Interview Heidi Antikainen

She's coming all the way from the North of Europe and she doesn't leave her fast legs at home. At the age of 20, Heidi Antikainen is already  collecting victories and podium spots, mainly on the Belgian national elite calendar. The young Finnish rider is now racing her 4th year abroad and shows herself as a promising sprinter who already knows how to position herself well in the peloton. She's currently riding for the club WV Schijndel, and dreams of turning pro one day. In this interview, we get to know her better and get to know her experiences & expectations.

You achieved many close results and even a victory against experienced elite riders. Did you expect this before the season?

I’ve been training well and of course good results and even a win is always the target but to be honest the season has been very succesful and better than I expected.

What are your favourite kind of races?

Flat or with power climbs, I am on my best at the sprint

What are your ambitions in the sport?

Make my hobby to a profession

You’re spending a large part of the season abroad. How are you experiencing it?

I have now been 4 seasons a lot abroad so I am getting use to the new countries and not being close to my family. Through these years I have go to know a lot people and made a lot new friends which makes it easier

How did you discover cycling?

My dad use to race in Finland and when I was 10 I started to ride my bike because of him. First it was just enjoying the time on my bike and doing lot of races but on junior years it started to get more serious.

Who were your idols in the sport?

I can’t name only one idol, I admire every cyclist. I like to watch races and see everyone doing their best and learn from all of them

What are your main interests outside the sport?

I graduated from high school some time ago so I am not in school at the moment but I want to go to university at some point. In my free time I just like to spend my time with my friends and family.

Where will you race in the coming months?

I just spent a nice week in france training and now in my program there are some kermesses. I will know my next races with the team a bit later but I hope for a good ending for the season.