Interview – pedalnorth https://pedalnorth.com The best independent cycling website Mon, 13 Jul 2026 21:26:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://pedalnorth.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/cropped-Pedal-North-600-pixel-32x32.jpg Interview – pedalnorth https://pedalnorth.com 32 32 Nadezhda Pavlova Interview https://pedalnorth.com/nadezhda-pavlova-interview/ Thu, 14 Nov 2019 21:58:11 +0000 http://pedalnorth.com/?p=9403 .flex_column.av-f51ew-3a0bcfcfc93107c807524a49eb146138{ border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px; padding:0px 0px 0px 0px; }

Nadezhda Pavlova – Artist, Athlete, Designer


We’re very proud of our team here at Pedalnorth and none more so than triathlon editor and lifestyle senior editor, Nadezhda Pavlova. It’s unique for anyone to have such a wide range of world class talents, but thankfully for us, Nadezhda is a unique person: artist, designer, top class triathlete and triathlon coach. It only seems right that we spoke to Nadezhda to find out more about this exciting and talented lady.


Nadezhda Pavlova

Nadezhda interview

Triathlete (Ironman World Championship Australia 2016, Ironman Barcelona 2016 9:45min, Kona qualificant) Triathlon Coach, Designer and Founder DS PRO Apparel.

1. Clearly you love sport Nadezhda, but what was your first experience of sport as a child?

When I was a little girl my parents never waited for me and I had to run to keep up with their speed, because my stride was relatively short compared theirs. (That was a lot of aerobic activity for a little girl). Maybe that’s the reason I became a good runner in school, and it helped me to win plenty of running competitions in school and university. But I did it mostly for fun, I wasn’t a professional runner.

You’re from Siberia I believe, which is a truly amazing place. How important was sport within Siberia? Did you compete a lot when you were younger too?

I was born and grew up in Krasnoyarsk (Siberia) and that’s an amazing place for all kinds of winter activities and sports because we have winter 3-4 months a year of natural snow, mountains all around and a ski resort right in the city! Almost every kid , from a young age, learns how to walk and to ski/snowboard at the same time. I used to snowboard a lot, mostly with boys, with a dream to go to the Olympics untill one day when I jumped on a big air and broke my spine.

I’m very proud that winter Universiade was held in my home town this year. Siberian ice skaters, cross country skiers, biathletes, and ice hockey players are famous and successful athletes. We have great schools to produce champions

Nadezhda Pavlova triathlete

2. You’re a talented artist Nadezhda, as well as being a designer of sportswear. How do you find being an athlete and a sportswear designer complement each other? It’s also interesting that your brand is focused on bringing style and chic and a good dose of femininity to performance wear. Has this been key for you and where do you see ladies cycling developing?

Finding great cycling gear is always a challenge, especially for women. The industry seems to have decided that if you want performance clothing that helps keep you comfortable on the bike, you also want to appear as if you are a professional cyclist too. Most of us don’t, we like the idea of high-performance cycling clothing, but also want to have a bit of style with it!

And I decided to design and offer high-performance clothing that also gives a wonderful look in terms of design, style and colors. The way the fabric is cut and shaped makes the shorts and jersey especially flattering and feminine! I wanted cycling garments that are not only technologically great, but also make you feel special too. I want a woman to see her reflection and smile when in bike gear! I believe if you dress well, you feel good, if you feel good, you pedal faster!

Certainly, being a cyclist helps me understand what female cyclists are seeking and need in terms of cycling apparel. We have mini bibs so wearing, them you can easily hide the tan lines even while wearing a short skirt or dress, long sleeve jerseys with UV sun-protective function to protect your skin, kits with lines and colors to make you slimmer, hide flaws and emphasize virtues. Functionality, performance and style are our top priorities; me and my team of female riders test the gears, to ensure we have critical feedback based on multiple athlete profiles.

