What a remarkable year it has been, full of unforgettable moments and a mix of highs and lows! I truly loved competing at the highest level and achieving strong results while turning my passion for cycling into a career. My personal life also saw some wonderful highs, making this a year to cherish. Thank you for being a part of it. Let’s take a moment to reflect on how this incredible year unfolded!
The year began on a high note as Andreas Ohldieck and I traveled to Alicante for a week of intensive training. This year, we decided to bring only our gravel bikes, which allowed us to enjoy some fantastic trailblazing and explore amazing routes. Based in Guardamar, we discovered many hidden treasures. We also joined a ride organized by the Iron Gravel team, where Miguel Angel introduced us to sections of the IG360 route.
Upon returning to Norway, I had to shift my focus to my personal life, as my wedding was just around the corner! On January 27th, Hanna said “yes,” and we celebrated an incredible day with family and friends in Norefjell, embracing the traditions of a proper Norwegian wedding.
After our wedding, we went on our honeymoon to Tulum, Mexico. Unfortunately, Hanna got food poisoning. However, once she recovered, she visited several of the many cenotes and Maya ruins, and enjoyed some lazy days on the beach. The hotel had a gym, so I managed to squeeze in a few workout sessions to burn off some extra energy and avoid feeling restless.
A week after our two-week honeymoon, Andreas and I traveled to Girona, Spain, for the X Santa Vall. It was a fun three-day gravel event, but I wasn’t really race-ready—which is typical for someone just back from a honeymoon. Overall, it served as a lighthearted way to kick off the season, providing both a mental and physical boost as I prepared for the training ahead.
READ MORE: X Santa Vall race recap
After the wedding and our travels, March was a great month for settling in. I officially moved into our home on Nordstrand in Oslo. This month was also crucial for planning the 2024 season. While I already had goals and ideas in mind, it was time to work out the details and get started. I lead a small organization called Green Cycling Norway, and this year, we have many cycling events lined up.
Although this section focuses on March, fast-forwarding to the end of the year, we managed to conduct 110 days of cycling school, offer four mechanical courses for the public, create 11 videos showcasing cycling routes, and organize the Green Cycling Weekend, among other activities. It has been a busy year for our organization, with our events starting in March, kicking off with the first days of cycling schools.
At the end of March, I was invited to speak for two cycling clubs, Fosen SK and Frøya and Hitra SK, both located outside Trøndelag. It’s always enjoyable to meet like-minded cyclists in different places, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share my best tips and inspire others to ride more. Additionally, I included a visit to my family in Torvikbukt and had some fantastic cycling sessions along the beautiful coast of western Norway.
During the Easter holiday, my wife and I visited our family cabin in Nesfjellet. My training plan included skiing and Zwift.
On April 6, I invited riders to join the fourth edition of DNF GRVL, a 100-mile gravel challenge in my home region of Follo. Despite a snowfall in the days leading up to the event, 35 riders accepted the challenge. It was truly difficult, as the snow made the roads slippery and the surface loose, resulting in little traction. At times, participants had to walk for several minutes, potentially up to an hour. Nonetheless, all riders seemed to enjoy the challenge, and most successfully completed the course.
Additionally, I finally realized my long-time dream of participating in Denmark’s Dirty Jutland gravel race. Along with Andreas and Anders, I took the ferry to Denmark and arrived at the start line of the 223-kilometer route along the northwestern coast. It was a fast race and my first real competition since X Santa Vall, so eventually, my legs gave out. I managed to secure 10th place. .
DANISH GRAVEL: Race story from Drity Jutland
April was also the month we relaunched the 101percent Cup, a criterium series I organize, which this year features 10 midweek races throughout the season
The Traka has established itself as the largest gravel event in Europe, and this year I participated in both the 200k and 100k races. The 200k race is particularly competitive, featuring many of the top pro gravel riders from across Europe. Unfortunately, I had been feeling a bit off since Dirty Jutland and wasn’t at my best for the race. Two-thirds of the way through, I hit a wall but managed to take a detour into a bar along the route. Despite the struggles, I finished in 63rd place. While it wasn’t a strong result, I enjoyed my weekend in Girona. I also raced in the 100k on Sunday, where I finished 15th, so I had two solid sessions to help get my legs back into shape for the upcoming weeks.
