Team Nordic Athlete is the new name of the Finnish Pro Team previously known as Team Mäenpää. The Pro Team today also presents two very exciting recruitments: Norwegian Morten Eide Pedersen and Swedish Linn Sömskar.
“You have to dare to think bigger than the borders to build a versatile team,” says Morten Eide Pedersen, winner of the Climb bib last seasons.
“It will be really fun to take on this challenge and to compete against the best in the world in long distance skiing,” says former sprint and roller ski specialist Linn Sömskar.
32-year-old Morten Eide Pedersen is one of the profiles in Visma Ski Classics. Last winter he won the climb bib competition and he has taken many top places over the years where three wins in Jizerska Padesatka (2015, 2017, 2018) stand out. Now he leaves Team Kaffebryggeriet for Team Nordic Athlete.
“For me, it’s a step forward to get the captain’s role for the team. It is probably a sign that you are getting older and have gained enough experience over the years. It will be motivating and exciting to train and compete with younger and highly motivated skiers like Viktor Mäenpää. He has high ambitions and wants to move on. I hope I can teach him and the other guys something from my training and my experience,” says Morten.
“With this team, we will give Team Ragde Eiendom, Team Koteng, and Lager 157 Ski Team a fight for the top positions in the Pro Team competition. My own main goal is the yellow bib and victory in Vasaloppet, Marcialonga and Birken,” Eide Pedersen continues.
31-year-old Linn Sömskar has a long and successful career behind her with the greatest merits in sprint and roller skiing. She has podium places in short distance World Cup. She is multiple world champion on roller skis and last summer she won the Visma Ski Classics Challenger Alliansloppet on roller skis.
Now there will be all focus on long distance skiing for Sömskar.
“It will be really fun to take on this challenge and to compete against the best in the world in long distance skiing. It feels nice to be a part of Team Nordic Athlete as I enter a new world. I look forward to competing in Visma Ski Classics and hope for many sprint duels at the finish area,” says Linn Sömskar.
Team Nordic Athlete is coordinated by Pro Team Director Kim Mäenpää, Service Manager Mats Mäenpää, and Sports Manager Espen Traeldal.
“We are looking forward to the coming season and it is very motivating to be part of this team,” says Kim Mäenpää.
Besides Eide Pedersen and Sömskar the new team consist of four athletes from Team Mäenpää: Niko Koskela, Viktor Mäenpää, Hans Mäenpää, and Hannes Mäenpää.
“Our goal is to be able to present a strong team for our premiere season. We are still negotiating with two more very interesting athletes, a female, and a male…” says Espen Traeldal.
“For Visma Ski Classics season XI we will fight for the yellow Champion bib and at least 6-8 podium places,” concludes Kim Mäenpää.
Visma Ski Classics Pro Tour
Season XI 2020/2021:
1. 15km Pro Team Tempo Livigno Italy November 27th 2020
2. 35km Prologue Livigno Italy November 29th 2020
3. 45km La Venosta Melago Italy December 20th 2020
4. 65km Engadin La Diagonela Zuoz Switzerland January 16th 2021
5. 42km Toblach-Cortina Cortina Italy January 23rd 2021
6. 70km Marcialonga Cavalese Italy January 31st 2021
7. 50km Jizerska Bedricov Czech Republic February 14th 2021
8. 90km Vasaloppet Mora, Sweden March 7th 2021
9. 54km Birken Lillehammer Norway March 20th 2021
10. 50km Reistadlopet Bardufoss Norway April 10th 2021
11. 70km Ylläs-Levi Levi Finland April 17th 2021
More information on:
www.vismaskiclassics.com