Nadezhda Pavlova Fitness

3. Within cycling there is still a long way to go in terms of total acceptance of women not only as equals, but also in being free to be women, to express their style and sexuality without unwarranted and adverse attention. What’s your own view on these issues and the best way to address and tackle them?

Society has standards how female athletes should present themselves. If you are an athlete you should not do makeup or hair style, or wear pink or kits with flowers, if you want to be taken seriously. Some people look perplex that femininity and athleticism can coexist. To me it’s important to open people’s eyes to the fact that you can be an athlete and still be into fashion. Maybe before the two were considered mutually exclusive but that’s not true.

I think you can be a strong, courageous, fearless woman and wear chic clothing and lipstick. It’s cool to have that badass feeling that you can do your sport, be strong and powerful and at the same time be feminine and beautiful. Having a combination- that’s really what makes you confident. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. Glam up your uniform and express yourself! Luckily there are more brands coming up with chic clothing and there are plenty of brands that make sweat-proof mascara and other cosmetic for active women.

4. So… triathlete – but which is your favourite element and why?

It’s a tough question, I really can’t name my favorite or rate them in order  🙂 Each sport has its own beauty. In cycling it’s speed, in running it’s freedom, and in swimming it’s a post workout relaxation and languor. When you mix all three sports, it’s a fantastic recipe for happiness. It’s just one whole, you can’t divide it. The beauty of triathlon is that you don’t get bored doing one sport!

Nadezhda Pavlova

5.You clearly have an amazing family life, as well as a successful career and you’re a talented athlete too. How do you combine all of these things within a balanced structure and what advice would you give to others?

Balance is key and important in life because with many things being extreme is typically a detriment to living our lives the right way, “too much of a good thing can be a bad thing”. We all know that but sometimes don’t take actions to find the right balance. I believe planning could be a tool to success. As you or your coach write daily, weekly and annual workouts for you, plan every aspect of your life the same way. Decide which areas needs attention and review every month. Prepare your weekly to do list and daily schedule to prioritize those life areas of your lifre you want to focus on: health and sport, family, business/career, finance, social, love, adventure/fun, contribution, spiritual. You can find more info in my triathlon planner, which is available at www.multisportcoaching.us

6.You now coach triathlon Nadia. What’s the best advice for anyone getting into this sport?

To take things slowly. If triathlon is a new sport to you, don’t be in a rush to succeed. Becoming good at three disciplines takes time, a true peaks performance require months and years, not days and weeks. Come to sport to enjoy the journey and establish long term relationship. I see some people come to the sport and kill themselves, they do Ironman in 3-4 months and then just never continue. Yes, they maybe finish the Ironman but they need many days their bodies and brain to recover after the race, because they are burned out, injured, with chronic fatigue, and these people never come back to the sport.

7.Where’s your favourite place to ride … and where would be your perfect cycling location?

Florida is perfect for pedaling all year around – 365 days of sunshine, good roads, always someone to join you. I love riding along the beach, love to do the sunset or sunrise miles, it’s breathtaking scenery! For a more mountainous experience we have beautiful Colorado! You can do some seriously hilly rides in Colorado none of which will be below 6000 feet. It’s a US base for professional cyclists and triathletes, I don’t know the healthier and sportier place and being their once I fell in love with it.

8.How important is it to get the kit right and what’s your favourite item of clothing, including favourite design?

Cycling clothing does make a difference, and there is a reason not to cycle in your regular clothes. It dries up quickly, it helps your body to breathe, it embraces your muscles to prevent muscle fatigue, and makes you faster! Good cycling is tailored to provide more aerodynamics to shave off the precious seconds but without restriction of movement. The chamois pad is crucial for comfort and avoiding chafing, it should be positioned correctly and be soft, breathable and antibacterial.

My favorite design depends on what mood I’m in ;-). When I’m feeling a bit down, I put on my brightest kit to brighten me up and kick up my the energy levels.

