Imagine transitioning from mountain biking to WorldTour road racing with only five road races under your belt! That's the reality for Jonas Kind Hoydal, the son of an Olympic mountain biking legend, who's making waves with Visma | Lease a Bike. But how did he go from barely any road racing experience to riding alongside some of the world's best? Let's dive in.
Visma | Lease a Bike is currently showcasing the talents of two promising young Norwegian cyclists, Mikal Grimstad Uglehus (20) and Jonas Kind Hoydal (19), at the Tour of Holland. Hoydal's pedigree is particularly noteworthy: his father, Rune Hoydal, represented Norway in mountain biking at the 1996 Olympic Games. This connection sparks curiosity, and IDLProCycling.com provides an insightful look into this rising star.
Rune Hoydal belonged to the same generation as Bart Brentjens, a dominant figure in mountain biking during the 90s. Just a year before Brentjens etched his name in history by becoming the first-ever Olympic mountain biking champion in Atlanta (1996), Rune Hoydal achieved an impressive feat: winning five consecutive World Cups in 1995. His victories spanned continents, from Cairns, Australia, to Madrid, Spain, and from Mt. Snow, United States, to Houffalize, Belgium. He also competed in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics in Sydney, finishing eleventh in 1996.
It seems athletic talent runs in the family, though Jonas has primarily focused on road cycling. When asked about the comparison to his father, Jonas laughs. "My father was a professional mountain biker back in the day. But he also rode quite a lot on the road, for example, in the Netherlands," he explains, highlighting his father's diverse cycling background.
"I live in Sande, near Oslo. My father has set up a kind of mountain biking community there, so I've known nothing but mountain bikers around me since I was young," Jonas elaborates, painting a picture of his upbringing deeply rooted in cycling culture. This close proximity to mountain biking heavily influenced his early cycling career.
"So I also started cycling at a young age, although until two years ago, that was on a mountain bike. Then I made the switch to road cycling because I joined the Visma | Lease a Bike U23 team," Jonas explains. And this is the part most people miss... He hadn't dedicated his life to road cycling since childhood. "At that point, I had only ridden a few national road races, but that was no more than five in total." Can you imagine jumping into a WorldTour team with that little road experience?
"The team approached me because I was riding Zwift races, and of course, through my father, I had some good contacts. I was asked if I wanted to join the training camp, and after that, they offered me a contract," says Hoydal, who is now experiencing his first stage race with the team's main squad at the Tour of Holland. Zwift, a popular online cycling platform, proved to be a springboard for Hoydal's career. The combination of his Zwift performance and his father's connections opened the door to a life-changing opportunity.
"In the first year, it was sometimes difficult to learn everything. The transition from mountain biking to road cycling is not easy, especially because it is an individual sport. But this year is going a lot better. And I'm still learning," he admits. The shift from the technical demands of mountain biking to the strategic and endurance-focused world of road cycling presented its challenges. "Menno Huising, who is a really nice guy, helped me a lot last year, for example, and so did Darren van Bekkum, who now rides for Astana." Mentorship from experienced riders played a crucial role in Hoydal's development.
"Now I really enjoy road cycling. And I have to say: the more I do it, the better I get at it. I really like the team spirit, and I enjoy the classic races, the races with some action, the most," says Hoydal, whose contract was recently extended until next year. It seems he's found his passion and niche within the sport. But here's where it gets controversial... Some might argue that his initial opportunity was heavily influenced by his father's legacy, while others would say his talent and dedication earned him the spot.
"Jonas is an all-rounder and a truly loyal soldier of ours, next year for the third year in a row," said Head of Development Robbert de Groot at the announcement. "Don't forget that as a junior mountain biker, he had hardly ever raced on the road. He has made enormous strides with us, and we think he has even more potential." De Groot's statement emphasizes the significant progress Hoydal has made in a relatively short period, highlighting the team's belief in his future prospects.
"My long-term ambition is to become a pro," Hoydal himself added at the start of the Limburg stage in the Tour of Holland. "Hopefully, I can take another step and eventually reach the WorldTour. But for now, I'm still in my place with the U23 team, where the overall vibe is really good and we also have a great program." Hoydal's aspirations are clear: he aims to reach the highest level of professional cycling. He remains grounded and focused on his current development within the U23 team.
What do you think? Did Jonas Hoydal's family connection give him an unfair advantage, or is his success purely a testament to his talent and hard work? And what advice would you give to aspiring cyclists looking to transition from one discipline to another? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
