The WorldTour siblings: two different riders, one shared love of cycling
April 5, 2021 
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Mathias and Emma Norsgaard are brother and sister and both race for the same WorldTour team: Movistar. That’s a first at the highest level of cycling. “Having Mathias there already obliged me feel safe ,” Emma tells me.” He once knew the ins and outs and had so many good things to say about the team. Although we are not in the same peloton it actually feels like we are on the same team .”
Emma Norsgaard( enunciated “norse-gore”) is the newest star of the women’s peloton. The 21 -year-old Dane has been close to winning in all the races she’s started this year and her first big victory surely is not far away. Her big brother Mathias is a totally different rider. He is a domestique, a helper on Movistar, and makes pride in help his team captains get good results.
“I want to be a rider like Imanol Erviti ,” 23 -year-old Mathias tells me.” Someone who rides at the front of the assortment, who is well-respected and really makes a difference for the team leader. Or Tim Declerq. Whenever I ensure him on TV I howl out,’ yes that’s me !’ ”
His younger sister Emma agrees when asked to characterise her big brother.
“Being a great domestique is the foundation of the team’s success ,” she says.” His personality truly fits that job. He is always so unwound and he loves what everybody else hates to do, ” she includes with a laugh. “For me as a sprinter I am always wished to stress a race and razz aggressively. Mathias is super relaxed in his job.”
The two Movistar equestrians come from Denmark, a strong cycling country prominent for its bike-friendly infrastructure. It was all the way back in 2005 when the activate for motorcycle scooting was ignited for the oldest of the two Norsgaard children. Mathias had to spend the summer at his mum’s workplace in a fitness centre and, merely eight years young, visualized the Tour de France on TV.
“I realise the peloton and said’ that’s what I want to do! ‘” he says.” That same day we bought cycling shoes and a second-hand bike off a peer of my mother, former pro Helle Sorensen. The next year I was hastening. Then Emma went jealous and wanted to race too.”
“It’s true, ” Emma contributes with a laugh. “He came home with the flowers, the accolades and the awards and he got all the attention. I demanded that extremely! ”
Mathias Norsgaard on his practice to a bronze honour at the 2018 life championships.
The rest is history. Both equestrians rose through the ranks and excelled as juniors. Mathias met tides as an U23 rider with a national time trial title, a copper medal at the world championships, and a theatre acquire and a yellow jersey in the 2019 Tour de l’Avenir after a long solo on day 1 of the reputable U23 stage race. Emma, meanwhile, won the Danish elite road title in 2016, at really 16 year olds. She recurred the feat in 2020.
There is a difference in the siblings’ advancement though. Mathias is a boy and Emma is a girl.
“You were told in those eras[ when we were young] that girlfriends couldn’t make money riding bikes, ” Mathias says. “That had an impact on the decisions our parents stimulated. They were more worried about Emma. They took really good care of us but cycling is so expensive. I knew from my junior epoches that I could make a living in the sport and totally extended for it. Emma had to finish her stage in psychology and sociology first.
” It was a different approach by our parents very. I never had that pressure of a Plan B because I knew I could be pro. In her first year with the Bigla team she was still going to school and then[ would] learn or hasten. Cycling for a living, for coin, was never her drive. She adores the athletic so much. I revere her fortitude. She is the first one in the family with a degree, ” Mathias says lovingly.
“It’s true that I never thought about making coin but now I am older it’s great to see how women’s cycling progresses, that many more riders pay a compensation ,” Emma says.” It’s good to be part of that progress and consider the play step in the right direction .”
Her brother sounds in: “I do wish I finished a certain degree .”
Emma Norsgaard( left) coming in second at Le Samyn.
The rivalry between the two siblings is real. “When we were kids, or even juniors[ U19s ], Emma always scooted before me, ” Mathias says.” If she earned a hour ordeal or a scoot, I demanded that too and calculated by how much day I could beat her. Now she hastens so well and I get so many textbooks about my sister doing so well. They now ask questions when I am going to triumph, ” he laughs loudly.
The rivalry is real but so is the affection. They share a house together in Girona together with Emma’s fiance Mikkel Bjerg, pro cyclist at Team UAE-Emirates. Emma is on the verge of a breakthrough in the women’s peloton and is closer to winning scoots than her big brother.
“I don’t know if I can advise him[ on how to win]- he generally advised and cautions me, ” she smiles. “He really needs to relax in his character on the team and the success will come. Mathias learnt me, as did our mothers, that with hard work you can achieve everything.”
Mathias watched his sister race the last stage of the Healthy Ageing Tour and the two Spring Classics Le Samyn and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. She came second in all three hastens.
“I desired how she hastens so aggressively in the Healthy Ageing Tour ,” Mathias says.” Before she left Girona to travel to the Netherlands, she wasn’t sure she could do that cobbled climb on Col du Vam but I was so impressed with her. Her development is now going so fast but she is also still young. She needs to race aggressively and learn. I do have to interrupt my training to watch her though! ” he laughs.
“No, I loved how she was so strong in the breakaway and then still had so much better left. Everyone enjoys Mathieu van der Poel for his attacking style! He hastens with his middle. Emma does too.”
Emma Norsgaard on the VAM-berg in the Healthy Ageing Tour 2021.
Mathias did hold valuable opinion to Emma about Movistar. He met the Spanish team in 2020, as the second Dane ever, and knew the ins and outs.
“I knew relatively early in the 2020 season I wanted to leave Bigla and Movistar testified interest earlier today in that season ,” Emma says.” They really are helping women’s cycling forward and make a point of reaching the men’s and women’s team one team. Mathias and I chatted a lot on whether it would be a good fit for me[ in 2021 ]. He had so many good things to say about the team. I feel better at home. At the first training camp it felt safe having my big brother there but I was also abode immediately by the team .”
“From the Tour of Flanders and then Roubaix we share the same hotel, ” Mathias supplements.” That is always delightful as a crew because we share the same objectives. Roubaix will be very exciting, too for Emma because it’s the first one .”
Given the Norsgaard siblings have completely different capacities on their respective units, it’s no surprise they have different dreams. “I want to win as much as I can, ” says Emma. “A long career is not my dream definitely because I have dreams for after my cycling career as well. Me and Mikkel are getting married and I do want to start a family.”
Mathias Norsgaard at the BinckBankTour time trial in 2020.
Mathias dreams of a long career but he too wants to win scoots. “I will never acquire a sprint like Emma does ,” he says.” I can maybe win in a hour ordeal or from a breakaway but most of all I want a long career in cycling.”
No matter what, the siblings’ mum and dad, Mette Line and Teddy Norsgaard, should be proud. However, Mathias and Emma would rather not have their parents at races- they’re afraid to disappoint them.
“If they wander so many kilometers to hastens in Flanders or France and we don’t do well, that would be a disappointment ,” Mathias says.” Although my mum and Emma were in Yorkshire at the 2019 World Championships[ where Mathias was fourth in the U23 time trial ]. I didn’t know and did affection the surprise. I’d rather not know[ they are here] before a hasten though.”
At the Danish national championships in mid June mum and dad Norsgaard will most certainly “ve been watching”. A brother and sister winning national claims at the same time would be unique. Although the Norsgaards are very different riders- one a real winner and one a true domestique- they both share a profound desire for what they do for a living. And for one another.
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