a conversation with...

  The Mobel Sport - Cycle Sierra Nevada Scholarship was developed as a way to sponsor young cyclists that may not have opportunity or financial capacity to avail of a cycling training camp. In this section we take 5 minutes for a quick chat with one of the applicants selected for the 2017 program.

Mathijs De leng - the netherlands

Who are you?

I am Mathijs de Leng.

What team do you ride for?

I am currently riding for UWTC De Volharding - Wilton Cyclingteam.

Why did you start cycling?

I started because my dad was a cyclist. I always went with him cycling and after a year I started racing .

Have you any sporting backgrounds apart from cycling?

Before I started cycling I did tennis and soccer for about 7 years.

What type of cyclist are you? Do you compete in other disciplines, other than road cycling?

I love racing in the mountains and tough races with lots of rain and wind.

Favourite piece of cycling equipment/kit?

Wheels. Simply because a nice set of wheels can make an ugly bike look nice.

Your greatest achievements on a bicycle?

My first ever win is the most memorable. I attacked as soon as the flag dropped, I was in the break away from km1, and finished solo.

Your favourite professional cyclist? (past and present)

For sure Fabian Cancellara , because I like his style of riding and he won a lot of big races.

Most memorable moment/stage win from professional cycling?

That has to be Niki Terpstra winning Paris-Roubaix in 2014.

Your favourite stage race and one day race? Why?

The Tour de France, because it has biggest race there is. And Paris-Roubaix, because I think that it is the toughest one day race

What's your current favourite music album/song?

I have got the Fat Joe track "All The Way Up" on repeat at the minute.

Tell us something we don’t know about you already and you don’t mind the general public knowing?

I am a great fisherman ;-)

Hopes and plans for the future?

For this year I hope to ride all the races for Dutch junior national team. At the end of the year I hope to get a place by on a top development team for 2018.