From the Goalposts to Endless Roads: My Journey into Ultra Endurance Cycling
Hey, I’m Jonas! 👋
Four years ago, I was living my childhood dream as an international field hockey goalkeeper, working hard to carve out a professional career in a sport that had been a huge part of my life. But then life threw me a curveball. Now, I find myself swapping goalie pads for a bike and trading one dream for another in ultra cycling. It wasn’t something I planned—it just kind of happened. What began as an impromptu dive into the unknown has grown into a full-on mission to push my boundaries and compete in some of the toughest races out there. Funny how life can take you in directions you never expected, right?
Moving from Netherlands, I started playing field hockey in Lausanne when I was just four years old. From the moment I picked up a stick, hockey became the heart of my world. As I joined the Swiss youth national teams, my dream of turning this passion into a professional career grew stronger. Everything I did revolved around that goal. But hockey in Switzerland is a small, amateur sport, and I knew early on that if I wanted to compete at the highest level, I’d have to leave home.
At 18, I packed my bags and moved to Germany to join Mannheimer HC, one of Europe’s top clubs. Suddenly, I was training with Olympians and some of the world’s bests—it was exhilarating and humbling all at once. As a substitue goalkeeper, I barely got any time on the field, but the experience was priceless. That year, we made history by winning the club’s first-ever German National League title. It was unforgettable.
Still, I wanted more than just being part of the team. I needed to play. So, I moved to Belgium for six months, balancing studies and hockey, before returning to Germany to join a second-division club in Hamburg. Things started falling into place—our team won promotion to the 1st Bundesliga, and I was set to become a starting goalkeeper in one of the world’s best leagues. At 20, I felt like I was on the verge of achieving everything I’d worked for.
Just before the season kicked off, the club had the chance to sign a more experienced goalkeeper, and naturally, they took it. That’s the nature of the sport. So close, yet so far! Suddenly, I was faced with a tough choice: stay in Hamburg, knowing I’d be playing second fiddle for the foreseeable future, or return to Switzerland, focus on my education, and take a step back to reassess where I was heading.
I chose to return to Lausanne and start studying at the University of Lausanne. It wasn’t an easy decision. Going back to amateur hockey felt like stepping away from the dream.
At first, I thought it was just temporary, that I’d return abroad soon. But hockey in Switzerland is a very different scene—it’s more of a hobby than a sport. It had been my life, my full-time focus, but now I was in an environment where it was just a recreational activity for most. I struggled to reconcile that. I had to either accept it as secondary or live with the frustration of it not meeting my expectations.
Eventually, the frustration grew, and I realised I wasn’t enjoying it anymore. So, I stopped and walked away. I wondered if I had given up too soon, but I’ve come to believe that sometimes the most important thing isn’t holding on to the past—it’s creating space for what’s next. When I left hockey, I didn’t know what that “next” would be. I had spent my entire life on that one path, and now, I had to find a new one. For a while, I felt lost, uncertain of where to go next. But then, I stumbled upon cycling—and everything began to change.
It all started in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when I joined a friend on an impromptu bikepacking trip across Norway. After 2,400km and nearly three weeks of cycling, we reached the North Cape—and I was hooked. Shortly after that, I bought my first road bike and dove into the world of cycling. A few months later, another friend pitched me the idea of the Swiss Ultra Cycling Challenge (SUCH), a 1,000km self-supported race through all 26 cantons of Switzerland. It sounded impossible—especially when I heard some riders completed it in under two days. But the challenge intrigued me. Why not give it a shot?
The rules were simple: start from any train station in Switzerland, activate your GPS at 10:10 AM, cross all 26 cantons, and finish at Bern’s Bundesplatz. After 64 intense hours, we crossed that finish line—exhausted but pumped. That’s when I thought: “Here’s something I can really get behind.” It felt like a new challenge, one I could truly dedicate myself to. In 2022, I returned to SUCH, this time solo. I finished 8th, and while I wasn’t at the front, I realized I could be competitive and I knew I wasn’t done—I had my eyes set on winning. After all, two years of cycling had already gotten me this far—how much further could I push myself?
In 2023, I asked myself: could I win an ultra-endurance race? The odds were uncertain, but I was determined to find out. My first real season as an ultra cyclist included five major races, all building toward one goal: winning the Swiss Ultra Cycling Challenge—the race that had kickstarted my journey two years earlier. Along the way, I had solid results, including a 4th place at the Pedalma Madrid to Barcelona and a 12th place finish at the Race Across France 2500km, my longest race yet. But the real focus was on SUCH in September. I was in the best shape of my life, with every detail meticulously planned. After nearly 40 hours of non-stop racing, I won my first ultra-endurance race—a moment I’m incredibly proud of. (Read the full story)
After winning the 2023 Swiss Ultra Cycling Challenge, I knew I had the ability to win races. So, I decided to raise the stakes and set my sights on the Race Across France. To achieve that, I needed a more serious and focused approach. I teamed up with my coach, Loic Lepoutre, and a sports psychologist. The progress was clear, and I found myself battling for victory in every race. But, in the end, I came up short—scratching near the finish line of the Race Across France after a strong start and losing my title at the Swiss Ultra Cycling Challenge, finishing in second. The improvement was evident, but the results didn’t follow. Will 2025 be different? Time to find out.
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Pourquoi Pas? Podcast 🎧
I had the pleasure of joining the Pourquoi Pas? Podcast from Romain Ries for an episode all about my journey from field hockey to ultra endurance cycling. In this conversation, I share my story—from my early days as a field hockey goalkeeper to discovering (almost by accident) the incredible world of ultra cycling.
