“Training with the team has given me a boost”
Last season, Alvar Myhlback focused almost entirely on Ski Classics. He participated in eleven of the individual races and achieved top 20 results nine times, with his best result being an eighth-place finish at Vasaloppet.
For this year’s season, his approach has been somewhat different. He has focused on traditional distances, competing in four World Cup races and even winning the sprint at the Ford Smart Energy Cup in Idre, Sweden.
From February 5 to 11, he will be participating in the Junior World Championships in Planica, Slovenia. However, in the three weekends leading up to that event, his focus will be on Ski Classics.
A few days ago, he joined his teammates in the Lager 157 Ski Team, who were in Antholz preparing for the upcoming weeks of competition, which include the long-distance Engadin La Diagonela next weekend and the Marcialonga the following weekend. However, Ski Classics resumes this Saturday with the 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon (formerly known as Pustertaler Ski Marathon), covering 62 kilometers in Sexten, near Toblach, Italy.
“I felt my form turn around immediately when I joined the team in Antholz. Just training with the team has given me a boost,” Myhlback said during Wednesday’s Ski Classics Live Sessions.
“Of course, I want to perform well even though I haven’t done a lot of specific long-distance training. I believe I need a race in Toblach, and it should get better and better from there.”
The plan is for the 17-year-old from Bjursås, Sweden, to compete in three Ski Classics races and then head to the Junior World Championships in Slovenia after racing at Marcialonga.
“It will be long-distance races on the weekends, and I will focus more on traditional training during the weekdays between the races,” Myhlback explained.
Anton Järnberg, Lager 157 Ski Team Pro Team Director, shares a similar view:
“I think it may take a race or two before he gets back into it. He has been focusing on traditional skiing since September, or at least until about a month ago. This means less emphasis on double poling compared to last year. So, I believe he will improve gradually during these three races. But Alvar (Myhlback) is proactive and forward-thinking; he will give it his all,” Järnberg stated in an interview published on Langd.se on Wednesday.
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV
The Season XV of Ski Classics Pro Tour consists of 15 events on 11 event weekends in 6 different countries. The season started in Bad Gastein, Austria, on December 9, 2023, and will end in Norway with the 100km Ski Classics Grand Finale Janteloppet on April 13, 2024.
Next up is the 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon in Italy on January 13, 2024. The event marks the fifth Ski Classics Pro Tour stage of Season XV.
Read More: 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon this Saturday in Italy
Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XV (2023/2024)
- Event 1: December 9, 2023 – Bad Gastein PTT, Austria, 13km
- Event 2: December 10, 2023 – Bad Gastein Criterium, Austria, 36km
- Event 3: December 16, 2023 – La Venosta Criterium, Italy, 37km
- Event 4: December 17, 2023 – La Venosta ITT, Italy, 10km
- Event 5: January 13, 2024 – 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon, Italy, 62km
- Event 6: January 20, 2024 – Engadin La Diagonela, Switzerland, 56km
- Event 7: January 28, 2024 – Marcialonga, Italy, 70km
- Event 8: February 11, 2024 – Jizerská50, Czech Republic, 50km
- Event 9: February 17, 2024 – Grönklitt Classic, Sweden, 60km
- Event 10: February 18, 2024 – Grönklitt ITT, Sweden, 13km
- Event 11: March 3, 2024 – Vasaloppet, Sweden, 90km
- Event 12: March 16, 2024 – Birkebeinerrennet, Norway, 54km
- Event 13: April 6, 2024 – Reistadløpet, Norway, 50km
- Event 14: April 7, 2024 – Summit 2 Senja, Norway, 60km
- Event 15: April 13, 2024 – Ski Classics Grand Finale – Janteloppet, Norway, 100km
More information about the Ski Classics Pro Tour can be found at skiclassics.com