TRAKA 200: Read my race story
Mid-month, I returned to my home in Dallas, Texas, after flying overseas. It’s always wonderful to catch up with the Rays and the Cadence Cyclery family, and I’m grateful for their hospitality year after year. Just two days after arriving back home, I took part in the Gravel Locos race. Racing a 150-mile event with jet lag and travel fatigue isn’t ideal, but it’s one of my favorite races, and I typically perform well. This year, I had a strong start, but I missed the selection for the lead group around halfway through. I teamed up with a solid group, and we worked together all the way to the finish, where I placed 13th overall.
GRAVEL RACING: Read the story from Gravel Locos
The following weekend, I raced in the local Spinistry event, the Texas Gravel Grinder. I broke away from the pack early and maintained the lead, pushing over 300 watts for three hours. It was a great lead-up to what was coming next.
On June 1st, I embarked on my racing goal of the year: the Unbound Gravel 200. This event is known as the world’s premier gravel race, and it is a key highlight for all professional gravel riders. Unfortunately, I caught a minor illness a few days before the race, so I entered without any expectations, just determined to race hard.
Early on, I accelerated from the peloton and formed an early break with three other riders. We managed to create a lead of almost seven minutes during the first 100 miles. However, we eventually got caught, and everything fell apart from there. In the last 40 miles, I found myself in a small group, and we worked well together. After 200 miles (320 km) of racing, I sprinted to finish in 22nd place. It was a solid performance for me, considering I had been part of an early break.
READ MORE: Unbound Gravel 200
After returning home to Europe, my next event was the FNLD GRVL. The gravel in Lahti is enjoyable and fast-rolling, and the SBT always puts on a great event. Leading up to the race, I crashed during my 101 Percent Crit race, which left my legs bruised. Despite this, I felt great in Finland… for the first 100 km. After that, my body felt empty, and I struggled to make it through the last 77 km to the finish. Ultimately, I completed the race and finished in 19th place.
READ ALSO: FNLD GRVL
It was great to reconnect and start preparing for our next goal. As part of my training, I participated in Unionsrittet, where I was also a co-organizer. The 230 km route took us from Askim to Sweden and back, and I teamed up with Torbjørn Røed, a Lifetime GP rider, to push our speed. It was a fun ride!
My main event this month was The Rift in Iceland. After experiencing several punctures in 2022, I was eager for redemption. On a good day, I believe the 200 km course suits me well. My Challenge Getaway tires performed exceptionally, but unfortunately, my legs weren’t at their best. I struggled to keep up with the top 15 riders, but I managed to catch some chasing groups and finished in 18th place. What an incredible course!
VIKING RACE: Race story from The Rift
August is always a super busy month for me. Most summer months are hectic, as I try to juggle racing, traveling, cycling schools, and my personal life, but August stands out as especially intense. This year started a little differently. After a week of photographing cycling routes for Green Cycling Norway, Hanna and I attended her cousin’s wedding, followed by a week at our family cabin by the sea.
The next race was the UCI event in Halmstad. It was my third time racing there, and I went off the front early in the competition. Unfortunately, that effort lasted only 20 kilometers before I was caught by the peloton. After about 80 kilometers, I punctured in a crucial part of the race, completely ruining my chances for a good finish. I also raced again on Sunday, where the field was a bit smaller. I managed to stay with the front group until the second-to-last hill, just 15 kilometers from the finish. However, on the downhill stretch to the finish line, I slid out, resulting in more bruises on the same leg I injured in June. It looks like I’ll be back to bandages and itchy showers again.
The following weekend, I was in the Nordic Gravel Series in Bergslagen, and this year the weather was fantastic. The night before the race, I struggled to sleep while staying in a hotel with loud music and noise. I’m not sure how that affected my performance, but I felt strong during the first 100 kilometers. Unfortunately, I began to feel depleted during the last 80 kilometers. I tried to maintain my speed to secure a top 10 finish, but I was caught just 5 kilometers from the end, finishing in 11th place.
The week after that, I participated in a cycling event with Rema 1000, where I was hired as a captain to help 40 store owners from both Norway and Denmark ride 560 kilometers from Oslo to Trondheim in three days.
I like to organize events, and my main event of the season is the Nesfjellet Gravelduro, which is part of the Green Cycling Weekend organized by Green Cycling Norway. I am both a rider and the race promoter. We offer exciting courses for riders of all levels and ages. This year was our biggest success yet, with 118 participants ranging from 3-year-olds and novice cyclists to World Cup riders. It can be challenging to create something suitable for everyone, but bringing together people from different cycling backgrounds is incredibly rewarding for me. I love the phrase “Cycling is for all,” and in Nesfjellet, this sentiment truly comes to life.
