24 Hours with No Borders episode 1: Daniel Rytz, racer, podcaster and digital banking strategist

Charlotte Weiland
2023-12-12T11:43:21+01:00

It’s 7am as the day rolls into action in Stockholm, Sweden, as Daniel Rytz, No Borders gravel racer, podcaster and digital banking strategist, wakes up. There are fewer people who are deeper into the world of cycling than Daniel, and two wheels are a fixture all year round – even during the off-season.

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Stockholm, Sweden

It’s 7am as the day rolls into action in Stockholm, Sweden, as Daniel Rytz, No Borders gravel racer, podcaster and digital banking strategist, wakes up. There are fewer people who are deeper into the world of cycling than Daniel, and two wheels are a fixture all year round – even during the off-season.

At this time of the year, Stockholm is dark and icy, so his first appointment of the day is a Zwift race.

He then goes for coffee in a small Italian bar. ‘Zwift is a no-brainer when it comes to training: You get on. You ride hard. Then you get off, tired. The only thing that you have to consider is how best to limit it.’ Daniel’s racing in a Zwift team for the first time this winter, opening a new universe of Zwift geekery with Excel sheets and exact wattages that he’d previously been ignorant of.

When it comes to winter training, Daniel – who has been racing pretty much as long as he can remember – mainly follows a tried-and-tested structure. He mixes indoor riding with outdoor riding when Stockholm’s temperatures allow the luxury, all of which is supplemented by time in the gym, located in his work’s basement.

‘I’ve just re-introduced structured training this week and now adding in some longer intervals – like eight-minute efforts – three times a week to maintain intensity and keep it time efficient. I do a bit of running but wouldn’t say I “cross-train”,’ admits Daniel.

Working at one of the largest banks in the Nordics means Daniel has to use his time wisely. While the gym at his office matched with hybrid working means Daniel has the luxury of time to train, he’s aware that the focus has to be on quality rather than quantity.

‘Ironically, it is harder to structure my day in this post-Covid world,’ laughs Daniel, adding that the office gym is one of the main reasons you’ll see him at his proper desk.

Looking ahead to 2024, 46-year-old Daniel is still working on his calendar, but racing his Kaius with the rest of the No Borders Gravel Team will certainly feature – he’s just more selective with what he races these days: ‘Looking at the results of the Age Groups at the UCI World Gravel Championships, you pretty much have to be an ex-pro, full-time rider to win, which is not possible for me. I’m not sure if that kind of racing excites me as much as it used to, but luckily there’s no shortage of other races out there. Watch this space,’ Daniel concludes.

24 hours:

7am - Already on Zwift and warming up to race.

9 am - Remote meetings at home or commuting into work, naturally by bike.

12 pm - Weight sessions with core workout in the office gym, followed by a quick coffee to boost concentration

5 pm - Normal end to the working day. If the weather is good then there is a potential to ride outside. If not, it's Zwift o’clock once again.