The Pro Team, Team Nordic Athlete, strengthens the team on the men’s side with Norwegian Johan Hoel.
The 26-year-old Hoel has great results from the Pro tour with second place at Reistadløpet 2019 and sixth place at Birkebeinerennet 2018.
“Johan is a talented classic skier who will be an important addition Pro team in the remaining races with a lot of climbs,” says Kim Mäenpää, Pro Team Director, Team Nordic Athlete.
“I have always liked longer races in classic style, and the longer the race, the better. The goal in the Pro tour this season is a podium. It will be very exciting to see how my body works for 90 km because Birken is the longest race I’ve done before. I am really looking forward to joining Team Nordic Athlete. It’s important to have a professional team behind you to succeed in long distance skiing,” says Johan Hoel.
Team Nordic Athletes Sports director Espen Traeldal is pleased that Hoel was able to join already for Vasaloppet. Johan will also participate in Birkebeinerennet, Reistadløpet, and Ylläs-Levi.
For Vasaloppet, the Pro team now has a strong line up with the Norwegians Morten Eide Pedersen, Johan Hoel and the Finns Niko Koskela, Viktor Mäenpää, Hannes Mäenpää. Hans Mäenpää has to stick to the service team due to his wrist injury. On the women's side, the Swedes Linn Sömskar and Hedda Bångman are on the starting line.
Sömskar has now recovered from her frostbite she got at La Diagonela. She will race Tjejvasan tomorrow together with Bångman.
“We hope and believe that the remaining races of the Pro tour can be held according to plan despite these challenging pandemic times we live in,” Espen Traeldal concludes.
