Family Affairs - The Rise of PAS Racing

Words by James Ion - Photography provided by Pas Normal Studios Credit Sonam Gotthilf

In the high-speed world of gravel racing, success is often measured by watts, results sheets, and podium finishes. But for PAS Racing, something else powers their winning streak, something harder to quantify and far more durable. It's not a strategy spelt out on whiteboards or buried in training files. It's a feeling. A belief. A shared ethos. This is a team where riders aren’t just teammates; they’re family. And their secret? A foundation built not on pressure, but on trust and genuine connection.

In part 2 of our Pas Normal Studios series, we meet with Lars Moss (Global Partnership Manager), Tobias Kongstad (Rider and Sports Coordinator), and Karo Migoń (Rider). Three different perspectives on the PAS Racing team, but all with the same view, that success comes from working together.

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NOT Racing

The word pas in Pas Normal Studios means, in French, 'not' so in essence, the racing team of Pas Normal Studios is translated as NOT Racing. Which, as we will find out, is rather apt, don't get me wrong, they do race, but whereas a traditional team will look only at the result sheet PAS Racing takes a more holistic approach. Tobias Kongstad is at the centre of this story. This former Pro Continental road racer now balances life as both athlete and Sports Coordinator for PAS Racing at Pas Normal Studios. His journey from the pro peloton to gravel racing was also a path toward something more meaningful. "In 2021, I said, ‘I'm out of cycling now’. I think now I need to start working, and now it will be easy. I will have way more time," he recalled. But he quickly found that stepping away didn’t mean disconnecting. Through Pas Normal Studios, Tobias discovered a new rhythm, one that blurred the lines between work, racing, and passion. 

Tobias describes his role at PAS Racing as something between sports director, logistics manager, and racer. “I think my role is one of a  sports coordinator,” he explains, adding that on a traditional road team, “I would probably be the sports director… the person at the office doing the logistics and the rider and sometimes also the mechanic.”

Tobias is the day-to-day contact for the team, handling everything from flight bookings to rental cars and race-day logistics. “I'm the one, you know, booking flight tickets, ensuring there's a car for them when they arrive… stuff like that.”

Tobias also races himself, meaning he often travels with the team and takes care of operational tasks on the ground. “When I'm out there at some of the UCI races, I'm also ensuring that we have dinner and we have stuff like that organised.”

At the heart of it all is the atmosphere they’ve built together, one that values camaraderie over hierarchy. “The team is super built on that, the riders also want to be here,” he says. Whether it’s at major events like Unbound with a full support staff or smaller races where the riders share meal prepping and responsibilities, Tobias emphasises a relaxed, collaborative culture. “We do race, but, you know, we also enjoy each other’s company just to keep it nice and have a relaxing atmosphere.”

While big races demand more formal support, he believes the more intimate moments are just as vital: “For those smaller races, it’s super, super nice just to be around with the riders and hang out.”

"On the road, it was always about hitting numbers. You are only as good as your last result," Tobias said. But within PAS Racing, something shifted: "There’s no stress. No pressure to justify your place. That’s huge. It allows us to go all in on the day, to race creatively, aggressively. Because we’re not scared of failing."

That ethos echoes in Karo Migoń’s experience. The Polish gravel star has stood on the top step at Unbound and The Traka in 2025, but what she values most isn’t the result; it’s what surrounds it. "It’s the only team I’ve been in where I just get to be a rider," she said. "I don’t need to prove myself every day. It’s the opposite, they believe in me, so I can believe in myself."

Karo described arriving at Unbound to find everything arranged, housing, race prep, mechanics, and logistics. "I could just go straight into race mode. It’s such a small thing, but the mental space that it gives you? It changes everything."

That seamless support is no accident. It’s part of a deliberate structure that Tobias and Global Partnership Manager at Pas Normal Studios, Lars Moss, have built through years of shared experience. Lars, who came to Pas Normal Studios through a background in creative brand building and cycling culture, was instrumental in moving from supporting riders to forming a full-fledged team. "We didn’t set out to win everything," Lars said. "We set out to create something that felt right. And when people feel good, when they feel safe and seen, the results tend to follow naturally."

