Marcus Grate got the season off to a flying start. He won the prologue and the final at the sprint during the Swedish premiere in Gällivare.

The following week, he was the fastest in the prologue at the World Cup in Ruka. But in the quarter-final, he fell, and all plans for the following heats disappeared.

Two weeks later, when the World Cup had made its way to Östersund, it was another disappointing quarter-final for Grate, who left the competition with the help of a Skidoo after suffering a muscle rupture in his thigh:

“That injury resulted in six weeks of being unable to train how I want to. There was a lot of time in the gym focusing on rehabilitation instead of the races and the tough workouts I would have needed to last the whole season,” Grate said to Langd.se during the national team’s press conference from Åre.

He came back to the World Cup after Christmas and did several good prologues in the World Cup. But in the heats, he reached the semifinals at most. And ninth place in Oberhof was the best result of the season:

“In terms of results, the season was a disaster, apart from the prologues. But I show in the prologues that I have the speed. So, I would say that physically, it is my best season.”

What analysis do you make of the season, and how do you change your approach for next winter?

“I know that my body reacts well to new challenges in training so that I will make some small changes. Then, I will focus even more on sprinting and change a little in the interval forms. The fact that I showed that I have the speed and strength gives me a sense of security; now it’s about raising the capacity further so that I can ‘go easier’ in the prologue, quarter-finals, and semifinals to be able to have the strength left for the final,” says Grate, who a couple of months ago received the message that he is not part of the A national team next season.

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Marcus Grate is now part of Team Bauhaus instead:

“They went on results, and in that way, it is a correct decision. But my capacity is enough for an A team. The big difference is financial; there is a little security there that disappears. But I will manage this season, and if I ski well this winter, it will not be a problem. Then, I don’t get the same help regarding wax, skis, and materials. I’m fighting to keep the wax tech I’ve had, but we’ll see where it lands. Then, when it comes to training, I have the same conditions as everyone else. It’s up to me to do the work needed to get where I want to be.”

Does the relegation make you extra motivated now during the summer?

“I wouldn’t say that. I think I would have been just as eager to be one of the world’s best sprinters when we get to a championship, regardless of whether I was on a national team or not,” concludes Grate.

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