From gravel racing to buying Pogačar’s Tour de France-winning bike: Formula 1 star Valtteri Bottas’ love affair with cycling

An avid gravel rider, the Formula 1 driver is certainly is no slouch outside of a car

FNLD GRVL test event in Lahti. Photos by Thomas Maheux
(Image credit: Thomas Maheux)

Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas is a world-class athlete and a bit of sports nut, too. Outside of the workouts required for a race car driver, he also enjoys partaking in a variety of sports. Not only that, he’s naturally athletic, highly competitive and probably would have been successful in a number of different disciplines. 

Having grown up in the outdoor sports haven near Lahti, Finland, he skis, snowboards and Ski-Doos in the winters and enjoys running and playing on bikes of all kinds in the warmer months. Like a good Finn, he also played ice hockey for some 10 years in his youth before car-racing started demanded most of his time. Hockey remains his second love though cycling may be tied for second. 

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