About Us

Meet the Team – 2026

Pedalnorth was started in 2010, as a place where cycling friends could share routes, rides and their cycling lifestyle. It has always aimed to be different and to promote those aspects of cycling that often get left behind, despite their relevancy, simply because these lifestyle points are not always as being seen as commercial enough. Cycling isn’t just a sport, nor a supportive industry – it’s a way of life. For us, if people ride a bike and love their adventures, then let’s write about it and inspire others on their own journey.

Ultimately, we’re simply a group of like-minded friends and cyclists, contributors, freelance writers and photographers all over the world, who love bikes and cycling.

The work carried out at here at Pedalnorth: the writing, route development and photography, is all done in a voluntary capacity, as a way for us each to give something back to cycling and to hopefully inspire others. We’ve been described as an artisan group of eclectic writers, all simply living a life based around cycling, and doing all we can to promote cycling to others – and, that’s a description we’re extremely proud of!

Whilst we work as individuals elsewhere in the cycling world, Pedalnorth is our special place where we come together as friends, simply to write freely and to create some of the best cycling lifestyle content in the world – without commercial bias and at our own expense.

INSPIRE – ENCOURAGE – INFLUENCE

JOIN THE CYCLING REVOLUTION

Our writers here at Pedalnorth are volunteers, often drawn from the freelance writers from within the global cycling industry and community. All work independently in their own daily lives, as leading writers and photographers and come together here, simply to give something back to the cycling world, and to showcase their individual abilities and love for cycling. This way we can ensure that our information is unbiased and honest and trustworthy.  Our routes, the maps and gpx files are among the best and all free to access and download. Why, because like riding your bike, it should always be fun and as free as the wind. Pedalnorth itself is a free and independent portal; self-supporting and which operates solely to rpovide the best information to cyclists, for free.

Pedalnorth has become one of the leading independent cycling websites and cycling blogs in the world. We are proud to be one of the world’s leading websites for  ladies cycling in particular, and in also creating the very best cycling routes suggestions across Europe and beyond.

For us, Pedalnorth means simply heading in that direction – north of anywhere using 2 wheels, as we continue to expand around the globe, promoting cycling and where to ride and what to ride and wear while having fun! 🙂


Click on their name  to link to and access more information about them, and to visit their own blogs, websites and social media profiles.  

Editorial Team

Robert Thorpe

Robert Thorpe

Editor in Chief

A former middle distance track runner and cross country runner to a high level in his youth, Robert found time for cycling between training and races. He spent many years as a climbing instructor and mountain runner, and has lived his life in the outdoors.

Having a climber father and cyclist mother, two wheels were always on the horizon, once the mountains had exhausted him.

Robert is a former member of the government Cycle Training Standards Board and a British Cycling Ride Leader. He lives in the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and whilst also writing freelance, Robert studied literature at university, he is a published poet and is still writing that unfinished novel.

Robert is also a brand ambassador for BikeBoxAlan, Orbea (U.K.) MTB, TIME Bicycles and Lake Cycling Shoes.

Nadezhda Pavlova

Nadezhda Pavlova

Editor in Chief (designate)

Nadezhda has a Masters of Sports, specialising in triathlon, also competing at a high level: !st place in age group full distance Ironman Russia (rating Tristats.ru), -1st place Russia, 33rd Global Rank women age group distance 70.3 and full distance Ironman 2016 from countries all over the world (Rating ETU European Triathlon Union).

Currently living in Barcelona, this talented athlete achieved 11th place World Championship Ironman 70.3 championships, held in Australia in 2016.

Nadezhda is also an artist, designer, business executive and international model. When not doing one of these multiple activities, Nadezhda is a certified triathlon coach, and works with leading brands and events across the cycling world.

She is a global brand ambassador for many brands, including TIME Bicycles, and writes blogs for the Time website.

PEDALNORTH EDITORS (SUBJECT FOCUSED)

Join the cycling revolution

Our subject focused editors are all experts in their own areas, and also ride bikes in their daily lives. We’re not an office-based publication, who occasionally travel out to the hills – we live and breathe cycling. Ben has written and taken images for some of the most respected brands in cycling, and also advises on our aesthetic issues; whilst Alex is one of the top pro riders and mountain bike guides in Romania, working alongside mountain guide wife and partner, Teo, who also works within the mountain rescue team.

Their knoweldege and expertise is world-class, and it’s shared with you here – at www.pedalnorth.com

Ben Thorpe

Ben Thorpe

Editor, Photography & Technical Content

Ben studied photography at university in London, and has worked with leading global brands, as well as creating his own images of urban architecture and life scenes. He’s also a cyclist himself, riding all manner of bikes, from fixed gear, mtb to road and TT.

Ben recently moved back to North Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Dales National Park, having lived and worked in London since university. Away from Pedalnorth, he frequently creates content and writing for some of the world’s top cycling brands.

Fatima Berton

Fatima Berton

Editor, Video and Multimedia content

A former road racer from Flanders, Fatima is also a working mom, and one of the busiest and most talented content creators in the cycling world. As an ambassador for several world-leading brands, Fatima helps to promote cycling and to inspire others around the world to seek adventure.

