Markus has been passionate about long distance skiing for years, and his grand goal is to enhance training and racing conditions for young and talented skiers and offer them a unique platform for long distance skiing in his home country, Switzerland. He says that his Pro Team is still many steps away from top positions, but he is extremely proud of his skiers’ input and performances, which led them to finish 16th in the Pro Team Competition. The athletes, if you oversee the grand old Toni Livers, has an unbelievable low average age of 21,3 years old. So be sure that we will see more of this Pro Team in the years to come. Markus’ approach to running his team is to be at the same level with his athletes and motivate them to train hard and find joy in skiing.

“This nomination means a lot to me. It shows that Visma Ski Classics appreciates the hard work I’ve put into building this young Swiss team, and they don’t just pay attention to the top Pro Teams in the circuit. I see myself as a silent worker who aims to create an atmosphere where we build things together. I work hard to ensure the best possible conditions for my athletes, and we want to raise awareness of cross-country skiing in Switzerland. I think that having a Pro Team in Visma Ski Classics helps us in fulfilling that goal. I know that we need to work intensively throughout the summer and fall to raise the bar. This season was great for us in terms of gaining experience and seeing how everything works, but next year we need to take steps forward,” says Markus Walser, Team BSV IBEX, a nominee of the Pro Team Director of the Year award.