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DREAMING

3/1/2023

The dream is this: we will be happy when we reach our goal.
Start the season with a win.
Then we get there, and if we are human, we immediately start to dream about something else.

Before I left for Spain, I wrote down my goals for the trip; Get back into the race mode, set up my new bike, leave with more points than when I arrived. Did I achieve it? Well, yes. I did get 4 race starts, so definitely got back into the whole rhythm of racing. I did set up my Lapierre, both suspension wise and bike fit wise. I also left with 76 points, which was 40 points more than last year at this time, but I had dreamed about more. It didn’t go as smoothly as I had hoped, but on the other hand, I had set some goals for the trip, and I completed 3/3 of them.

Those small goals are all steps on the way and part of the progress, and I know that. But when I raced the first weekend in La Nucia, I felt so capable and strong. I was confident out there and my numbers were some of the bests I had seen from myself. I left La Nucia with such a smile on my face! Was awesome to take the win, especially with all the new sponsors and staff.

We continued in land to a town called Chelva. Chelva delivered a demanding, technical, and fun racecourse. It’s rocky and loose and puts the bike under pressure. Great spot to test out equipment. My performance there was what I felt like a solid day. Nothing crazy bad nothing crazy good, but overall, a pretty good day.

And who would want to live a

life without dreaming?

One thing about these winter team camps that you might not know, is that it’s not a training camp per se, it’s a race-training-media-photoshoot-video-meetings-sponsorvisits-testing kind of camp. Most riders and teams combine these early races with all that. It’s part of the game, but it takes a toll on the body. The last weekend of racing was in Banyoles, I could feel that we had been doing all of the above, but I was determined to put in a good race effort.

Friday we raced a short track, fun to be back racing in this format, plus I actually had a really good ride! I think I finished 8th. For the Sunday race, it was a different story. The weather gods played us well, and the course went from dry and fast to deep mud and sliding around. I was a little sad to finish the trip with a bad race, I took some bad decision and couldn’t recover from it during the race, so I had to settle for a finish far behind the leaders.

The life as a racer goes up and down, from wining to barely crossing the finish line.
Now I’m back home, writing this from my sofa. It’s still cold here but the sky is blue. I feel the energy is creeping its way back. Getting World Cup fast is a progress, and this trip was an important step on the way. I’m already looking ahead. What’s next?

The thing about us always looking for the next target is that we never stop dreaming. And who would want to live a life without dreaming?

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Winter

2/1/2023

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I spy with my little eye… A race on the Training Peaks calendar! So, it seems the winter training blues are soon to be interrupted.

Our new 2023 look!

As the season is approaching with overwhelming speed, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to give my blog some life, yet again. Does anyone read along anymore? Who knows.
Our World Cup season is still 100 days away, but before we get there, I will do a series of racing in the early spring. Starting off in Spain in February, hopefully under the warm Spanish sun. Escaping the grey north for a little while. I spent almost all my November, December, and half of January in Denmark. I had to finish a semester here and as I moved back home from Spain, I set it up as my base. Its been quite nice, and I have had some super training weeks here.

It’s just a little tough tho. Layers on layers, rain, cold, forget about your feet’s and hands, darkness, mud, wind. It makes you a tough cookie, and it also makes you appreciate the small things. A sunny day and you will see the 5 million Danes out smiling in the outdoors. It’s cool.
But to go out there every day and put your best effort, it takes a lot of effort and motivation. So after a while it felt so nice to find my seat in the big bird and fly down to Cape Town. I spent two weeks down in Stellenbosch, and omg it was good. I wondered why I didn’t book another week down there? What a great spot. I went there with my good friend and teammate Sebastian Fini.

Last minute decision to do a marathon race close by!

The goal is to get back into the race-groove, collect points and set up the new bike. Oh yea, that’s right, I got a new bike!

We really enjoyed the life of hard work on the bike and relaxed life off the bike. A nice place to keep the good life balance, which can be a challenge on training camps (it’s possible to go a little crazy from seeing the same 4 walls of a hotel room for too long).
Now I’m back in the big bird flying across Africa and Europe to get back to Copenhagen. Time to find the winter gear again and get back out there. Hopefully flying high on this trip to SA.

I will let you know how the first block of races went in Spain. I’m doing 3 in row. The goal is to get back into the race-groove, collect points and set up the new bike. Oh yea, that’s right, I got a new bike! Did you see it on my Instagram? My team owner took some big decision last year and we are now the same team, but with a couple of new big sponsors. Including two new name sponsors; Lapierre bikes and Mavic wheels. I know Mavic, Fox, FSA and the rest of the components on the bike, but the bike it self is new. Which is really exciting, and I already have good feeling on the rocket. But, still, it’s going to be great to spend some weeks with our mechanic to do testing and get the bike dialed for different terrains.

Exciting times to come. Happy the racing train starts to roll again soon and everything it brings with.
Accept what is, let go of what was and have faith in what will be.
Cheers
M

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3 WEEKS on the road

9/8/2022

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The weather is a bit moody as I look out the window from my bed. It’s kinda cold in the room so I’m snugging in under my blanket as I’m writing this. I have been home for 72 hours, but my body still doesn’t feel like doing anything really. After 3 super intense weeks I feel like I got hit by a train as soon as I crossed the doorstep to home. My bed and I have had some serious quality time.

But the past weeks has, beside being intense, also been absolute amazing. I felt so strong and confident when I flew out to Munich for the Europeans Championship 3 weeks ago. On the trip overseas I started to feel better and better, but when I got home and prepared for the Europeans Championship, I started to feel much more capable, and like that covid mid-season incident was fully out of the system.
The track in Munich was special, we were racing in a park in the middle of the city. I started the race, kept believing in my abilities and finished in 8th position. Just behind Caroline Bohe and Alexandra Keller, who has been insanely fast all year.

After that race I knew that next weekend’s World Champs could be really great. From Germany we drove straight to Les Gets, where this year’s world champs were going to take place. Our national coach had booked a big chalet on the French mountainside, Caro and I quick took our claim on the nice basement room with our own bathroom (we’re not only racing in the weekend ;-)). Good week ahead with the best roommate. Our room didn’t have any wifi and almost no phone signal – so patients and actual talking was practiced during that week, haha.

After last weekend’s race I knew the shape was there and I just had to keep my shit together and go for it. So, I did that. And finished my best race of the season in 8th! Freaking awesome. I rode alongside the fast ladies, and was thinking, hah, I’m as strong today yeeew.
After a lovely big danish dinner I went to bed with a smile on my face, that Sunday evening. But not much time to celebrate, because when the alarm ringed Monday morning – we were already on the road to our next destination. Last World Cup of the season in Italy, Val di Sole. Just one week more of full focus and then let’s finish this season.

In Italy it was hard to get the energy back for another race weekend, I did my best to unplug and find the drive. For the short track on Friday, I was actually not feeling like racing, but as we discussed with my team manager – do it for Sunday. So, on the start line, I was thinking – do it for Sunday Malene. Finished 13 meant second row – perfect.
When Sunday finally came around I felt ready to give it my all. And I did, again I felt super strong and I went on the hunt for my best result. With one and a half lap to go, I felt like I was capable of a little bit of magic, but maybe I was a little too motivated to finish fast and I hit a stone to hard, which caused a flat tire.. Bummer. But still managed to finish 14th.

On the bottom-line I’m so proud of the way I rode for those 3 weeks. I hit a high level and I managed to keep it for 3 weekends in a row. That both motivates me and makes me dream for the future. Why not me?

Now I upload this, and maybe I take another nap?
Rumours says that I have some other World Champ race coming up.. ;-)

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