Kim Riseth hails from Norway and arrived in New York City two years ago, having worked for Verdens Gang [VG.no] the most widely circulated newspaper in Norway. He has covered the war in Iraq, hurricane Katrina and a host of other nation and international stories. Last year I rode with Kim and his father, an ardent biker himself and ex-guitarist in a Norwegian rock band, with Jethro Tull a major influence. I managed to track him down the other day and interviewed him over a few cups of coffee after some laps in Central Park.

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O’M: When did you get into biking?

KR: When I was about 10 years old. My father was into biking. I remembered it as being painful, cold and wet. My father taught me the basics, but I didn’t do many races. Instead I took up swimming and competed for ten years at a regional level. I did a lot of training, but stopped progressing after a while. So at 19 I stopped swimming and took up mountain biking. I did mountain biking for 4-5 years and when I moved to Oslo [Norway’s capital] I joined a racing team that did long road races.

O’M: How long?

KR: One day race from the middle of Norway to Oslo, about 540km. The team, RYE, was the strongest team in super long races….

O’M: 540km? That’s very long, about….

KR: 337.5 miles. It was a big club with all sorts of levels [categories], 20-30 guys on my team and the average time of the ten best per team was how you won the race.

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TeamRYE, Riseth on Left Front

O’M:: So you moved to Oslo, raced and began working as a journalist?

KR: : I had worked as a photographer and photographer’s assistant in the dark room back in my home town. I’d write up a story on the swim meets. Eventually I ended up in bigger papers. I have worked for this paper for 12 years.

O’M: Did you go to college for journalism?

KR: No. I worked all my life from 16 years old.

O’M:Now in 2003, you were one of the first reporters to go to Bagdad?

KR: Yes, we went in with the Americans. Other journalists couldn’t move around so much, but we had a lot of access. Because we [Riseth and photographer Harald Henden] were with the troops [U.S. Army] we could see more stuff. We had developed special local contacts over a six month period, and that made us able to bring our own car. We were the only journalists who had a Toyota Land Cruiser. We spray painted it sand color. It had to blend in, be tactical and run on diesel, otherwise they wouldn’t let us bring it.

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B Field, Winner, 3/25/2006

O’M:The old reliable, original rough terrain vehicle. What did other journalists travel around in?

KR: Funny thing was everyone was laughing at our vehicle. The BBC had Land Rovers and Fox News had Hummers [Humvees]. Our vehicle was one of the few to make it to Bagdad. In fact Fox had to be towed by the U.S. Army to Bagdad.

O’M:Where was your base?

KR: We stayed at the brigade headquarters but on April 7th , 2003 it was bombed. Before that we had long discussions whether to stay there [at HQ outside Bagdad] or join the advancing forces for their attack into Baghdad. So we left the car there and took supplies for 2 or 3 days. After we left two reporters we knew, a German and a Spaniard were killed when a missile hit HQ. We were in an APC [Armored Personnel Carrier] and arrived at Saddam’s palace safely, when we heard about the deaths. Our vehicle [Land Cruiser] was close to the missile hit. We had $50,000 cash inside. The windows were blown out, but the cash was safe. Five people were killed, 20 vehicles burnt. We thought everything was destroyed, but some soldiers we knew were able to pull the car out of the flames. We recovered it three days later, patched it together with cardboard boxes, tape and plastic sheets, and drove it to the palace.

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Saddam’s Palace, April 2003

O’M: You were really lucky?

KR: Yes but we were devastated about the deaths of our colleagues. So we stayed in the palace a week, and sold our car to a British reporter for $2,000 and a cup of tea at the airport.

O’M: So riding races is safer than working as a journalist in combat zones?

KR: [Laughing] Not sure actually. I was almost closer to being killed off my bike in Norway. I made a U-turn in the middle of the road, and was hit by a car going 50mph. I hit the car head on, broke the windshield, a collar bone and some ribs. That was a very close call. But I was able to train again after a week.

O’M: What are your goals for 2007?

KR: Race and have fun as much as my work schedule allows. It all depends on my travels. I think I want to do well in the National Masters Championships in Norway, in July.

O’M: What was your best result last year?

KR: The ones I remember best are winning the two B races in the park. Getting $25 was the biggest payout I’ve ever received [laughs]. In Norway there’s no money for amateur racing.

