Nicklas gives Olympic winner and Tour de France hero a run for his money from his basement
Nicklas Amdi Pedersen has put his iron horse in the basement and become one of the world's best cyclists in a virtual universe.
How is this possible?
Six months ago, 26-year-old Nicklas Amdi Pedersen was racing around the Danish country roads, competing in cycling's third-best league.
He achieved great results at continental level, but the eye of the needle to the world elite was too small, and the dream of a professional contract on the prestigious World Tour was never realized.
That's why he has put his road career on the shelf, and instead of racing through Europe's beautiful landscapes, the bike now sits idle in the basement in Risskov.
Here, Amdi Pedersen repeatedly puts the world's best cyclists in a virtual universe.
Tour de France stage winner Magnus Cort has been left behind. The Olympic and World Championship gold medalist in track cycling, Lasse Norman Hansen, has been defeated by a landslide.
- It's really cool that on a Tuesday night I can sit down in the basement and beat those who have left me on the road, says Nicklas Amdi Pedersen.
- The pros can pedal more watts than me, but when they just go into the game and drive everything they can, then I'm sitting on wheels waiting for the crucial times. It's all about tactics and technique. I've gotten good at learning the game and the dynamics. I know when I need to be at the front of the field.
In many ways, e-biking is similar to the rigors of the great outdoors.
The riders start together in a large field, they save energy by riding on the same wheel, and the race is often decided in a mass sprint.
For Nicklas Amdi Pedersen, the innovative cycling discipline has been welcome. For several seasons, he rode for the Danish continental team BSH-Almeborg while chasing a professional
- The races are shorter and more intense than on roads, and as a family man, it's just more convenient to drive an hour from 8pm to 9pm than to drive five hours in the afternoon.
- And then I have found out that I have a talent for it. It was not my plan when I stopped on the road, that I should be in the top-10 on the world ranking list in Zwift. But one race took the other, and now I am the captain of my team that drives me forward to the sprints, says Amdi Pedersen.
Doubling on Zwift
The e-bike rider is certainly not the only one racing indoors. The Danish Cycling Union has recognized e-cycling as a sport. And while cyclists around Europe have been locked up due to the pandemic, virtual trials of strength have emerged.
Major World Tour stars have ridden the Tour of Switzerland and the Tour of Italy on home trainers, and according to Zwift CEO Eric Min, the number of users on the platform has doubled since the coronavirus outbreak.
Looks like a tennis player
Nicklas Ambi Pedersen has also experienced the increased support. During the corona crisis, he has raced against more road cyclists than usual, who keep in shape through e-cycling. But he still experiences skepticism in the cycling community.
- It's great that e-biking is becoming more recognized as a form of competition and not just for exercise. But people are still absurdly old-fashioned about cycling. In many people's eyes, you have to train long distances and ride 200km for each training session. It has to be so traditional.
- A lot of people laugh at me when I say I'm an e-bike rider. And if you take a picture of me, I look like an idiot too. I'm wearing a headband to catch the sweat. I look like a tennis player, laughs Nicklas Amdi Pedersen.
Talking to teammates over app
But isn't it a bit sad to sit alone in your basement looking like a tennis player when you can have a real race against others in nature?
- In fact, you shouldn't underestimate that there's a lot of social aspect to it. In my team, we use an app to talk about tactics during the races, and during the warm-up and after each race we chat a lot.
- And then you can compete every day. There have been some days when it has been sunny and 18 degrees and my wife has asked why I don't cycle outside. Nevertheless, I have sat down in the basement because there is a competitive element, where I can compete for the victory in a race.
And there have been many victories since Amdi Pedersen started e-biking six months ago. Now the dreams are reaching beyond the country's borders.
- My dream is that one day I will be world champion and number one in the number one in the world rankings. That's what drives me. I hope to get sponsors and maybe in five years I will have a professional professional contract.
- And there has been a lot of talk about a national team in e-cycling at some point. I hope to be a part of that.