People First

At PAS Racing, success is built on more than watts and podiums. It’s about people, and the way they fit together off the bike as much as on it. From the very beginning, Lars and Tobias have built the team with that philosophy in mind.

“When we announced the team two years ago, the goal and the plan were to win Traka and Unbound,” says Lars. “Everybody was laughing at us because nobody knew the name of the team. Nobody knew about Karo, for example. But I think right now, everyone is trying to get Karoracing for them.” The rapid rise to prominence was no accident; it’s the product of a deliberately different approach.

Tobias explains how that difference begins with rider selection. “It was one of the things that Lars and I really focused on when we started talking with riders,” he says. “It’s no secret that top elite sports riders… some of them are different from others. You will pretty quickly recognise stuff like that when you're having these conversations.” Their priority? “That they are not only good on the bike, but just as good off the bike, together with the rest of the staff and of course also the riders.”

That standard has guided recruitment from year one. “The first year, we had to reach out to everyone ourselves,” Lars recalls. “This year it was a little bit easier… what we see now is actually that people are also reaching out to us.” Yet the criteria remain the same: “It’s important for us that they can race… but it’s also very important for us to find the right person behind the riders.”

Tobias reflects on what that means in practice. “Whether it’s luck, or us being good at being able to spot the right people… I can’t say,” he admits. “But at least it’s one of our big main focus points.”

That culture is backed by an unusually comprehensive support system. “We pay for the riders from when they leave their home until they are back again,” says Lars. “We pay for the travel, the accommodation, we pay for all food… We also have a chef coming in only to prepare the food. We have a mechanic coming in to do all the mechanical stuff.” Riders also receive top-tier equipment: “Custom shoes from Salomon, bike bags from Thule… Aero socks, helmets, glasses, everything they need. And they all know that if they need something, we find a solution.”

Rather than offer a salary in the traditional sense, PAS Racing invests its resources directly into rider performance and well-being. “It’s a kind of salary that we are paying for everything they need,” says Lars.

The impact of this approach is evident not only in results, but in the environment it creates. “I think we have been super, super lucky with that,” Tobias says of the team’s internal chemistry. But as both men make clear, it isn’t just luck. Its intention.

Community and Culture

But PAS Racing is more than a well-oiled operation. It’s a culture. A shared belief in doing things differently, the team creates an atmosphere that feels more like a weekend trip with friends than a high-stakes race.

Karo put it simply: "It feels like we’re in it together, like we look after one another. That’s rare."

And it works. The team has notched top-tier results across the board, not by demanding outcomes, but by enabling performance. When Tobias won The Traka by attacking from the gun, it wasn’t strategy that drove him forward; it was freedom. "I just go at a good pace. I don’t really get tired as long as I remember to eat. And when you're mentally ready, it doesn’t feel that hard."

At PAS Racing, the foundation is more than results or rankings; it’s about creating an environment where people thrive by being themselves. As Karo puts it, “It’s like going on a trip with friends, basically. We are having such a good time and we get such a big support and… trust also. And there is no pressure from anyone.” That sense of freedom and connection is echoed by Tobias, who highlights the value in “just enjoying each other’s company,” particularly in a sport that often forgets the human side.

The team’s structure is intentionally different from the traditional road model. Riders aren’t isolated in hotel rooms; they live together, cook together, and grow together. “We always live in big Airbnb houses when possible,” says Tobias. “So we can have that freedom to actually cook ourselves… just hanging out, cooking together.” These shared experiences around the dinner table matter. “You can lose time sitting together until it is like, ‘Okay guys, now I’ve been sitting here for two hours, now I think I will go to bed.’ I think that changes [everything].”

“We allow everyone to be themselves,” says Lars. “And it means a lot to us that people feel that they are more than welcome on the team.”

