THE ORIGIN OF YOUR IMPOSSIBLE SERIES

Team Novo Nordisk is a professional cycling team and the first in the world made entirely of athletes living with type 1 diabetes. The team's mission is to inspire, educate and empower those affected by diabetes, showing that a type 1 diabetes diagnosis does not define or limit you.

Here, you will find inspiring stories from team members, ambassadors, and supporters of the team, and deep dive into what came next for them after their diagnosis and how they defied their impossible. Highlighting how resilience, determination, and support helped them take back control of their lives and own their new reality.

Behind every jersey on Team Novo Nordisk is a powerful story of resilience and ambition. Each team member is living proof that a type 1 diabetes diagnosis doesn't stop you from chasing—and achieving—your goals.

These athletes manage their condition every day while training, traveling, and racing at the highest level of the sport. By getting to know the riders, you'll see how they've turned challenges into motivation and how they continue to inspire others living with diabetes around the world. Dive into their personal stories, explore their accomplishments, and cheer them on as they push the limits of what's possible.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Insulin is the hormone responsible for regulating blood glucose levels and allowing sugar from food to enter the body's cells for energy. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream, leading to serious health complications¹.

Unlike type 2 diabetes, which typically develops later in life and is often linked to lifestyle factors like diet, weight, and physical activity, type 1 diabetes is not caused by lifestyle and usually appears in childhood or early adulthood^1,2.

While the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is still unknown, researchers have identified several factors that may increase the risk of developing the condition:

• Family history plays a role—individuals with a parent or sibling who has type 1 are statistically more likely to develop the condition³. 
• Certain genes are linked to the development of the disease, although having them doesn't guarantee a diagnosis³.
• Age factors—the condition is most commonly diagnosed in children between the ages of 4 to 7 or 10 to 14. However, it can appear at any age—as it did for Bailey McDonald, being diagnosed at 21².
• Multifactorial Nature—The development of T1D is complex and multifactorial, meaning that while genetics play a role, environmental factors also significantly contribute to the onset of the disease³.

For professional athletes like those on Team Novo Nordisk, managing type 1 diabetes requires constant attention and a proactive mindset⁴. Daily insulin therapy—delivered either through injections or an insulin pump—is essential to keep blood glucose levels within a safe range^5,6. Frequent monitoring, sometimes dozens of times a day, helps athletes make rapid adjustments during long rides, races, or intense training sessions⁷.

Nutrition plays a central role: carbohydrate intake must be carefully balanced with insulin, activity levels, and timing. As high-performance athletes, their food habits must support both energy needs and glucose control⁸. Resources like The Team Novo Nordisk Cookbook provide recipes and strategies tailored to athletes living with diabetes, offering guidance on how to fuel the body for endurance while keeping blood sugar stable.

This is just the beginning. We'll be sharing more inspiring stories from Team Novo Nordisk athletes, showing how they've transformed their diagnosis into determination and continue to push the boundaries of what's possible.

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