Arsenal, a broken heart and new horizons
Hi, my name is Frøya Knox, and I would like to tell you my story of how I started cycling. From dreams being broken, to creating new ones and reaching new horizons in the colors of CJ O’Shea.
My journey began on the football field. Dreaming of becoming a professional football player. Taking the right steps through my youth, I stayed consistent and dedicated. I was raised to take a different approach to dreams by my dad who always said: “dreams don’t just happen; you have to make them happen”.
When I was 15, I went for trials at the Arsenal U21 academy. On a stormy evening in London, they saw something in me, and I was offered a place in their academy. This was me making my dream happen!! Moving to England was an easy decision but it was very quickly interrupted by the Corona pandemic. However, during the lockdown I could still play football in Norway. So, the dream was still alive.
In April 2021 I injured my ankle. This was an injury that only required a small surgery and short recovery, they said. Not long after my comeback, I realized something was not right.
This is where things changed, possibly a different route in life, a new set of horizons needed. After more scans and talks with physios and doctors, I was told I should consider the fact that I will probably never be able to play football again. This came as a huge shock. Going from highs to lows in sport is life. But, having to walk away from your dream so soon is something else, particularly as it was within touching distance.
But leaving the world of sport behind was not an option for me.
I knew I had so much to give, so finding a new passion was top priority. And I had to find the sport that my ankle could tolerate. To be honest, I had never considered cycling. I loved team sport and kicking a ball. I could never see myself riding a bike on the road for hours by myself. That was until I tried it! Wow.
In 2022, I got my first road bike and that was the beginning of my new passion. I was on my way to a training camp in Calpe. Here I rode seriously for the first time in my life, and I loved it. I knew instantly that I had found my new passion.
At the age of 17, starting from scratch with nothing except for a bike and an inner drive, was a commitment I was seriously up for. The transition and journey were not easy. Luckily, I had support from family, and a sports psychologist who helped me mentally re-calibrate to my new reality. My dream was now to become a professional cyclist. The same applied to cycling as it did soccer, you make your own dreams happen.
After one year of riding my bike in Norway I realised that the cycling scene alone was not big enough for me and I was not developing fast enough. So, I contacted a Dutch team, and kudos to them, they gave me an opportunity they were willing to take a risk by signing me.
I lived in the Netherlands for two seasons developing my race experience, learning how to ride a bike, getting stronger and lastly learning that cycling also is a team sport. For 2025, I got my first Continental contract with CJ O’Shea. Going from dreaming of playing football for an English team, to 3 years later riding a bike for one, is almost like it was meant to be.
Making the step up to CJ O’Shea and entering a more professional side of the sport, learning how to ride for your teammates and working together has made my love for this sport grow even stronger. This is a huge steppingstone in my journey. Riding in the horizon colors of O’Shea is not just a jersey for me, it symbolizes resilience, dedication, being passionate and making dreams happen. Now I’m riding for CJ O’Shea and looking for my next horizon.
