnelly Sports, Clement licensee. Donn’s been working to rebuild the over 100-year old brand.

Ben Berden (center) with mechanic Jordan Schware (l) and Donn Kellogg (r) (Mary Topping)

In this post-race video Ben shares the key moment in the race when he took advantage of his skill in the sand, how he feels about racing in the U.S., and what’s next for him after he returns to Belgium. Thank you, Ben, and congratulations on your 2011 Boulder Cup win. For more detail on how the race progressed, visit velonews.com. Ben’s U.S. racing calendar, a list of his sponsors, and other information can be found on his website.

2011 Boulder Cup podium: Ryan Trebon 2nd, Ben Berden 1st, Tim Johnson 3rd (l to r) (Mary Topping)

2011 Boulder Cup Course Map