O’M:Out of town?

KR: 3rd in Bear in the Spring. Greg Olsen our team mate won it. 6th at Jiminy Peak and Housatonic Hills and 4th at a stage in Green Mountain.

O’M: Do you focus much on diet?

KR: Not that much. After a long ride I’ll have some yogurt.

O’M: And pre-race?

KR: Cereals mostly. Some races in Norway went for 13-14 hours and I’d focus on diet all week before the race.

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Central Bagdad, April 7th 2003

O’M: What’s your view on Power Taps and heart rate monitors?

KR: They can be useful. I use a HRM but don’t follow it religiously. Most of the time, it gives me an indication of my recovery. If I try to ride and hit a specific zone and the pulse stays low, it means I’m not recovered enough.

O’M: What irritates you about other riders?

KR: I rarely get irritated. But people shouting and yelling for no obvious reason, that’s annoying.

O’M: You don’t like loudmouths?

KR: Exactly. There are a lot of characters around, but I’m not irritated by them.

O’M: How do you like your new Ridley?

KR: Very solid. Great for crits and the park.

O’M: How has New York City shaped your view of the United States?

KR: Not sure if it has. It’s a world of its own, not really part of America. It’s a mix of all kinds of people. I realize that America is not one stereotype, so many sides to it. In Europe there’s lots of opposition to the U.S. government, but the strongest [opposition] is here. There’s a whole spectrum of ideas here and that’s of course a challenge for me to report on how people here think and act.

O’M: What was the most interesting story you’ve covered?

KR: In the US it would be Hurricane Katrina. I was there for 10 days. It was surprising that this could happen here in the U.S. Old ladies 90 years ole dying on the highway.

O’M: You assisted them?

KR: Yes we gave them our food and water and what supplies we had. It was shocking that all of this was happening all around us, in a developed country. It [the highway] wasn’t even flooded.

O’M: Was there a lack of state involvement?

KR: It failed on all levels, local, state and federal. The people weren’t prepared. All communications broke down. It showed how dependent we are on electrical power and cell phones. It was like a Mad Max movie, I felt helpless, caught up in a movie or something. The first thing I did when I returned to New York was buy a generator.

O’M: How much?

KR: $500. It was less than a frame!

O’M:You were also in Pakistan right?

KR: Yes 2 months in 2001, straight after 9-11.

O’M: What part?

KR: Peshawar, the gate to Afghanistan. I also spent a lot of time in Israel and Palestine, in Jenin and West Bank. I was the first newspaper reporter in Jenin in 2002.

O’M: Any other far flung places?

KR: Sri Lanka for the tsunami and the Andaman Islands. Also I went to Nepal during the rebellion with Maoist guerrillas, for 2 weeks.

O’M:What place was the most interesting?

KR: I was three times in Pakistan. Peshawar is a real mix of all types of people. It’s smuggler town, a border town and a place with ancient history next to the Khyber Pass. The people are very hospitable and generous. That’s probably why Osama Bin Laden is still there. There is a mix of cultures and it doesn’t really compare to the rest of Pakistan, like a tribal region all unto itself. I met some of the greatest people I’ve ever met there.

O’M: Do you keep in contact with any of them?

KR: Yes. One of our contacts, his mother died and I him and e-mail just last week. He was a “fixer”, someone who interpreted and guided us, He was also a journalist. His nick name was Mr. Peshawar! And he got us out of some tense situations.

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Big Thor/Little Thor

O’M: Back to bike racing for a minute. What team will dominate the A field?

KR: If Empire show up every week in numbers, they will dominate by sheer force. If Adler shows up, we have different kinds of riders, good sprinters, Uglietta. Guys that can get into breaks, Peter, Greg.

O’M:Finally, what do you like most about bike racing here in new York City and out of town?

KR: The people you meet. There are different types of people and characters from all walks of life. You get a huge mix of people like professors, doctors and plumbers, traders, millionaires and business owners. The great thing is you get to know a lot of people, all into bike racing. For me moving to New York and not knowing many people, it was great to have a network and an environment of different kinds of people.

O’M: I remember you training in the park in your full Bianchi kit and bike to match and I thought, this guy must be a pro or something, sponsored by Bianchi.

KR: I wish. Or actually maybe not. I don’t think I would want to be a pro. It’s a very tough job.

O’M:Have a great season.