“I never thought I could be proud of 17th place.”



Just days after the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Nice, professional triathlete and Classified athlete Lizzie Rayner joins Kirstine Frida Rysbjerg for Episode 5 of Classified Connects.

For 18 months, Nice had been the goal.

But after struggling with fatigue, illness and inconsistent recovery, Lizzie discovered shortly before Worlds that her iron levels were extremely low. Suddenly, the goalposts had to move.

In this episode, Lizzie opens up about making it to the start line, separating identity from results, learning to give herself grace and why simply showing up can sometimes become the victory.



They also talk about the people behind a professional athlete, coach-athlete relationships, what makes a genuine brand partnership, preparing specifically for the technical Nice course and the equipment decisions behind her race setup, including why Classified allowed her to race a 58T chainring while retaining the range she needed for the climbs.



And looking ahead, Lizzie explains why one question continues to drive her:



What am I actually capable of?



Classified Connects: conversations about performance, people and the connections behind sport.

How much of becoming a better athlete is actually about learning when not to push?

In episode 4 of Classified Connects, Kirstine Frida sits down with Hanne De Vet at her home in Andorra, just days before the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Nice.

Hanne has built her career around consistency. But getting there has also meant learning some difficult lessons about her own body. She talks openly about recovering from a concussion and hormonal imbalance, the periods when one day of pushing too hard could leave her in bed the next, and why those experiences changed the way she approaches training today.

But performance is only part of the conversation.

For Hanne, stability also means coming home to Andorra, sharing everyday life with her fiancé and coach Hayden, staying connected to friends and family, and remembering that being a professional athlete is only one part of who she is.

Listen to Episode 4 of Classified Connects now.

Next episode out: 21st of September 2026.

When Your Body Tells You Something Is Wrong

A year ago, Toby Perry was in some of the best form of his life.

Then, after racing one of the biggest gravel races last season, something changed.

He went from competing at the highest level to getting dropped in race neutrals, struggling on café rides with friends and finding everyday things like walking upstairs difficult.

The hardest part was not knowing why.

In Episode 3 of Classified Connects, Toby sits down with Kirstine Frida in Girona to talk about the physical and mental battle that followed, and what it means to rebuild when there is no clear timeline for getting back to where you were.

They talk about redefining success, learning to recognize progress, the limits athletes continually push, and why Toby believes there should be more room for honesty and emotion in cycling.

Because sometimes finishing 13th can mean more than winning.

And sometimes simply getting back to the start line is already progress.

Listen to Episode 3 of Classified Connects with Toby Perry now.

Next episode out: 16th of September 2026

Classified Connects is an open space for conversations. Hosted by Kirstine Frida Rysbjerg, we invite guests to sit down, share their stories, and connect with everything that makes cycling worth riding for.

A different guest every episode, a new story every time. For our launch, a new episode drops every other week.

Tom Boonen won more Classics than most riders dare to dream of. But in this conversation, it is the setbacks, not the victories, that take centre stage. The cost of becoming a champion, the years it took to find himself again, and the connection between rider and spectator that he values more than any result.

"We don't fall in love with the numbers. We fall in love with the people."

Episode 2 - Know for Your Victories. Shaped by Your Setbacks.

Next episode is out on Wednesday the 19th of August 2026 - featuring a solo interview with Marcel Kittel.

Classified Connects is an open space for conversations. Hosted by Kirstine Frida Rysbjerg, we invite guests to sit down, share their stories, and connect with everything that makes cycling worth riding for.

A different guest every episode, a new story every time. For our launch, a new episode drops every other week.

For our first episode, we are starting with two guests who need very little introduction. Tom Boonen and Marcel Kittel sit down with Kirstine to talk about what it felt like to be in the peloton, the bond that forms between riders when the road gets hard, and the lives they are building on the other side of their careers.

Two careers that defined an era. One conversation worth your time.

Episode 1 - Be Yourself or Build Your Wall

Next episode is out on Wednesday the 5th of August 2026 - featuring a solo interview with Tom Boonen

Welcome to a brand new chapter of Classified. This is Classified Connects. A podcast, a conversation and a love letter to the world of cycling.

First episode out 22/07.