Laguna Raceway is located in Monteray on the beautiful Pacific coast of California. The raceway is known for high speeds, and even though this weekend didn’t involve race cars, the thousands of riders, exhibitors and visitors created an atmosphere you rarely experience. Arguably, the main event was the Lifetime GP La Gravilla gravel race on Thursday, where I lined up with 140 of the best gravel riders in the US and abroad.
In 2023, I won La Gravilla, though most of the biggest names then raced the MTB event, Fuego XL, which used to be the Lifetime GP race. This time, the gravel race was the main show. The course is tough, with steep climbs and narrow, twisty gravel roads where every pedal stroke counts. If you blow up here, you lose minutes fast. No time to recover.
LOOKING BACK: Win a Sea Otter Classic 2023
My wife, Hanna, and I combined the race weekend with a babymoon, as we’re expecting our first child this summer. We arrived a week early, giving us time to get over the jet lag and drive Highway 1 down to LA. We spent two nights with fellow Norwegian Christoffer and his family in Encino, did some sightseeing, and I got in some solid morning rides through Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Amazing place to ride.
Then it was Monteray. I was racing, Hanna was my support crew. My lineup position could have been better. I planned to be early, but during my last warm-up interval I missed the call, and when I got back, almost everyone was already lined up.
— Paaang!
The start gun fires and the race is on. As expected, everyone is flat out to reach the front before the first corner halfway up the climb. My legs are already full of lactate, but I manage to move up, even though there are still too many riders ahead.
We turn left onto a narrow gravel trail and the bottleneck almost brings me to a full stop. I weave left and right, trying to pass riders as we dive into a steep downhill. It’s a miracle nobody crashes at speeds up to 45 mph. I just try to hang on.
– Keep working, guys, and we’ll catch the group ahead!
I try to fire up the chasing group. It’s moving well, and we start closing the gap after an early split. I want to be in the main peloton of around 50 riders, but being in a group with names like Chase Wark, Rob Britton and Griffin Easter, I know we’ve got the horsepower.
Halfway into the 30-mile loop we hit a singletrack section. On my Challenge Gravine tires I feel confident in the corners and manage to close the gap to the back of the peloton. But as soon as we’re out, gaps open again and I have to dig deep to latch onto the next group. The front is still another 30 seconds up the road.
We’re not slowing down, but I have to be smart not to blow up. Over the next lap I do my share of the work while trying to conserve energy. At the same time, I’m surprised by how well my legs respond. I feel strong and can handle the surges without cracking. Riders start fading, and I gradually move up.
Eventually, we spot riders ahead after chasing blind for a while. The front is still minutes up the road, and the course rarely lets you see more than 30 seconds ahead—but now there’s a group. I go all-in to bridge. It hurts, but I make it. It’s Norwegian gravel viking Simen Nordahl Svendsen. Being in a group with strong names like him gives me a boost.
On the biggest climb toward the finish, we push each other until only seven riders remain.
– Oh no… chain drop!
We’re deep into the final part of the race, back on the same climb where Simen and I pushed the pace the lap before. This time he’s gone early and has a gap. I’ve been suffering the last 10 miles but am still hanging on, trying to follow the three U23 riders fighting for the win. We’ve been riding hard in no man’s land—picking up dropped riders, but too far back to catch the front, and too fast for anyone to come across.
Then my chain drops mid-climb. I have to stop. I fumble getting it back on and lose around 30 seconds.
Once rolling again, I somehow find another gear. I push all the way to the line, almost closing back in on the legend Michael Woods.
WANT TO SEE: Check the live stream from Lifetime GP
39th might not make the headlines, but I’m honestly happy with the performance. This wasn’t an A race, so I know there’s more to come. Better positioning at the start, no chain drop, and a few small improvements could easily have meant top 25 in this field—which would have been a really strong result.
315 NP for 4.5 hours shows I’m in a good place physically. With my A races—Traka 360 and Unbound 200—coming up in May, I’m confident there’s more to give.
Hanna and I wrapped up the trip with a few great days in San Francisco. I rode across the Golden Gate Bridge and climbed Mount Tamalpais—some incredible riding just outside the city.
Thank you, California, for 10 amazing days!
The Sea Otter Classic is one of the world’s largest cycling festivals, held annually at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in California. It brings together pro and amateur racing across multiple disciplines—road, MTB, and gravel—alongside a massive bike expo, product launches, and industry events. It’s as much a showcase of cycling culture and innovation as it is a race weekend.
The standout event is the gravel race (often called La Gravilla), part of the Life Time Grand Prix series.
Elite field: Features top international gravel pros competing for points in a season-long series.
Course: Fast, rolling gravel with punchy climbs and tactical racing—often favoring strong, all-round riders.
Importance: It’s one of the key early-season races in the Grand Prix, helping set the tone for overall standings.
Style of racing: Aggressive, high-speed, and often selective rather than pure endurance—positioning and timing matter as much as raw power.