By Johan Trygg
Ida Dahl and Jenny Larsson are two young athletes from Sweden who have been among the most promising talents in traditional cross-country skiing. Now, however, both choose to focus on Visma Ski Classics in Team Ramudden’s colors. Both Ida and Jenny will become interesting names in the fight for the pink youth jersey this winter.
Team Ramudden has the fix star Lina Korsgren who won Jizerska last winter and Vasaloppet in 2018 and has managed to take many podium places in the Pro Tour. Now the yellow team is complemented by two talented Swedish girls who are both 23 years old and have the future for themselves: Ida Dahl and Jenny Larsson.
“A goal this winter will be to win the pink jersey,” says Ida. “But the whole adventure is going to be so exciting. I have never been to the Alps before so it will be so inspiring to get to all the nice places down there.”
Ida did three races in the tour last year in Lager 157 Ski Team’s colors. She was 9th at Birkenbeinerrennet, 13th at Reistadlöpet and 12th at Ylläs-Levi. A couple of years ago, she was in the Swedish cross-country development team, but then her progress in traditional skiing became a challenge and she wondered whether she could develop any further.
“When I got this chance, I was very happy. I’m super motivated and so happy that the team chose to invest in me,” says Ida.
Jenny is also very happy to have the opportunity to race in Visma Ski Classics in Team Ramudden’s yellow suit. Jenny already skied the prologue in Livigno last season where she finished 9th. Then the rest of the season was destroyed by an infection and then a pelvic inflammation.
“I couldn’t go to more Visma Ski Classics races. I tried to do some traditional races, but I could never prepare properly,” says Jenny.
The training has been going well this summer and now Jenny is really motivated for the coming season in Visma Ski Classics.
“I will race all competitions except maybe two or three. I look forward to challenging myself in the races but also traveling with the team to new places. We just enjoy being together. I think I have never been as motivated for a season to start as this year.”
Both Ida and Jenny pay tribute to the team’s star Lina for her calmness, wisdom and experience.
“It´s safe to be in the same team as Lina. She is so good at sharing,” both young athletes say in unison.
Ida and Jenny have had more focus on double poling, strength training, and long workouts than before. But they have not completely let go of the traditional training, both see that they can develop well with combined training.
It is not 100% skiing for the two girls. Both educate themselves; Jenny as an eco-engineer in Östersund and Ida as a civil engineer in Umeå.
This is what Lina Korsgren says as about her teammates:
“I believe in both for the winter. The goal is for them to go to almost all competitions and participate in the fight for the pink jersey. It makes sense for us to invest in both of them as they have each other’s back in the races and they can find strength in each other’s company.”
