When we finally got our hands on the first brand new Omnium Nano, we took it to the other side of the world to test it out at the Cycle Messenger World Championships. Spoiler alert — the Nano crossed the line in first place.

Matias Ovens — Omnium’s young and energetic Director, still known to many by his messenger name “Fergie” — is no stranger to alleycats and messenger world championships.

“The messenger scene has had a huge impact on my life since I started as a courier in 2011. That was also the first time I met Omnium founder Jimmi, who still works to this day as a courier every Wednesday here in Copenhagen. 

Since then I have attended championships and alleycats all over the world. A clear highlight being the summer of 2016, when I was a part of the organising team for the European Championships in Copenhagen, followed by an amazing CMWC in Paris, and concluded with the North American Championships in New York.”

Omnium was born directly from this community of passionate urban cyclists. From the very beginning, we have supported and sponsored messenger championships around the world. Our bikes are designed with this culture in mind — where cycling and everyday life blur together, and your bike has to handle all of it.

Fast but stable, adaptable and reliable. Built for the real world.

The Nano

The Nano has been a quiet passion project for years — a more compact bike that’s still very capable.

“The idea behind the Nano came from several conversations with customers and industry people from across Europe. Living in a city like Copenhagen, we don’t experience the same bike related issues as elsewhere, since so much of the infrastructure here is built for bikes. But a recurring issue we would hear was the limited space for parking. Therefore we wanted to make something even more compact than the Mini, and fun in a different way – It really wants to wheelie!”

When the first prototype was ready to ride late last year, it didn’t take long to realise the perfect testing ground for a brand-new cargo bike: a company pilgrimage to the 2025 Cycle Messenger World Championships in Sydney, Australia.

The Race

Each year, hundreds of the world’s strongest and most dedicated bike messengers gather to connect, celebrate the culture, and compete for the title of Cycle Messenger World Champion.

The main race is a demanding, multi-hour work simulation. Riders must complete as many deliveries as possible within the allotted time. The winner isn’t just the fastest rider — it’s the rider who combines physical endurance with sharp tactical thinking.

Route choice is everything. Efficiency is everything. It’s part race, part strategy puzzle — think of it like solving a complex sudoku while sprinting through city streets for three hours (Something I incidentally think Matias would also be quite good at!)

The Experience

“The race and the course on Cockatoo Island was out of this world. Having a whole island for a race course was absolutely amazing. And on top of that the format, being more of a mind game than most finals I have raced, it was definitely a race for me and the Nano. I’m not necessarily the fastest racer – nor is the nano – but I really do enjoy complex problems, the Nano is agile and versatile, and finding the quicker route between hundreds of checkpoints plays to our strengths. ”

From working as a messenger on an Omnium Cargo, to helping run the company and develop a new cargo bike — and now winning the Cycle Messenger World Championships on it — this is a true full-circle moment.

A moment we at Omnium are incredibly proud of.

“As I had planned the trip to Australia with the plan to also visit our distributor Ben, based outside of Melbourne, I had a flight booked for Monday afternoon, just a few hours before the prize ceremony. I got a phone call from one of the main organisers, Darcy, to tell me I’d come first place while waiting to board my flight, to my great surprise! As wonderful as it did indeed feel, I unfortunately missed out on an in-person celebration. But incredible, I would do it again! Nano did its job. And I hope to see a lot of people in Milan for the 2026 edition.”