9.Who you admire most in cycling/triathlon and why?

Chrissie Wellington, coming out from nowhere, took the triathlon world by storm! And what amazes me is not that she wins, but how much she wins! She is an Ironman legend, she is devastatingly talented. Her resume was impressive even before she stumbled into triathlon. I admire her personality, her openness, honesty, level of humility, and desire to make difference in the world. I admire everything she brought to the sport and I found a tremendous inspiration in her. And I think triathlon in general is all about inspiration. Even if you’re not a world champion, the sport changes you that you’re made of much more than you ever thought you were, and this brings further confidence to yourself and inspiration to others.

10. And finally, what does your sporting bucket list look like in terms of ambition and goals Nadezhda?

My long term goal is to be a healthy 70 years old grandma and compete in Ironman races).

Shorter term goals is to ride through The Dolomites and run the Great Wall, Arctic and Boston marathons.

Visit Nadezhda’s Website

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]]> Karen Edwards Cycling Photographer https://pedalnorth.com/karen-edwards-cycling-photographer/ Wed, 13 Mar 2019 11:03:18 +0000 http://pedalnorth.com/?page_id=6704 .flex_column.av-36bogc-6c17640998e30c59924dbcd968c08dfc{ border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px; padding:0px 0px 0px 0px; }

Karen Edwards – Cycling Photographer … and Cyclist



When you take a look at those iconic images of cyclists, do you ever ask yourself ‘who took that?’ I bet you don’t. Well, not normally. We all take the people behind the lens and indeed, the people behind the scenes for granted.

Here at Pedalnorth.com we want to get into the subtext of cycling: to the people who design the gear, the bike designers who work in small artisan workshops, the hard working back-offices, and the brilliant photographers that take the images that stay in our memories for ever.

Karen M Edwards is one such photographer, from Cork in Ireland. Executive Editor, Robert Thorpe interviewed Karen to find out more about this amazingly talented young lady.

How did you get into photography?

I was training few years ago to race and I got sick, and with the doctors request to stop training for a while. So I still wanted to be involved in cycling, and I bought my first camera in 2012. I went to a local race, and wanted to capture real racing.

Not like the usual cycling photography at races, but to bring my interpretation of it.

As a racer yourself then, do you think it helps you to get a deeper perspective?

Definitely it does. I don’t want to say that I’m an expert, and I would never claim to be. But I’ve listened to lads training, to the highs and lows. Through that contact and connection, I think I have an understanding to some degree.

in terms of the cycling theme, where did that arrive from? Is cycling a strand that runs through your wider family? Was it the connection of your Uncle Mick in County Cork, who I know that you followed as a youngster?

Well Mick was the racer. Bikes have always been there. I live in the countryside so bikes are essential. I love getting out here.

I have my Grans bike still. I have some great memories of riding it, getting groceries and having that freedom. I cycled to school few miles away, always my goal to beat the school bus home.

Is that the single speed Raleigh

2 gears! No wonder I’ve got huge calves I so love the mechanical side too. I could watch it all day.

I worked in Micks little bike shop as a kid. It was great, but he tormented me, setting me up with boys coming in ???????? He loved embarrassing me. I was so shy.

The close up shots of specific objects and items from cycling, really focus the eye and the mind. How do you go about developing an idea into an image and picking the right angles etc?

The images are of the moment. Just go with it – there and then.

Right; I tend to walk around with the camera in my hand now. Is that the best tip?

I love it ’cause I can express myself through photography; it’s an art. I love detail.

It’s essential to show the detail to the normal person who doesn’t understand racing – to educate them through the images. I think through images you can draw a person in to ask more.

Racing is such a beautiful art form; the tactics and the array of colour.

Your strongest images of cycling are of static themes or of cyclists not moving. Do you find that these images allow you to more closely examine the subject?

Karen It’s the emotion. Capturing a rider exhausted or after a crash…

Yes, capturing that instant in time has real power.

