Yesterday I watched the race in Albenga and it inspired me write this: 

Today, on International Women’s Day, I’m at a mountain bike race on the Italian coast. I’m not racing today, but standing on the other side of the tape, and I’m reminded of something bigger than just racing. I mean today it’s about the women here—racing, supporting, working behind the scenes—each of them contributing to the incredible cycling community.

So today, I want to shine a light on the women who make this sport what it is. The racers giving their all out there. The racers who celebrate each other on the other side of the finish line. The teammates offering a word of encouragement. The mechanics, coaches, managers, volunteers, sisters, mothers, and fans who show up and make it all possible. You are seen and you are valued.
Let’s keep showing up for each other. Let’s keep pushing boundaries. Let’s keep riding—together.

/Malene

I couldn’t fall asleep for two nights, and the hotel breakfast on Saturday morning suddenly seemed unappealing. Friday afternoon, I drove 4 hours to a place called Ulricehamn in the southern part of Sweden. I was at the seemingly unappealing breakfast buffet because I had signed up for the Danish/Greenlandic national Championship in cross-country skiing. More precisely, the long-distance freestyle competition which took place Sunday morning. And I’m a total beginner. 

Flow is maybe not the right word, think flow as in a state of mind, not flow as flowing well on the snow. Technique is quite something in this sport, and I haven’t mastered it - yet. So, my strong cycling muscles carried me through to 4th place overall and 2nd in my age group. I also didn’t know how to fuel while being stuck to two sticks, so I just ran 1 hour 51 minutes without any fuel at all. As a reference, I take one gel every 20 minutes in a MTB race + carbs in my bottle. I crossed the line empty. I hadn’t been able to use my full physical capacity because every time I tried to go faster I lost my balance on the thin skies, but I had tried so hard for almost two hours. 
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I learned two things: “It feels scary because it’s unfamiliar, not because I’m incapable.” (Michell C Clark), and that “yet” is a word I need to use more. I haven’t *** yet. I don’t know *** yet. 

So many opportunities, so many adventures ahead. January has treated me well, and in 2025 I wanted to challenge myself and try new things. We’re off to a good start. 

/Malene

The year was 2018 (sounds historical now, right), it was a hot summer (even a weather analogue), and my racing had been going really well as I was on my way to finish second overall in the U23 World Cup (which I did achieve). I was at a point in my career where I had to stop and wonder what to do next, 2019 would be my first season in the elite category. I was finished with my Gymnasium and maybe it was time for something new?

That’s the name of the game in this world, so time to look forward. I decided to head down to Roc d’Azur and talk with some of the French teams. Maybe that could be the place for me for the next step in my career?  
I met Pierre Lebreton and Michel Hutsebaut in a hotel on the Rivera, and they showed me their new partnerships and riders for 2019-2020. It all sounded so exciting, and they welcomed me with open arms. Little did I know that that was going to be my team for the next 6 seasons.

For the next 2 seasons, we came back to the French roots and raced on Lapierre bikes and Mavic wheels. At this time, Michel’s daughter Celine Hutsebaut had taken over the team and a new era of this team (with a very long history of racing, I believe 27 years) had begun. With Enrico Martello as the new DS, and a completely new set of staff. We always joked that I was the OG (original gangster), of the team as I had been there the longest - along side our Videographer, Enric Cabot. Over these 6 years, I achieved great goals, overcame hurdles, got stronger, got defeated, failed, you know all of it. But I think the most important journey was the growth and progress I made as a young adult. When performance and sport is your fulltime job it brings many things to your life. And I think especially in the hardship I learned most about my core values and where I want to go in this life. 

We are now parting ways. I believe everything has an end, and at some point, you need to be brave and jump. Who knows what the future holds? 

“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” – William Faulkner

​The future looks bright, thanks for reading along. /Malene