"Over the years, I tried all kinds of things, but nothing gave me the same sense of freedom and focus as road cycling."- Simona Hozjan
I'm Simona Hozjan, I’ve been doing sports for as long as I can remember. Growing up, being active was just a big part of our family life. My dad was always encouraging me to try different sports and supporting me along the way, so staying active just came naturally.
My actual cycling story started in 2023 after I injured my knee while trail running. My physio suggested low-impact cardio to rebuild the muscle, so I impulsively went out and bought a road bike. It was supposed to be a temporary fix or a tool, till I get better. But, I just decided I want to put all my energy and focus into road cycling and it became my biggest hobby.
Group Rides and the Local Scene
Beyond the physical side, the local community plays a huge part in why I keep cycling. Joining group rides added a social element to the sport that I really enjoy. Met so many great people within the sport, and its always great to hear different perspectives on cycling.
It’s also been great to see the shift over the last couple of years, with significantly more women getting into road cycling. Being part of that growing group of female riders has been super satisfying for me!
Local Roads and the Dolomites
Living in Slovenia is lovely, because the terrain is great for road cycling, you actually get a mix of everything, from flat loops to proper hills and passes. I'm also really happy with how much the cycling infrastructure is improving here. They recently opened the new path from Bled to Bohinj, and it’s safe to say, it became my favourite route.
My Setup: The Bryton Rider 750SE
As my routes got longer and covered more remote areas, having a reliable bike computer became essential. As a Bryton ambassador, I use the Rider 750SE on every ride.
What I really appreciate about it is how straightforward and reliable it is. The 40-hour battery life means I never have to stress about it dying mid-ride. The color screen is super easy to read in full sun, and having my power and heart rate data sync right after a ride makes tracking my actual progress really straightforward.
My absolute favorite feature, though, is Climb Challenge. When you upload a route, it automatically breaks down every single ascent ahead of time. Before I even reach the bottom of a climb, I can pull up the profile and see exactly what I’m in for, the total length, the elevation gain, and where the steepest pitches are. So once I'm actually on the ascent, having that real-time graphical display showing gradient changes and the exact distance left to the summit is a game changer for me.
It takes away the mind games on tough hills; I know when to save my legs, when I can push a bit harder, and how to pace the effort properly so I can actually enjoy reaching the top.
Looking back, buying that road bike was easily the best decision I could’ve made. Forced rehab or not, it completely took over as my main outlet and gave me a sport I actually look forward to, whether that’s a solo head-clearing ride or a group session with friends. With good roads right outside my door and the right setup on my bike, I'm just planning to keep riding as much as I can.
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