Yes, capturing the rider waiting to Time Trial. Even by their hand gesture you can capture the intensity.

Do you draw on your experience as a racer and cyclist?

Yes, ’cause I know what it is to line out. It’s always difficult regards crashes though. I have passed some crashes. You have to respect the rider and their family.

Crashes must be tricky. Giving the necessary respect and yet being able to respond as a photographer.

Yes, but I have shot them, just to show how hard as nails they are [cyclists]

Of all your vast array and catalogue of images, what’s your own favourite?

So many images I like. God that’s so hard to say…To pick one is hard ’cause they all have stories. Maybe the Sagan one from Roubaix

And as a cyclist yourself, what’s your favourite ride?

My favourite loop out a back road to my home village, lush and green. Quiet. And I get lost in my thoughts. Love that. The bike is always a way of escaping in your head.

It doesn’t happen as much as I’d like.

I know that feeling. We live in North Yorkshire, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, and yet I never seem to get out as often I want to.

Ours is a little village that has given us great tough cycling legends:
Eddie Dunbar, Mick Cahill, and Páidí ó Brien.

Sean Kelly?

Karen Seán is from Carrick. He’s one of my idols. I still get star struck when I see him; such a joker. A great character too.

I love his comment about his bike, his car and his wife… Important in that order. A tough rider, never willingly beaten.

Never. I look up to that character – never give in.

I never dwell on negatives. I just want to keep pushing as I can go. I was told that I’d never make it as a photographer. Best thing I ever did. Drove more on even more.

Karen and I chatted for some time, discussing our own career paths, life, family, aims, and places we’d been. We laughed and shared a great conversation, allowing me to get into who Karen Edwards is: a talented, artistic and driven, cycling loving woman, with her heart in rural Ireland and her eyes on cycling; capturing the emotions and feelings that flow endlessly out of the images that her detailed eyes capture.

You can see Karen’s work on her own website here, and by following her Instagram profile.

Follow Karen Edwards on Instagram
]]> Rider Interview: Kate Courtney MTB https://pedalnorth.com/rider-interview-kate-courtney-mtb/ Wed, 13 Mar 2019 10:09:05 +0000 http://pedalnorth.com/?page_id=6680

Kate Courtney MTB XC World Champion

Kate Courtney is from Marin County – that says a lot about why she rides a mountain bike. Already the USA under 23 National XCO Champion when we interviewed her, Kate is making a name for herself internationally, riding for Specialized and winning World Cup races around the globe.

Kate has won numerous mtb world cup series races and has now become a World Champion too.

1. Firstly, big congrats on your career on the bike so far. How did it feel to finish 2016 with such great results?

Thank you! 2016 was a great season and I was proud of my second place finish in the overall. I had a lot of small mistakes and crashes in races that left me chasing from behind. Specifically, in La Bresse I crashed really hard in the middle of the race (there is photographic evidence on my Instagram).

After I got up and got my shoe fixed in the feed zone, I was in 21st place. In the last 2 laps I was able to fight back and win a sprint finish for 7th place. While that wasn’t my best result and was a challenging and disappointing race, it is one I am most proud of because every single point I fought for mattered in the overall. If I had quit that day or even coasted in for 21st I may not have been on the overall podium.

2. What is the achievement you’re most proud of?

There are a few moments in my career that really stand out. Winning my first world cup as a junior was really special because it made me believe that my biggest goals weren’t so crazy after all. It was really powerful to realize that reaching for goals you may think are impossible can push you beyond your mental limits. I was also really proud of my 2nd place finish at Lenzerheide after a really disappointing race at Worlds.

3. 2017 has [was] the possibility to be your biggest year so far: where is your focus for the year and how are you going about reaching your goals?