The following weekend, I was headed to Italy to speak for Econa and to organize a bike ride near Lake Garda. It was a fun weekend, and once again, it was great to share my passion with a diverse group of cyclists.
Next on my calendar was the UCI Gravel Series race, Graean Cymru, in Ruthin, Wales. This was my first time in Wales, and I had never ridden my bike in the UK before. My wife, Hanna, joined me for the trip, and we also met up with Mike Hagen, who runs the charity organization Classrooms in the Cloud, which raises funds for schools in Nepal. Although I didn’t feel great during the race and decided to DNF (did not finish), we still had a fun weekend exploring what the country had to offer.
In October, the cycling season begins to wind down, but some of the year’s biggest events still take place during this month. It’s a challenging task to stay at the top of your game all the way to the end of the season.
Before the race in Wales, I started feeling a bit sick, which affected my preparations for the World Championship in Leuven, Belgium. I stayed with my friend Lawrie and his wife Babette in Brussels, where I was well taken care of. Their support provided me with a great opportunity for last-minute preparations, including ample rest and time to familiarize myself with the course.
I competed in the Men Elite category against some of the best riders in cycling, such as Mathieu van der Poel and Matej Mohoric. Due to my puncture in Halmstad and my DNF in Wales, I didn’t have any UCI points and was placed at the back of the 250-man field. It was nearly impossible to reach the front, but I still managed to race decently and finished in 152nd place. While it’s not a memorable result, the experience of the race itself will stay with me, especially with the incredible support from the fans along the course!
READ ABOUT IT: World Championship 2024
After that, I had one more race block left in the season. I flew to the US for the Big Sugar race. This year, I also signed up for Lil Sugar, a 100k mountain bike race. I don’t have much experience in mountain biking, so the race was quite tough for me, and I felt exhausted by the time I crossed the finish line, far behind the fastest riders.
The following event, the Big Sugar Gravel race, was more significant for me. I felt okay leading into the race, but I had a rough start. Early in the race, I needed to fix my shoe cover, which caused me to get caught in the dust and lose touch with the first group ahead. However, I gradually felt better and began to regain some positions. Unfortunately, I lost my chain with 20 miles to go, forcing me to ride the last miles solo while trying to catch a few more riders. In the end, I finished 43rd, which, despite being the lowest position I’ve had in the three times I’ve raced it, was still my fastest time. This shows that the competition level is higher now than ever.
Finishing the season in the US with my American friends from Cadence Cyclery is always enjoyable. Now it’s time for me to shift my focus to the next challenges ahead.
Back home, we have welcomed an 8-week-old puppy named Puma. As our first dog, he keeps us quite busy, which has also given me a nice break from training. In November, I resumed my training, primarily focusing on gym work, while also dedicating more hours on the weekends.
With Green Cycling, we wrapped up our cycling season, participating in a few winter cycling events. For me, this also meant handling more administrative tasks to ensure our reporting and accounting are accurate. Although this may seem like a contrast to racing, I enjoy the change of pace at this time of year, as it involves less travel and allows me to reset.
November and December have passed quickly, largely due to adjusting to life with the puppy. This month, I also began planning for 2025. I am already signed up for the Traka 360, Gravel Locos, and Unbound Gravel events. My focus will shift more toward UCI races next year, as I hope to compete in the Men’s Elite category at the UCI Gravel World Championship in Nice—my fourth consecutive World Championship.
I am eager to share more about my plans and partnerships for 2025. I hope we can secure funding to maintain cycling activities with Green Cycling Norway, and I am also looking forward to participating in our fifth Nesfjellet Gravelduro on September 6.
Currently, I am at our family cabin in Nesfjellet. Christmas is a time for gratitude, and I feel blessed to pursue what I love professionally. I couldn’t have done this without my support crew and partners. A special thanks to Felt, CCN, Cadence Cyclery, Flow Formula, Impuls Helse, 101percent Training, Cycle Service Nordic, Challenge Tires, Deler AS, Pharma Nord, Bjørn Bergenheim, Corey Ray, Kent Erik Harridsleff, Joakim Birkeland, Magnus and Yvonne Sønsteby, Jon Otto Lien, Thomas Rem, and most importantly, my wife, Hanna.
Thank you to everyone who reads this as well; your engagement means a lot! I wish you all wonderful holidays and a Happy New Year.