Team Svealand - Sweden's cycling future
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4.5 min reading
That Sweden is a bit behind our dear neighbors Norway and Denmark in terms of cycling is something that most people are aware of. But if they can produce cyclists, leaders, and teams at the highest level, why can't we do the same? This is exactly what Team Svealand cycling is trying to achieve. To create a path into Europe for our young girls and boys so that they gain the incredibly important experience of competing against the best from a young age. For us at Umara, this feels like an obvious project to support. We also had a chat with the founder and leader of the team, Oskar Ekman.
Hello Oskar! Can you tell us a bit about Team Svealand? What kind of initiative is this? What is the goal?
"Svealand Cycling Team is a development ladder for young people who want to race internationally on the road. The project starts with youth aged 15-16 and goes up to U23, which means 22 years old. There are three age categories U17-U19-U23 that we take care of. It is open to youth from all over Sweden. We show the youth the magic of the team and the methodology of the peloton. We take them to big competitions outside of the Nordic countries and have the goal of delivering cyclists who are ready for professional life when they leave high school. Along the way, they meet teams and national squads from many countries. We competed in over 15 countries in 2022, and more than 40 young people have had the opportunity to race outside of the Nordics. Last season, we had 32 UCI races on the calendar for Juniors and U23. For the 2023 season, we already have 40 UCI races lined up. So it's growing. We also have Girls 15-16 this season, which is very exciting. We missed the girls last season but got a flying start in the 2021 season with both the junior girls and F15-16. One of the juniors now has a contract with a team in Great Britain, so that feels especially fun!"
What is your role in the team?
"I am the project leader and sports manager in my role as chairman of the Stockholm Cycling Federation, which is running the project. My goal is to participate in as many races as possible each season, but also to allocate resources to be able to conduct several races on the same weekends. We have one weekend in May where we have three races in three different countries this spring, for example. It feels great!"
Denmark and Norway have been very successful with major cycling successes worldwide. What is needed for us to have more Swedish professional cyclists?
"The successes of Denmark and perhaps especially Norway are an incredibly great inspiration for us. If a Norwegian initiative can have Norwegian cyclists invited to the Tour de France, then Sweden can as well. The physical conditions are exactly the same for our cyclists. We have just, like Norway 15 years ago, lacked the opportunity, the platform, to take the cyclists out into Europe. We are building that now and are well on our way. I am convinced that in a few years we will have more professionals and better results at the highest level for both girls and boys."
Hello Oskar! Can you tell us a bit about Team Svealand? What kind of initiative is this? What is the goal?
"Svealand Cycling Team is a development ladder for young people who want to race internationally on the road. The project starts with youth aged 15-16 and goes up to U23, which means 22 years old. There are three age categories U17-U19-U23 that we take care of. It is open to youth from all over Sweden. We show the youth the magic of the team and the methodology of the peloton. We take them to big competitions outside of the Nordic countries and have the goal of delivering cyclists who are ready for professional life when they leave high school. Along the way, they meet teams and national squads from many countries. We competed in over 15 countries in 2022, and more than 40 young people have had the opportunity to race outside of the Nordics. Last season, we had 32 UCI races on the calendar for Juniors and U23. For the 2023 season, we already have 40 UCI races lined up. So it's growing. We also have Girls 15-16 this season, which is very exciting. We missed the girls last season but got a flying start in the 2021 season with both the junior girls and F15-16. One of the juniors now has a contract with a team in Great Britain, so that feels especially fun!"
What is your role in the team?
"I am the project leader and sports manager in my role as chairman of the Stockholm Cycling Federation, which is running the project. My goal is to participate in as many races as possible each season, but also to allocate resources to be able to conduct several races on the same weekends. We have one weekend in May where we have three races in three different countries this spring, for example. It feels great!"
Denmark and Norway have been very successful with major cycling successes worldwide. What is needed for us to have more Swedish professional cyclists?
"The successes of Denmark and perhaps especially Norway are an incredibly great inspiration for us. If a Norwegian initiative can have Norwegian cyclists invited to the Tour de France, then Sweden can as well. The physical conditions are exactly the same for our cyclists. We have just, like Norway 15 years ago, lacked the opportunity, the platform, to take the cyclists out into Europe. We are building that now and are well on our way. I am convinced that in a few years we will have more professionals and better results at the highest level for both girls and boys."
What is the most important thing that the riders take with them when they get to compete in Europe?
"Sport at a high level is largely about the mental aspect. You can be quite sure that everyone standing at the starting line is well-trained. Most likely, they have a physical level that is fairly even. What makes the difference is experience, knowledge, and will. Through the education ladder, we want to give our youth early experience of competing in large groups. Something that is easily found if you just make the short trip to Denmark. I warmly recommend this to all young cyclists. There they lay the foundation to later, as 15-16 year olds or juniors, meet the best in Europe. It is essential to create experience of what is needed. We often talk about calibrating the level. Once we have done that, we start competing to win. The tactical piece is, of course, important. Getting the youth to compete as a team with clear roles. Here we can really make a difference if we as leaders are well-prepared and ensure that we give the youth the right tactical conditions ahead of stages with sprint prizes, mountain prizes, and leader jerseys. If we provide them with that, we will see them develop, both as a team and as individuals."
If you could dream freely 10 years into the future, where would Swedish cycling and Team Svealand be then?
"We are building a base and already this season we can see that the elite group among the men is growing significantly from the ground up. With this growth, the level, quality, and size of the Swedish elite group will also increase. Our ambition is to have more than one Continental team at home, but also to have a well-functioning bridge for those youths who want to seek opportunities abroad at a good level after junior and a few years in the U23 age category."
Thank you very much, Oskar, and good luck with this year’s season!
"Sport at a high level is largely about the mental aspect. You can be quite sure that everyone standing at the starting line is well-trained. Most likely, they have a physical level that is fairly even. What makes the difference is experience, knowledge, and will. Through the education ladder, we want to give our youth early experience of competing in large groups. Something that is easily found if you just make the short trip to Denmark. I warmly recommend this to all young cyclists. There they lay the foundation to later, as 15-16 year olds or juniors, meet the best in Europe. It is essential to create experience of what is needed. We often talk about calibrating the level. Once we have done that, we start competing to win. The tactical piece is, of course, important. Getting the youth to compete as a team with clear roles. Here we can really make a difference if we as leaders are well-prepared and ensure that we give the youth the right tactical conditions ahead of stages with sprint prizes, mountain prizes, and leader jerseys. If we provide them with that, we will see them develop, both as a team and as individuals."
If you could dream freely 10 years into the future, where would Swedish cycling and Team Svealand be then?
"We are building a base and already this season we can see that the elite group among the men is growing significantly from the ground up. With this growth, the level, quality, and size of the Swedish elite group will also increase. Our ambition is to have more than one Continental team at home, but also to have a well-functioning bridge for those youths who want to seek opportunities abroad at a good level after junior and a few years in the U23 age category."
Thank you very much, Oskar, and good luck with this year’s season!
