Silje Mathisen: “Riding at Team Hitec is a great opportunity”

Together with Natalie Midtsveen, Silje Mathisen is one of the two young Norwegian riders that joined Team Hitec Products – Birk Sport for the 2020 season. Ending her junior years with an ninth place at the world championships, she now waiting to start racing again. “I haven’t raced yet, as I had some struggles with injuries this year. The team is patient with their riders and I am glad they are.”

Starting as a mountainbiker, Silje is already riding her bike since the age of seven. “My parents and my brother were into the sport and that’s why I started too”, she tells. “I started with road cycling some years later and loved it immediately. I did other sports beside of cycling until I was fifteen, but I always knew cycling was my passion. I moved from home when I was sixteen to go at a sports school.”

In June, Silje will be done with her current school, but she wants to keep learning. “I like to study, because I think it is healthy to get my mind on other things than cycling, and to get smarter ofcourse. Besides that I also got a great coach and other cyclist to cycle with there. And I love to spend time with my friends and family whenever I have time for that.”

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‘The team believed in me’
Together with Natalie, Silje already raced with the team in 2019 in the French race Tour de Belle Isle en Terre. “I felt very lucky that I got the opportunity in France last year, because I had a tough season after an accident in the winter. Despite that, the team believed in me. The staff welcomed me in a great way at the race and the riders really took care of me. I actually got sick there and didn`t get a great experience of the race because of that. But the team are supportive no matter if you have a good day or not, which I think is important.”

After 2019, a contract waited for Silje and she joined Team Hitec Products – Birk Sport for this season. “I am happy and excited to race with the girls and I am looking forward to kick off the season. Women’s cycling is not that big in Norway and it is important to compete at a high international level to develop is a rider. Riding at Hitec is a great opportunity to compete in big competitions and learn from the riders and staff. Because of Hitec Products and the Ladies Tour of Norway, women’s cycling is luckily upcoming in Norway.”

One step at the time
Waiting to race for the first time this season, Silje knows her goals. “I want to be a great teammate and help the other riders”, she tells. “In addition to learn a lot and get experiences that I can bring with me the rest of the career. I will do the best I can in every workout and hopefully I will get better during the season, one step at the time. In the end I hope to become a cyclist who can compete at a high international level.”

Last Monday we interviewed Natalie Midtsveen. She is also new in the team. Want to read that interview? Click here!

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