The opportunities to ski entire races without kick wax have improved over the last decade. We will go through the significant parts.

SKIS

Cross-country skis specifically designed for double-poling have been around for a few years. Different brands have tried different constructions.

It has been proven that skis with low but hard cambers have been successful. They can be hard in the flex since you don’t need to get flat to the snow as it is not a requirement to get kick. Double poling skis are sometimes shorter, which means that you can keep a position closer to the skier in front of you.

The shorter length also makes it easier to change tracks and manage descents with turns. Even though they are shorter, the area in contact with the snow can be almost the same as for conventional classic skis, depending on how soft the tails and tips are. Some brands use the basics of a skate ski in the construction, but with a camber made for double poling.

Therefore, it might look like there are more skate skis in the peloton than the actual number, which is very low since the camber of a skate ski is often too high for double poling. You see many regular classic skis on the top skiers in Visma Ski Classics. Those are many times klister skis with relatively low cambers.

The development of skis that are well suited for double poling is rapid. Nowadays, the athletes usually race on brand new skis or just one or two years old. A decade ago, you could often see top athletes racing on much older skis.

STONE GRINDING

Professional waxers usually say that the construction of the ski determines how fast it is and that the stone grinding and waxing make subtle differences. But still, the structure on the base affects the glide, and this area develops every year.

Stone grinders often make different structures on classic skis and skating skis. Structures explicitly made for double poling are still in their early stages.

WAXING

Without having to worry about hard wax and klister, waxers in the Pro Teams in Visma Ski Classics can put complete focus on products to enhance the glide. New equipment emerge every year.

Depending on the new regulations with fluor, the athletes might not be able to ski with the fastest waxes in the future.

POLES

The importance of weight and stiffness of poles is bigger in double poling compared to diagonal striding. In contrast to a decade ago, numerous brands produce high-end poles models.

The poles are in fact, much lighter and stiffer these days. The downside with the carbon fiber poles is that they break more easily.

We haven’t done any research, but a qualified guess is that you find more broken poles in a long-distance ski race today than in the first season of Visma Ski Classics.

Stiffer poles could be a problem during the dryland season. Usually, the elite skiers can handle it, but many ambitious amateur skiers get problems with elbows and shoulders when they double pole too much on rollerskis with stiff poles. Softer poles or poles with suspension may be a solution.

BOOTS

When double poling became common in long-distance skiing, people started to race in skate boots and skiathlon boots instead of classic ones. Both models give you extra support around your ankle, but most skiers prefer the skiathlon boots since the sole is much stiffer in skating boots, which is not desired when you double pole.

Skiers in the elite group still use classic models, but they seem to get fewer every year. They are slightly lighter, but athletes prefer to have the extra support to better handle downhills, turns, and changing tracks.

So far, the amount of models specifically for double poling is limited. But most likely, all the big brands will have double poling boots within a few years.

SNOW CONDITIONS

Winters tend to be warmer in some places, implying that we race more on man-made snow than natural snow. Artificial snow is icier and gives you a better glide.

At least on events with shorter loops, race organizers tend to use salt more frequently to get the firmer snow when it is warm. This also makes the skis go faster. Snow grooming vehicles are getting better and better, ensuring good tracks even in poor conditions.

ROLLERSKIING

In interviews with elite skiers racing in the ’70s and the ’80s, it is clear that running normally made up as much as 50 percent of the dryland training, even though they had rollerskis.

At that time, running and running with poles was motivated during the summer since striding and double pole kick were used a lot more in ski races than double poling. Endurance and strength in your upper body were not as decisive.

For the best athletes in Visma Ski Classics, rollerskiing now makes up a more significant portion of the training. Long double poling workouts are stapled goods for most Pro Teams with both low and high pace. The athletes also tend to train a more significant portion on slower wheels and in flatter terrain than before.

But even though the portion of rollerskiing has increased, many athletes still do quite a bit of running since many think it is the best way to train endurance.

DOUBLE POLING ERGOMETERS

There are numerous different models of double poling machines on the market. They all have in common that it is a great way to do workouts during controlled circumstances. No wind, no rain, no darkness. It is easy to check the status of your shape.

Double poling ergometers can be set, so you get different resistance. In that way, you can, for example, simulate skiing uphill for an hour without rest.

The devices are especially suited for long-distance skiers for two major reasons. Firstly, you train your upper body. Secondly, you can create monotonous workouts better than outside, which is essential in long-distance skiing, where races can include long sections without downhills.

To have a rollerskiing treadmill is an even better alternative.

STRENGTH TRAINING

To double pole a full workout is already some strength training. But most athletes in the Pro Teams also lift lots of weights at the gym.

Today’s winner of the yellow bib is strong in her/his upper body.

SOFTWARE

A few start-ups are trying to help us become better double-polers.

One device consists of a smart belt you wear around your chest that sends signals to your phone with information about how your core moves. That can, in turn, help you to improve your technique.

To measure power (in watts) is something cyclists have done for years. A couple of projects are working on measuring the power in the ski pole grip. In that way, you can analyze performance and improvements in double poling independent of the conditions.