This multi-talented althlete rides many cycling disciplines, including adventure stage races and promoting women’s cycling around the world. Her new Vlog is already hugely successful across the global cycling community.

Teodora Sabina

Teodora Sabina

Editor, Reviews & Mountain Sports

Teo works within the outdoor adventure industry in Romania, and is a Masters Graduate in Sports Education from Sibiu University. Teo is also a member of a Mountain Rescue team in the Carpathian Mountains, and a mountain runner competing at home and abroad, across Europe. The new ‘Libertas’ project is an initiave by this exceptionally talented person, who is an inspiration to work alongside.

When not riding or running, Teo guides and works alongside Alex in their own guiding and sports education company.

Alex Sabin Husariu

Alex Sabin Husariu

Editor, Mountain Bike Europe

Alex works within the outdoor adventure industry in Romania, and is an engineering graduate and professional mountain bike racer. He also teaches skiing in the mountains near to Sibiu in Transylvania.

With a wealth of racing and mountain experience, alongside his writing and photographic abilities, we’re excited to have Alex joining the team here at Pedalnorth, ably assisted by his wife, Teo, also a mountain activities teacher and mountain sportswoman.

Diane Vilarem

Diane Vilarem

Editor, Lifestyle & Yoga

Diane lives and breathes health & fitness, being a leading Yoga instructor, and assisting many world level pro athletes with their own fitness plans.

She also works with many of the world’s top brands, testing cycling products and working alongside them as a ambassador. As a writer, Diane is one of the most talented lifestyle writers within the cycling scene globally, and continues to set herself challenges on two wheels.

Kristi Kuldkepp

Kristi Kuldkepp

Editor, Women’s Cycling & Cycle Sport

Kristi came into cycling later than some, but has made a huge impact in a variety of areas. Winning 2 x European Gan Fondo road titles, she recently won the European Cyclocross championship in her age group.

Albeit from the Baltic country of Estonia, Kristi travels widely, racing for the Baliose women’s team in Belgium.

Regular Photographic Contributors

Our writing team, living as they do, all over the cycling world, use a variety of photographers alongside their own images. We felt that it was only right to show you a select few of the very best photographers that we frequently call upon to create some of the best cycling images of any cycling lifestyle website currently online globally. Both Valaria and Andrei are among the best cycling photographers to be found anywhere, globally; capturing the essence, the spirit and the movement of cycling in their amazing images. You can click their links to have these talented photographers produce work for you, too.

Valeria Panarina

Freelance Fashion & Lifestyle Photographer

Valerie studied photography in New York, before gathering her camera bag and setting off to explore life through her camera lens. Now living in Barcelona, she works with leading global  companies such as AirBNB themselves, as well as fashion houses in Spain, and the cultural, business and lifestyle  communities within Catalonia.

Andrei Dina

Photography Editor – Pedalnorth Romania

Freelance Fashion, Sports & Lifestyle Photographer

Andrei hails from the culturally magnificent city of Sibiu in Transylvania, and spends time exploring both the historical cityscapes and the nearby mountains. He’s extensively travelled and has been working with leading brands, creating his unique images for many images.

Click here to contact Andrei 

CONSULTANT EDITORS

Subject Experts & Guest Bloggers

Being one of the most successful independent cycling blogs globally, means that we have to stay focused on content and what’s happening… or ought to be happening within cycling. That means using the expertise of some very talented and very bright people – our consultant editors, from around the cycling globe.

Whilst not regular contibutors to the Pedalnorth website, nor active members of the team, they are our ‘go-to-experts’ for all manner of cycling related subjects. Each of them deserve the accolade of being leading people in particular aspects of cycling, with a wealth of knowledge. Best of all, you can benefit from their expertise and knowledge, by continuing to read our content and by riding our routes and supporting Pedalnorth – the home of eclectic artisans on 2-wheels.

Tudor Oprea

  European MTB Advisor to Pedalnorth

TRIADA MTB WEBSITE

Guy Kesteven

Friend & Awesome Freelance Reviewer

GuyTV Reviews YouTube

Brian Smith

Formerly: GB National Champion x2, World Tour team manager, leading commentator & cycling writer

Maria Wilke

Endurance Cycling & Bikepacking Expert, Germany

Stefano La Mastra in Italian Lakes

Stefano La Mastra

Italy Road Cycling Advisor

Visit Stefano on Instagram

Kolja Grischa

Consultant Editor – Cycling Industry

KA-RISMA Sports 

Harrogate – Barcelona – Cannes – Milan – Sibiu – Bavaria

It’s Time to Ride – with Time Bikes!

FEATURES

A selection of our favourite blogs

Teo uses her mountain rescue experience to test new tech from Camelbak – the HAWG 20

Alex takes a look at the lastest summer cycling kit from Italian brand, Ale

Women’s cycling has developed so much in recent years – Nadezhda exams its roots

The latest indoors trainers from Elite are game-changing – time to see why