Exciting Battle Between Persson and Novak At Ylläs-Levi

by JOHAN TRYGG • 08.04.2022
Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, secured his third overall victory in Visma Ski Classics with his eighth place at Reistadlöpet last Saturday. Behind that, however, there is an open and exciting battle between Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Max Novak, Team Ramudden, for second place. Only 25 points separate the duo before the final at Ylläs-Levi on Saturday.
Andreas Nygaard, Team Ragde Charge, secured his third overall victory in Visma Ski Classics with his eighth place at Reistadlöpet last Saturday. Behind that, however, there is an open and exciting battle between Emil Persson, Lager 157 Ski Team, and Max Novak, Team Ramudden, for second place. Only 25 points separate the duo before the final at Ylläs-Levi on Saturday.

At Reistadløpet, we saw skiers with kick wax at the front. The top three skiers overall, Nygaard, Persson, and Novak, ended up a little further down the list of skate skis. Nygaard was eighth, Novak tenth, and Persson 21st.

With eighth place, Nygaard secured the overall victory and what is exciting before the final in Ylläs-Levi is whether Persson or Novak will be second. Kasper Stadaas, Team Ragde Charge, is also in the match for the podium as he is 82 points behind Novak as fourth. The total standings can be found here.

We talked with Emil Persson and Max Novak before the 70km race on Saturday.

Emil, how was the Reistadløpet for you?

“It was tough! I really suffered on the first hill. It has not suited me, but I had hoped for a little better there,” says Persson and continues;

“Then I saved it up pretty well after that. I had a good feeling in my body last 15km. I was able to finish the race with good self-confidence. But I broke a pole with four kilometers left, so it was boring when you managed to catch up with some skiers in front.”

Due to the pole incident, he again lost some places at the end, and Persson settled for 21st place.

How has the recovery been after the race last Saturday?

“It was tough the first days after the race. Then I was really tired, and you noticed that the height meters had taken their toll. With the last few days, it has felt good.”

Before Ylläs-Levi, Emil has 25 points ahead of Max Novak, but that is not something he does not attach much importance to.

Do you know all the scenarios in the fight against Max for second place on Saturday?

“No, I do not think that is relevant. I will try to win, which is important,” he states.

Emil Persson went to Ylläs-Levi three years ago but was not one of the top skiers at the time.

“You have to look far down the list. I think I was 40th something (Emil was 45th, 13 minutes behind the winner Nygaard).”

Do you still know the course and then know what to do on Saturday?

“Yes, and I think it’s nice. They get everything in this race with tough climbs and long flat sections. Then still a slightly hilly ending. All scenarios can happen on this track.”

Will we see a Swedish victory in Finland on Saturday then?

“Yes, we are aiming for that.”

Already, Persson is planning some adjustments in the training to be able to retake the yellow bib next winter.

“I will try to be a little more stable in training the last bit towards the season. I was more stable before last season and then more stable in form. Before this season, it has been more up and down, and this also applies to the form this winter.”

What has it been due to?

“I think it was in the training plan that I went too hard some periods and too easy others. I had to make some adjustments.”

For Max Novak, it is essential to be ahead of Emil Persson if he wants to be second in the total. If Novak wins and Persson is second, it will be enough to pass. If Novak is second and Persson third, that is not enough. Then, of course, there are many more variants, but then Novak must be some placements ahead.

Max, do you think Emil will keep an eye on you the whole race?

“Yes, he should,” says Novak and continues;

“It’s easy for him. He should stay as close to me as possible and preferably in front. But we as a team can do a lot of damage uphill. We will try to use the slopes that are here.”

Is Ylläs-Levi a race that suits you?

“Yes, it is a hard race with some tough hills at the beginning and end, making it harder to keep up with the group. I think it will be a smaller group if the weather does not make it too difficult.”

How is your recovery from Reistadløpet, and how did you experience the race?

“It was quite heavy last weekend, but the recovery has been good,” says Novak and continues: “At Reistadløpet, I felt really good.” 

On the second hill, you had to let go of your teammate Johannes Eklöf?

 “He was alert there and got a gap. I had wanted to hang out there, but I could not, and when they became a group, I felt that someone else was allowed to go. Then there were some gaps, and I had to settle for tenth place,” says Novak.

How is the recovery before Saturday?

“I have been in Levi since last Sunday and have been feeling the track. However, there has been much snowfall, so you have not got a very nice feeling right away. The slopes probably feel tougher than they are. I skied the last interval session today (Wednesday), so now it’s just a matter of surfing in the last days.”

What are your goals for next winter?

“I have not thought much about it yet. But if I get on the podium this year and hopefully in second place, of course the goal will be to be number one in the total. It will be the main goal to think about during this summer’s training,” says Novak and continues;

“But first, I will take it easy in April and May.”

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