Moritz Kärsten

The open and approachable Moritz is now into his second season with Development Team DSM having joined in 2022. Making the step up from juniors to the U23 category can often be a daunting task for young riders and Moritz also found that out too, albeit in a slightly different way…

“I was used to being one of the strongest guys and could ride on the front from start to finish but immediately in my first race in 2022 I realised that there were a lot of other strong guys so that wasn’t as easy.”

Laughing it off, Moritz says that he has learned from it though as he used to “ride dumb and just push the pedals” but now he’s riding “smart and hard”, saving energy where he can to help the team for as long and deep as possible into the final of some races. It’s that team aspect which he thrives in too, having previously been part of the free for all sometimes that can be junior racing, Moritz enjoys being part of the success and knowing that he completed his role with “passion and the best he could”.

Two of his favourite races last year came in the month of August – the Sazka Tour and the Tour of Denmark. In the former, he helped his fellow Development program teammates to some strong results while at the Tour of Denmark, he formed part of a mixed line-up with the Men’s program. Going shoulder to shoulder with riders who had just done the Tour de France or were preparing for the Vuelta and not feeling out of place really made Moritz feel like he “belonged” in the peloton – and of course he did another strong job for the team.

Moritz’s way into cycling has been like many others who aren’t from a cycling family, trying lots of other sports such as handball and football but when figuring out that he wasn’t that great with the ball at his feet, cycling fell into his lap. Joining the local club with friends, Moritz made his way through the ranks as others soon lost interest, but the thrill and “freedom” cycling gives made it a true passion for him. As he’s progressed, Moritz has also enjoyed all the different places that cycling has taken him and he’s looking forward to hopefully visiting more countries in the future.

Describing himself as “a bit crazy, loyal, and sometimes a bit “yolo’” – Moritz’s exuberant and energetic nature shines through, but he’s also someone that will give his all for his friends and family, and by extent his teammates and those around him.

When he’s not on his bike training or racing, Moritz is like most teenagers and he enjoys relaxing and meeting up with his friends, but you can also find him honing his design skills – something he says he has a hidden talent for.