I can’t wait for the 2017 season! It has already been a big year of training for me and finding ways to improve – both mentally and physically. My focus for this season is, like last year, on the world cups and world championships. In reaching those goals, I also have a lot of smaller, process goals along the way. I am really focused on dialing in nutrition, weight training and continuing to find new ways to improve training on the bike. Setting all types of goals – big and small, short term and long term – keeps me motivated to get a little better each day I’m out training and enjoy the process of improving on the path to reaching those bigger races.

4. Cycling is notably a male-dominated sport, but it has changed dramatically in recent year and is attracting more and more girls. Do you find that MTB has changed in this respect from when you started competing to now?

I definitely think so! Lucky for me, there were a lot of amazing women before me that blazed the trails (pun intended 😉 for women’s cycling in the United States. From securing equal prize money to getting the UCI MTB World Cups streamed on Redbull TV, there has been more acknowledgement of women in the sport and the women’s field just continues to get more competitive. This year, I had so many people tell me that the women’s races at the world cups and Olympics were even more exciting than the men’s races because there were so many women battling for the win.

5. Not that we needed any scientific proof, but research has proved that cycling makes you happy. I know it makes me happy. What makes you happy about MTB?

Nothing makes me happier than getting out on my bike. Being able to just grab your bike, get outside and explore the mountains is so liberating and powerful.

6. What are some of your favourite trails to ride? Are there any trails you love in Europe?

A lot of my favorite trails to ride are near where I grew up in Marin County! I l love returning to trails that I rode when I was just starting out and remembering all the places I used to walk or struggled to make it through. Specifically, Coastal trail and Solstice are a few of my favorites. I also love exploring new trails!

One of the best days I have ever had descending on the bike was in Lenzerheide, Switzerland after the world cup there. We took a series of gondolas and ended up descending over 10,000 feet!

7. How do you manage being a student at Stanford and being a pro cyclist?

Being a full time student and professional cyclist has honestly been challenging, but also something I think is really important and in the end very rewarding. One of the biggest things I have learned from being a student is that finding balance doesn’t always take away from your training – a lot of times it improves it.

As a competitive athlete, you are rewarded for pursuing perfection and sweating the small stuff, but in the long run training has to be flexible and imperfect. The path to success isn’t paved and you have to adapt so many times along the way. Sometimes letting go of that perfection and giving yourself a break – whether that’s not doing core so you can get to bed earlier or taking an extra day off the bike when you aren’t feeling well – it doesn’t mean you are weak or that your training won’t work. It just means you are flexible, which oftentimes improves your training in a big way – not to mention how you feel about it.

8. If you weren’t a rider, what would you be?

If I wasn’t a cyclist, I would still be an athlete! Sports have always been a huge part of my life.

9. You have a background in running and skiing, which shows your passion for the outdoors and for an active lifestyle. When in the off season cycling becomes harder, do you tend to mix your workouts by running and skiing or do you have any other off-season passions that keep you fit?

I only actually take a few weeks off the bike every year for my off season but also have a few short breaks throughout the year where I cross train and focus on complete recovery. After Christmas I was actually able to get up to the snow for a full week and mix things up with cross country skiing, yoga, hiking, and weight training. Later this season, I will likely have another break up in the mountains for yoga, stand up paddle boarding, hiking and weight training. It is definitely very helpful mentally and physically to keep training! But mostly I just like riding bikes 🙂

10. Who is your biggest inspiration that keeps you motivated in what you do?

That’s a hard one! I take inspiration from so many of the people around me – and these days from so many of the strong women I follow on social media – like Lindsey Vonn, Rebecca Rusch and Lea Davison.

Also, I take a lot of inspiration and motivation from riding with my Dad. My dad has always encouraged me to set bigger and bigger goals, even before I thought they were possible.

11. What was your first bike?

My first mountain bike was a red and white specialized rock hopper!
The first year I signed with specialized, my s-works HT actually had the same paint job and it was pretty funny to put them next to each other! My 29er was about three times as big, but I think it might actually be lighter haha

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