Five Minutes With Gregory Sanders

is a 26-year-old cycling enthusiast living in Copenhagen. Besides working full-time in the Wind Energy sector, he spends most of his free time riding his bikes and organising his first ultra race, the . After he saw a gap in the event calendar for ultras starting in the cycling city of Copenhagen the first traverse to the Nordics was born. His ride takes the intrepid entrants to Sweden via the ferry and back, covering over 400km.

1. Starting an ultra-distance event means you must've caught the bug somehow! Can you tell us a bit more about your ultra-riding?

Ultra-riding, for me, is a way to explore both new places and my limits. There is something really satisfying about covering long distances under your own power, seeing places you wouldn’t otherwise reach.

I’ve loved bikes since I was a kid. I grew up in Belgium and rode my bike to school every day. At school, my friends would call me the little bike mechanic, I was often fixing flat tires or adjusting brakes for them. That curiosity turned into a real passion over time. When I was 15, I got a student job at a local bike shop. A year later, I used my savings to buy my first, proper race bike. That opened up a whole new world: weekend rides with friends and solo adventures.

My first experience with ultra-distance came at 18, when a friend and I decided to cycle from Maasmechelen to Amsterdam— a 250 km ride in one day. It was a spontaneous idea, but that ride triggered something inside me. It made me realize how crazy far you can go on just a bike and explore new places. I still remember that ride as it was raining the whole day, and we had so many hours of headwind through the Netherlands. But the epic bike ride was definitely worth it.

Later, when I moved to Copenhagen for my first job at 23, I really dove into long-distance riding. Denmark and southern Sweden became my playground. I started doing longer and longer solo rides to explore the region. Along the way, I met others who were just as addicted as I was. We started planning bikepacking trips—multi-day rides through the forests and coastlines of Denmark and Sweden, and camping along the way. It’s become a big part of my life.

2. You did GranGuanche in early 2025, how did you find self-supported racing?

GranGuanche was a memorable experience. It was actually my first time taking part in an organized ultra-distance event. Before that, most of my ultra rides were more oriented toward bikepacking trips with friends rather than competitive events. The Granguanche route was really nice with its 650 kilometers and 15,000 meters of elevation gain, spread across five of the Canary Islands.

In my case, I extended the challenge by cycling from Gran Canaria to the start line in Lanzarote, and also riding back from the finish in La Gomera to Gran Canaria to fly back home —so in total, I covered about 1,000 kilometers and 21,000 meters of climbing. I was already a bit fatigued by the time I reached the official start line, but overall, the ride went really well. I finished somewhere in the middle of the pack. I completed Lanzarote and Fuerteventura on the first day, took the ferry to Gran Canaria the same day with the front pack, but then tackled one island per day for the rest of the route. My favourite part was cycling up the Teide in Tenerife. That was just a beautiful climb, and the views were amazing.

I really liked the social aspect of the Granguanche. I travelled there alone, but made many connections on the bike and some new friends. The race format helped a lot: you’re allowed to draft, which meant you could ride in groups. And at every ferry crossing, riders would come together again, which created a sense of community.

3. You're organising Nordic Chase this year, the only race we know of that leaves the cycling hub of Copenhagen. What made you want to start this race?

The idea for Nordic Chase is definitely inspired by my experience in the GranGuanche. I really want to bring people together around a shared challenge and show them a beautiful route through Denmark and Sweden. I think the beauty of organizing an event is that you bring people together. I think Copenhagen and the regions around have so much to offer for cycling, and it would be great to connect both with the ultra race.

This is the first edition of Nordic Chase, a 400km route that I designed to be accessible for those maybe doing their first ultra, but at the same time being a solid early-season challenge for experienced ultra riders. I hope that it serves as a stepping stone, encouraging more people to explore the world of ultra-cycling. Also looking ahead, I'm already planning also a longer version for next year, along with a gravel edition. And that will also be super cool!

4. The race crosses over into Sweden. Can you tell us about the riding there?

For me, crossing into Sweden always feels a bit like going on a mini-holiday. Although it’s just a short ferry ride away, it feels different from Denmark: A different language, food, currency, and there’s just so much space! Fewer cars, more forests, peaceful lakes… It’s definitely more quiet and relaxed. I recommend trying a kanelbulle from a Swedish supermarket: it's part of the experience!