This Swedish Pro Team started in 2019 as a small squad with only three athletes. For Ski Classics Season XVII, Team Engcon enters stronger than ever after finishing second in the Pro Team competition last winter. Team Engcon combines experience and emerging talent as it sets its sights on victories, bib competitions, and consistent top results throughout the season.
Team Engcon conquered the Champion competition last winter, with Anikken Gjerde Alnæs and Ole Jørgen Bruvoll winning the women’s and men’s titles respectively. At the same time, Johan Tjelle finished second and Amund Hoel third. Throughout the last season, the team achieved an impressive 26 podium places, confirming its status as one of the most consistent and dominant squads on the Pro Tour.
Founded by Ski Classics Legend Jerry Ahrlin — a former long-distance skier with six Ski Classics victories, including three Marcialonga wins and a Vasaloppet podium — Team Engcon has established itself as a powerhouse in the Pro Tour.
“Team Engcon is a professional long-distance cross-country ski team based in Jämtland, Sweden, rooted in the region’s strong skiing traditions and nature, with passion, endurance, and teamwork at its core,” says Pro Team Director Jørgen Ulvang.
Strong and balanced roster
For the upcoming Ski Classics Season XVII, Team Engcon presents a roster of eight experienced Pro Team athletes from Sweden and Norway: Anikken Gjerde Alnæs (1994), Hanna Lodin (1999), Ida Dahl (1996), Ole Jørgen Bruvoll (1995), Johan Tjelle (1994), Amund Hoel (1997), Torleif Syrstad (1994), and Anton Elvseth (1998).
This is one of the strongest teams on the circuit, with multiple potential podium finishers — and winners.
Anikken Gjerde Alnæs had an exceptional season, returning from a summer roller ski accident to win three Pro Tour events — Bad Gastein ITT, 3 Zinnen Ski Marathon, and Jizerská50 — and consistently finish on the podium. She will once again be among the top contenders for the overall Champion title.
Hanna Lodin delivered a consistent season, placing in the top nine in every race she entered and earning her first Pro Tour podium at the Jizerská50. Ida Dahl, the Champion of Season XIV and two-time overall runner-up, did not start last season. If she returns to form, she will be a podium threat once again.
Men’s power and consistency
On the men’s side, Ole Jørgen Bruvoll claimed the Champion title thanks to remarkable consistency, with ten top-10 finishes and victories at Jizerská50 and the Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja. Johan Tjelle followed closely in second place overall, with a remarkable string of top-10 results across the season.
Amund Hoel, third in the overall Champion competition, also enjoyed a successful season, winning the Bad Gastein ITT, finishing second at Birkebeinerrennet, and taking several podiums at Engadin La Diagonela, Marcialonga, and Grönklitt ITT.
Torleif Syrstad, a Vasaloppet winner in Season XV, maintained his high level with six top-10 results, including second place at the Jizerská50 and Grönklitt ITT. Anton Elvseth, a solid top-50 skier last winter, has the potential to move consistently into the top 20 this season.
