This Is How Lager 157 Ski Team Prepares For Ski Classics In January
Three races have been contested in the Ski Classics Season XIV so far. First, the two events in Bad Gastein, Bad Gastein Pro Team Tempo and Bad Gastein Criterium, on December 10-11, and then last weekend’s event La Venosta Criterium.
Now Christmas and New Year’s break awaits until mid-January, when 2023 kicks off with Pustertaler Ski Marathon, a 62km classic technique event in Italy on January 14, followed by Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, a 30km race also in Italy on January 15.
Lager 157 Ski Team will begin 2023 with Emil Persson in the Yellow bib (after two individual wins):
“We have had a very good start to the season. It has been felt during the beginning of the season that Emil has maintained an even higher level than he had before; that’s why it feels so awesome that he got this start,” says Pro Team Director Anton Järnberg.
Were you worried about Emil’s form after the Pro Team Tempo in Bad Gastein, where he had to drop early?
“No, I know what capacity Emil has and has had. It may have been the altitude that played a role, but I know that things can change quickly, and then there is something else about long races that suit Emil very well. But I can say that it was more surprising that he didn’t make it on Saturday than that he rode so well on Sunday,” says Järnberg, who will also see Karolina Hedenström wearing the Pink Youth bib:
“Karro has been strong and has done well during the pre-season and shown a very high level in the competitions we started during the pre-season. She has aimed to fight for the Youth bib, and the start of the season has shown that it is exactly the right goal.”
How will you prepare for the double event weekend in Italy?
“Now, there will be a few weeks over Christmas and New Year with training at home. Then on January 3-4, we travel to ‘medium altitude’ for just over a week towards Toblach. So we can train in the same way as we were able to do in Sportgastein towards the premiere weekend. After the competitions in Toblach, we will move to St. Moritz, at around 2,000 meters above sea level, where we will be all the way to Marcialonga.”
Are you planning to focus extra on specific competitions such as Marcialonga and Vasaloppet?
“It is clear that some competitions have a higher focus. At Vasaloppet, for several years, we have aimed to win on the men’s side. We have been second the last two years, so it is clear that we want to peak there. But if you take Emil, he races for the Yellow, and to take it, you have to maintain a consistent form over the season, but the peak must be in the most important competitions.”
What does the plan look like for Alvar Myhlback; will he start all the races in January?
“The plan as it stands right now is for Alvar to go to the Junior World Championships qualification races in Lycksele (January 6-8), then he wants to start as many as possible competitions in Ski Classics in January. But we are currently discussing what the plan looks like for Alvar,” concludes Anton Järnberg.
The upcoming Ski Classics Pro Tour event is Pustertaler Ski Marathon, a 62km classic technique event in Italy on January 14, followed by Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, a 30km race also in Italy on January 15, 2023.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XIV (2022/2023)
- Event 1: December 10, 2022 – Bad Gastein PTT, Bad Gastein, Austria, 15km
- Event 2: December 11, 2022 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Bad Gastein, Austria, 35km
- Event 3: December 17, 2022 – La Venosta Criterium, Val Venosta, Italy, 36km
- Event 4: January 14, 2023 – Pustertaler Ski Marathon, Sexten, Italy, 62km
- Event 5: January 15, 2023 – Prato Piazza Mountain Challenge, Niederdorf, Italy, 30km
- Event 6: January 21, 2023 – Engadin La Diagonela, Engadin Valley, Switzerland, 55km
- Event 7: January 29, 2023 – Marcialonga, Trentino, Italy, 70km
- Event 8: February 12, 2023 – Jizerská50, Bedrichov, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 9: February 18, 2023 – Grönklitt Criterium, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 50km
- Event 10: February 19, 2023 – Grönklitt ITT, Orsa Grönklitt, Sweden, 15km
- Event 11: March 5, 2023 – Vasaloppet, Sälen-Mora, Sweden, 90km
- Event 12: March 18, 2023 – Birkebeinerrennet, Rena-Lillehammer, Norway, 54km
- Event 13: April 1, 2023 – Reistadløpet, Setermoen-Bardufoss, Norway, 40km
- Event 14: April 2, 2023 – Summit 2 Senja, Bardufoss- Finnsnes, Norway, 67km
More info about the Ski Classics Pro Tour you can find at skiclassics.com.