Creating the TIME team: excellence at every level
When you look at a TIME bicycle frame from a distance, you probably just see the same front and rear triangle that is frankly to be found on just about every road bike ever designed. It’s not until you get closer and start to unpick the braided carbon structure technology and the level of innovation that it stands out as being quite unique. And then, when you look inside that TIME frame and at the resin transfer molding and level of engineering that went into creating it, you begin to truly understand why a TIME carbon bike frame is regarded as one of the best in the world. Why then, you may ask is this relevant in terms of the ambassadors here at TIME.
Well, it’s actually quite simple, and there is a connection; because it’s not until you get close up and begin to look deeper than surface level, that you understand who our ambassadors are and why they share the same traits of performance and drive to be the very best. Here at TIME, we’re a small team built on excellence. From our CEO, Tony Karklins, Marek in our European office, Andreas in Germany, and to every single one of our skilled artisans working in our factory – the team at TIME is built on excellence and a desire to lead the way. Over the next few months, we’re going to be speaking to and writing about several members of the team at TIME, including those skilled artisans at our factory in the heart of Europe.
For now, though, we want to start of our ‘Meet the Team’ series with an ambassador, and somebody who helps us to show you how well a TIME bike performs in the real world, tackling some of the most iconic roads within the global cycling scene.
Injury is a stumbling block, not the finish line
When we choose an ambassador to represent our guiding principle of Le Defi: TIME's guiding principle and what it means for your ride, they have to have something extra – and Nadezhda Pavlova does. This quietly spoken, yet strong-willed and determined athlete has been competing in sports for most of her life, and continues to train and to race, despite an horrific back injury in her early days as a snowboarder. Falling badly and breaking her back in training, this accident put Nadezhda into hospital and rehabilitation, and also put paid to her Olympic dreams, almost stopping her from ever participating in competitive sports again.
When you talk with Nadezhda, she tells you in a considered and yet matter of fact way how her journey towards cycling, via triathlon began, simply as a means to get back to being herself – an athlete.
‘As I lay in the hospital, the doctor told me to forget about running for the rest of my life, because I had injured my spine badly in the accident. I have always loved running however, and I had taken part in competitions at school and at university, and I couldn't imagine my life without it.
I didn't want to believe the doctor, so I started to strengthen my back muscles, and so I swam a lot, and I ended up finishing an Ironman, where you don't just run a marathon, but you do it after swimming 3.8 km and cycling 180 km. The first time I saw a triathlon competition was by chance, in 2014, on the island of Mallorca. I had just woken up, finished my morning run and went to the beach. There I witnessed the transition between water and land, and I saw how happy the participants were as they came out of the water and started running. The next step was to buy a carbon fiber bike – not a TIME at this stage – and other equipment and to myself find a coach!
Since then, I’ve taken part in numerous triathlons around the world, being ranked highly, including at the World Championship in Australia and competing at the Full Ironman. I last competed in an international 70.3 team event at Turkey, in 2024 which we won!’
To this day, Nadezhda continues to have regular surgical check-ups and treatment for her back and yet continues to show that with a fighting spirit and the right support, she can and does still compete and win – albeit now on a bike and not a snowboard!
Riding into the future & becoming a climber
Yes, the fall may have been a stumbling block for Nadezhda, but that’s all it was, and through swimming and running as part of her rehabilitation programme, Nadezhda has shown that through determination and the will to be your best version, nothing can stop you from succeeding. Living in Barcelona these days, Nadezhda is surrounded by mountains, and has easy access to the Pyrenees, where she frequently rides. Having been predominantly a TT rider initially, she’s made the transition to climber, finding a natural ability when the road begins to rise upwards.
In 2023, she travelled with writing colleagues to Romania, where she raced 2 events on the famed Transfagarsan Highway and on the historic Paltinis road, winning both races against international competition.
Now, living and riding in Barcelona, Spain, Nadezhda rides almost daily with the active cycling community, and often shares a coffee and cake with riding friends at the renowned cycling café – La Fuga. She travels on invitation to numerous international cycling events such as the Fausto Coppi ride in Italy. During 2025, this determined athlete decided to ride the Stelvio Pass to see the sunset at the top, setting off in darkness to time it perfectly on her TIME Scylon! And with TIME on her side, she has numerous events and races already lined up for 2026, as one of our leading global ambassadors, and as the joint editor in chief at the cycling lifestyle website, Pedalnorth.
It’s time for Le Tour!
And, as the Tour de France comes to Barcelona for 3 days in July, Nadezhda will not only be covering it as a writer; she’ll take every opportunity possible to take to her Scylon and ride up into the hills to watch the leading riders in the world on her home roads.
Here at TIME, the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do – and that includes our ambassadors. Nadezhda Pavlova typifies this with her spirit and determination to succeed, despite the odds. When that doctor told her she couldn’t run, he clearly didn’t look closely enough at her character – and now, with TIME on her side, Nadezhda will continue to ride into an exciting future on 2-wheels, helping us to show you why our carbon bikes are the best in the world – made in the heart of Europe!
