Eric Brunner of CompEdge Racing has a comprehensive 'to-do' list that extends far beyond just retaining the prestigious stars-and-stripes jersey at the upcoming USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships. His focus is on achieving key goals that will shape his cycling career on both national and international stages.

Unraveling Eric Brunner's Cycling Journey

Defending Titles and Gaining Points

In Louisville, Kentucky on December 15th, Eric Brunner aims to secure a win. This victory would not only give him the much-desired points but also set him on a path to success in the UCI Cyclocross World Cup circuit later this month. With a prolific fall season under his belt, having won six out of ten UCI races, despite a late start to the US-based cyclocross season in late September, Brunner enters Nationals with confidence. "My main goal for the US part of the season was to defend my Pan Am and US titles, and so I’ve accomplished one of those goals already. I’m feeling good for Nationals coming up here in a week and a half," he shared with Cyclingnews. And getting those points is crucial as it determines his call-up positions at World Cups. "The call-ups. That’s the key," he emphasized.The jerseys won at Pan Ams and US Nationals bring more than just pride. They also provide Brunner with an advantage in terms of starting positions at upcoming World Cup races in Europe. "It sometimes feels like a big investment for what it is, but I think the start position is just so important, particularly in Europe where there are so many guys at a high level," he noted. Last year, his start position gave him a slight disadvantage as he was ranked in the 30s and starting from the third or fourth row. This year, he hopes to be in the second row or at least among the early call-ups on the third row to pick his spot in the grid.

From Road to Cross and Beyond

Brunner has a diverse cycling background. He won collegiate road and criterium national titles in 2019 and raced for five years with US-based Continental road teams, 303 Project and Aevolo. In 2022, he shifted his focus and won a bronze medal in cross-country at the US Mountain Bike Nationals. This year, he added gravel racing to his repertoire, finishing ninth at SBT GRVL in Colorado. "It was nice there. I felt like that was a big improvement for me, a six-hour type race. Honestly, I wanted to do well there, but I didn’t have super-high expectations, or prepare specifically for it," he said about his top 10 finish at the 142-mile Black course at Steamboat Springs.During the summer, he focused on getting a lot of training in while still enjoying himself. He ran for three days a week, including flat runs, work on the track, and exploring the trails and mountains around Boulder, including Longs Peak. This varied training routine helped him stay in good shape for the beginning of the 'cross season. One of his long training days was a 10-hour adventure where he rode his bike to the base of Long’s Peak, ran to the top and back of the famous 14,000-foot mountain, and then rode his bike home.While his immediate goal is to win another US cyclocross championship, he is already looking ahead to the long-term. In 2025, he plans to focus on a road programme with CompEdge, which he believes will be beneficial for his other disciplines. His other big goal for the season is to establish himself in cross-country mountain biking and race some of the World Cups. He doesn't plan to do the full schedule as it is long, but he hopes to race in Europe and participate in the Lake Placid and Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup races. "The LA games are 100% on my mind, and that’s a big goal of mine. I’ve never raced a ton of mountain bike but I’ve seen some potential in that discipline for myself the past couple of years. And so I’m excited to explore more and target the Olympics for mountain bike, and maybe cyclocross," he said.

Preparing for the European Campaign

After Louisville, Brunner will travel to Europe to compete in a series of World Cups, starting with the Hulst and Zonhoven doubleheader on December 21-22. In January, he will attend a three-week cyclocross camp with the full CompEdge team. This will be the final buildup for the World Championships at Liévin. With his diverse skills and goals, Brunner is ready to take on the challenges of the European cycling scene and make his mark on the global stage.