That mindset also shapes how the team races. Gravel allows for more flexibility, less hierarchy. “Everyone is the leader,” says Karo. “Probably that’s also one of the things, there is no fight for positions… and when someone has big success, I think everyone is super happy about this person.” Tobias adds, “We always say that we’re not racing for each other, but also not against each other. And I think… at least that has been working out super well this year.”

Even in race scenarios, this balance plays out naturally. “At Traka, I went off a little bit early,” Tobias recalls. “Simen was in the second group… he could say, ‘Hey guys, I have Tobias up there.’” That gave his teammate a tactical advantage while still allowing each rider to chase their own opportunity. “You don’t need to work for each other, but you also don’t need to work against each other,” he says.

Above all, what makes PAS Racing stand out is its emotional intelligence, a kind of quiet revolution in elite sport. “It’s an environment that helps you grow,” says Karo. One where, in Tobias’ words, “people are just there because they really love cycling, love gravel riding.”

PAS Racing is building something that rides the line between the old and the new: the grassroots spirit of gravel and the growing professionalism of the sport. Tobias is clear-eyed about the future: "We’re aware that gravel is getting more professional, there’s more money, more structure. We need to follow the tendencies without losing who we are."

So far, that balance is holding. Whether it's a former pro continental mechanic lending a hand or a partner stepping in to hand up bottles, everyone involved seems to want to be there. "When it starts to become a job, a normal 8 to 4 job, then you start losing it," Tobias said. "But when people are reaching out asking how they can help? That’s when you know you’ve built something real."

Results will come and go. But the heart of PAS Racing, the shared dinners, the WhatsApp group chats, the mid-race support from an old school friend in Iceland, that’s what endures. This isn’t just a team. 

It’s a family.

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Rider & Team Bios

Lars Moss – Global Partnership Manager, Pas Normal Studios

Lars Moss is a Danish sports industry professional currently serving as the Global Partnerships Manager at Pas Normal Studios, a Copenhagen-based brand specialising in high-performance, technical cycling apparel. In this role, he leads the development and execution of global partnership strategies, collaborating with athletes, teams, and events to enhance the brand's presence in the cycling community. Moss has been instrumental in establishing PAS Racing, Pas Normal Studios' international gravel racing team, which debuted in 2024 with a diverse roster of riders from around the world. His background includes experience in commercial and event management within various sports organisations, such as the Danish Cycling Federation and Danish Football Club. Moss is also active on social media, sharing insights into his work and the cycling community. 

"We built PAS Racing to be the team we’d want to ride for, not just because of how it looks, but how it feels.”

Tobias Kongstad – Rider & PAS Racing Sports Coordinator

Tobias Kongstad is a Danish cyclist who transitioned from professional road racing to gravel cycling, achieving notable success in events like the Traka 360 and Unbound Gravel 200. Initially racing for teams like Riwal Cycling Team, he switched focus to gravel in 2023, joining PAS Racing and quickly becoming a prominent figure in the sport. In addition to racing, he serves as the Race Coordinator for PAS Racing, a role he took after working in customer service at PAS Normal Studios. Kongstad resides in Copenhagen, balancing his career with his role at PAS Racing and is known for his methodical approach to training and racing.

"We always say we’re not racing for each other, but also not against each other. That balance is everything.”

Karo Migoń – Rider, PAS Racing

Karolina Migoń, known as Karo Migoń, is a Polish gravel cyclist who has rapidly ascended in the sport, now based in Switzerland. In 2025, she made history by winning the prestigious Unbound Gravel 200 race in Emporia, Kansas, with a record-setting time of 10 hours, 3 minutes, and 54 seconds. She is also a two-time winner of the Traka 360, a challenging gravel race in Girona, Spain. Migoń competes for PAS Racing, the international gravel team supported by Pas Normal Studios, and has secured top finishes in events like Gravel Suisse and Ranxo Gravel. Balancing her athletic career with a full-time role as a software engineer, she took a five-month leave in 2025 to focus on racing.

"It’s the only team I’ve been in where I just get to be a rider. That freedom is everything.”

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This is not a paid-for promotion or advertisement for Pas Normal Studios; this is an independent piece created by PRO.Gravel Magazine