I København, en af Europas mest cykelvenlige byer, var forvirringen begyndt at sprede sig på Lars' ansigt. Han strammede grebet om sit cykelstyr, mens han stirrede på den snorlige cykelsti, der strakte sig ud foran ham. Det var Lars' første gang her, her i ræset på to hjul, og frygten for det ukendte kunne ses i hans blågrønne øjne.

In Copenhagen, one of Europe's most bike-friendly cities, confusion had started to spread across Lars' face. He tightened his grip on his bike handlebars as he stared at the neatly laid-out bike path stretching out in front of him. It was Lars' first time here, in the two-wheeled race, and the fear of the unknown could be seen in his teal eyes.

Lars, en ung mand på 25 år, var flyttet til København fra en lille landsby i Jylland. Det var både underholdende og skræmmende at se så mange cykler på ét sted. Himlen var dækket af grå skyer, og vinden blæste Lars' hår tilbage, mens han så på de forbipasserende ryttere. Han stod der, ved Herlev Hospital, og havde den længste vej hjem til Hovedbanegården.

Lars, a 25-year-old man, had moved to Copenhagen from a small village in Jutland. It was both entertaining and frightening to see so many bikes in one place. The sky was covered with grey clouds, and the wind blew back Lars' hair as he watched the passing riders. He stood there, by Herlev Hospital, facing the longest way back home to the Central Station.

"Lad os komme i gang, Lars," sagde Signe og smilte hjerteligt. Signe var Lars' eneste ven i København, en veninde fra gymnasietiden.

"Let's get going, Lars," said Signe, smiling warmly. Signe was Lars' only friend in Copenhagen, a friend from their high school days.

Hun var vant til trafikken i København og cyklede ubesværet gennem gaderne, mens Lars gispede efter vejret i hendes hale. "Lars, du skal følge cyklisternes interne regler," råbte hun over skulderen, da de kørte over Lygten.

She was accustomed to the traffic in Copenhagen and cycled effortlessly through the streets, while Lars struggled to catch his breath in her wake. "Lars, you need to follow the cyclists' unofficial rules," she yelled over her shoulder as they crossed Lygten.

Cykelstierne i København føltes som en labyrint for den unge Jyde. Råbene fra de andre cyklister kunne tit virke forvirrende, og Signe var foran ham og fjernere for hvert pedaltråd. "Hastighed, Lars," råbte hun tilbage, mens hun susede forbi en jalousiskoddedør.

The bike paths in Copenhagen felt like a maze for the young Jutlander. The shouts from other cyclists could often be confusing, and Signe was getting farther ahead with each pedal stroke. "Speed up, Lars," she shouted back as she zoomed past a jealous green door.

Lars' hjerte hamrede i brystet, mens han forsøgte at navigere gennem Nørrebrogade. De måtte nu over Dronning Louises Bro og ind på Købmagergade. Men Lars kunne allerede mærke sveden på panden.

Lars' heart pounded in his chest as he tried to navigate through Nørrebrogade. They had to cross Queen Louise's Bridge and head towards Købmagergade. But Lars could already feel the sweat on his forehead.

Uheldigvis tog Lars en forkert drejning og endte på H.C. Andersens Boulevard. Bilkøer, travle fodgængere og ivrige cyklister, var alt for meget for den stressede Lars. I hans panik begyndte han at cykle imod trafikken.

Unfortunately, Lars took a wrong turn and ended up on H.C. Andersens Boulevard. Traffic jams, bustling pedestrians, and eager cyclists were all too much for the stressed Lars. In his panic, he started cycling against the traffic flow.

"Hun har sikkert ret," tænkte Lars. Men hans stædighed gjorde, at han fortsatte. Han ville ikke vise sin sårbarhed, selv om han følte sig tabt i byens larm og lyde.

"She's probably right," thought Lars. But his stubbornness made him continue. He didn't want to show his vulnerability, even though he felt lost in the city's noise and sounds.

Men så skete det uundgåelige. En politibetjent stoppede ham og advarede ham om, at han kørte den forkerte vej. Følelsen af skam farvede hans kinder røde. Alle de andre cyklister stirrede på ham.

But then the inevitable happened. A police officer stopped him and warned him that he was cycling in the wrong direction. The feeling of shame colored his cheeks red. All the other cyclists stared at him.

Da Signe endelig fandt Lars, trøstede hun ham. Hun fortalte ham, at de alle har været der. Signe, der var en sand københavner, kendte byen som sin egen bukselomme.

When Signe finally found Lars, she comforted him. She told him that they had all been there. Signe, a true Copenhagener, knew the city like the back of her hand.

Da de endelig nåede Hovedbanegården, var Lars' ansigt aflastet. Hver eneste op-og-ned tur var det hele værd. Han var nu en del af Københavns cykelkultur, og det føltes godt. Han vidste, at han havde begået fejl, men det var en del af processen.

When they finally reached the Central Station, Lars' face eased. Every up-and-down ride was worth it. He was now part of Copenhagen's bike culture, and it felt good. He knew he had made mistakes, but it was all part of the learning process.

Det gjorde ikke noget, at han var blevet stoppet af politi, eller han havde taget nogle forkerte drejninger. I sidste ende lærte han om byens charme, dens livlige gader og dens smukke cykelkultur. Og han havde Signe ved hans side - hans støtte og guide. Nu var det ikke længere ligeså skræmmende at ride på cykelstierne, som det var i begyndelsen. Han vidste, at han skulle falde for at lære. For i København, er det kun, når du falder, at du virkelig lærer at cykle.

It didn't matter that he had been stopped by the police or taken a few wrong turns. In the end, he had learned about the city's charm, its lively streets, and its beautiful bike culture. And he had Signe by his side – his support and guide. Now, it wasn't as daunting to ride on the bike paths as it was in the beginning. He knew he had to fall to learn. Because in Copenhagen, it's only when you fall that you truly learn how to ride.

Og Lars, den stædige jyde, var parat til at falle og opstå igen, igen og igen, indtil han blev mester i kunsten at cykle i Københavns gader.

And Lars, the stubborn Jutlander, was ready to fall and rise again, again and again, until he became a master in the art of cycling in Copenhagen's streets.