Winning the US Pro Champinship title this month is a testimony to the astounding progress Matthew Busche has made since taking up the sport. A former college runner, he cycled as cross training but it was only 2008 when he started to concentrate on two wheel competition.
At the beginning of the 2009 season, he was riding as an amateur in the US, then the Kelly Benefits pro team snapped him up. He rode a mere four races for Kelly before Johan Bruyneel signed him for Team Radioshack on the strength of a fifth place finish in the US PRO champs.
Busche's first year in the Euro pro ranks was a whirlwind tour capped by a podium finish at the 2010 Tour of Denmark.
In his second year with The Shack he has been producing strong results; but the strongest by far was the one he recently achieved in Greenville, South Carolina in the US PRO championships. There, he outsprinted three times winner, George Hincapie (BMC Racing Team) to claim the coveted stars and stripes jersey.
Busche has just finished competing in the Critérium du Dauphiné, riding in support of last year’s winner, Janez Brajkovic. He worked solidly and helped the Slovenian take ninth overall; he himself placed a decent 32nd. He was 21st in the prologue and 22nd in the Grenoble time trial.
The 26 year old from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin recently took time to tell VeloNation about the biggest win so far of his short career.
VeloNation: Congratulations on your US PRO championship win, Matthew…that’s a big result. You launched the sprint and Hincapie came past you. At that point, did you think; ‘well, I’m on the podium, at least?’
Matthew Busche: Did I consider giving up, you mean? A race is never over until it’s over, and in my mind I knew that my engine hadn’t blown…I got a bit of momentum of his draft with100 metres to go and went again. I have to say that it was nerve-wracking, it was so close – but I never considered giving up.
VN: How many riders did The Shack have, and what was the plan?
MB: There was me, Jason McCartney and defending champion Ben King – I had expected to be there working for Chris Horner and Levi Leipheimer but they had other commitments and so it was just the three of us. It was a disappointment and a blessing at the same time – I was disappointed that they weren’t riding but realised that there was a chance for me.
The basic game plan was to be there when it mattered; Ben was in the early move which kept the pressure off Jason and me.
After Paris Mountain we had Jason in the move and that was the key; when Tejay Van Garderen went full gas the last time up Paris, George and I could only sit on his wheel.
We got up to the break and that meant there were two Shacks – me and Jason; two BMC’s – George and Brent Bookwalter; but then Jeff Louder got on and that meant it was three BMC against the two of us.
But when Tejay attacked again it was down to just four riders; that was it – me, George, Tejay and Ted King.
VN: Before the race, who did you consider the danger men?
MB: George, obviously, he’s been champion three times. It’s his home town and the course suits him really well – there’s 40 kilometres from the top of the last climb to the finish and he has a good sprint.
Tejay is a great rider, I didn’t really consider Ted King – but guys come out of the Tour of California very strong; riders like Pat McCarty and Lucas Euser (both Spidertech).
VN: I believe the weather made it a tough day?
MB: It was very humid and temperatures were in the 90’s – so it became very much a day of attrition. A big plus for us was that my mom and my wife were feeding us and giving us ice socks to cool us, every lap. I drank two bottles and had gels on every lap – a lot of guys had cramps but I didn’t…I think that proves we got the nutrition right on the day.
VN: When Van Garderen went, did you realise that was the decisive move?
MB: For sure, on the fourth ascent of Paris with 40 kilometres to go to the finish – and when he goes, he means it!
I knew that positioning would be crucial last time up Paris and I fought to get on George’s wheel. When Tejay went, we were in a position to react.
VN: Did the four breakaways work well together?
MB: Yeah, once Ted came across the gap we worked really well and kept our gap on the group behind. In fact, until I jumped with 300 to go, no one skipped a turn – there was no ‘cat and mouse’ or attacks from a long way out.
But Ted was cramping, and whilst I thought about going from way out, I was nervous about blowing my opportunity.
VN: You’ve branded yourself as ‘super domestique.’ Does the US champion’s jersey change that?
MB: The jersey doesn’t change my mindset, I’m still young and inexperienced and my role in the team is to work for the leaders.
I want to learn, gain respect and experience as a ‘super domestique’ before I have any thoughts about being a team leader. For me to say; ‘I wanna be team leader’ is just silly – you have to earn respect.
VN: You’ve been 5th, 5th and now won the US Pro championship – that shows good self knowledge to be able to peak like that…
MB: Maybe it’s luck or a mistake? The date change to make it earlier this year was good for me because I had just come off a good programme…but really, I’m still figuring out how my body reacts.
VN: You were also third in the TT Champs – have you been working on your time trialling?
MB: No, I don’t have a TT bike at home and I haven’t been practicing. I rode the TT in the Tour of California but didn’t go full gas because I had a job to do for the team in the stages which followed.
When I’m fit I go okay in time trials but it’s something I need to practice. I do find if I get on the time trial bike a little the day before, or even the morning of the race I soon get used to it again.
VN: Isn’t there an argument for varying the course for the US PRO?
MB: It’s an argument I’ve heard from a lot of guys – but Greenville is a great city and great venue for a race.
I just won it so I’m bound to say it’s a great course, but I think it is a good course because it’s suited to an all round rider; even a sprinter – remember that Alex Candelario was second last year.
And if it didn’t explode up Paris last time, then a sprint is a possibility. But maybe the race should be spread around, expand the experience to other cities.
VN: Looking ahead, will we see you in a Grand Tour in 2011?
MB: It’s not certain but I hope to ride the Vuelta – that would be a great experience.
VN: And what of The Shack in 2012?
MB: I don’t really know, but we hope to go on together as a group – there’s great camaraderie in the squad and this year we’ve been riding very strongly as a consequence of us having been together and getting to know and understand one another.
But whatever happens, RadioShack has been a great sponsor.