Confirmed: The Norwegian Pro Team athlete was one of the most sought-after skiers in the Ski Classics transfer market and becomes the fourth star to sign with the Norwegian Pro Team, Team Aker Dæhlie.
With yet another star signing, the Norwegian Pro Team now boasts a lineup that could turn the entire power balance in Ski Classics upside down. Team Aker Dæhlie has secured the long-distance talent Amund Riege. He becomes one of six male skiers in the Norwegian squad.
Team manager Jarle Wermskog sees the young athlete from Norway as a key athlete for the team on multiple levels.
“We are very proud and happy to sign Amund. He is young and wants to continue developing, and we want to be part of his further development,” he tells Langrenn.com.
“Amund has already shown great strength and has won races in Ski Classics. He can fight for victories in multiple races and is also one of the favorites in the battle for the Youth bib,” says Wermskog.
Never in doubt
Amund Riege had no doubts when the offer from Aker Dæhlie landed on the table at the end of the season: It was an opportunity he didn’t want to miss.
“This is going to be awesome. This team consists of skiers I know well as competitors and for whom I have great respect. So, when I got this offer and the plans were presented to me, I immediately felt this was something I wanted to be part of,” the 24-year-old tells Langrenn.com.
Riege explains that more joint sessions and a larger training environment in daily life were important factors in his decision to take the leap.
“Four of the six guys on the team live in Oslo, so we’ll have several joint training sessions each week. In addition, we have the new Nordmarka team from Team Aker Dæhlie on the allround side, where almost everyone is also based in the Oslo area and will train with us a fair bit. That, along with close follow-up from the coaches, will make this an amazing setup,” says Riege.
“I mean, I had three fantastic years with Team Ramudden. But for my own development, I think it’s healthy to seek new input, and I feel very confident that this is the right move.”
Could be the next long-distance king
The young man from Oslo burst into Ski Classics just over three years ago and hasn’t looked back since.
Riege immediately went for the Pink Youth bib in his first season with Team Ramudden, winter 2021/2022. The following year he claimed his first Ski Classics podium, finishing third at Jizerská50. The Czech prestige race is one of the four Grand Classics events in the series – the monuments of long-distance skiing (the other three are Marcialonga, Vasaloppet, and Birkebeinerrennet).
Since then, he has been on the Youth competition podium every year and even held the Yellow leader bib for several weeks this past winter. He ultimately finished second in the Youth competition.
This winter, Riege took his first Ski Classics victories. The first came in the Bad Gastein Criterium during the opening weekend in December, where he also placed third in the Bad Gastein ITT the day before. The second victory came in January when he won Engadin La Diagonela in Switzerland.
The Rustad comet has also won the 90-kilometer Klarälvsloppet and the long-distance race during Toppidrettsveka, in 2022 and 2023 respectively, and he finished second at Alliansloppet in 2022.
Also Read – Amund Riege: The new generation in Ski Classics
Could shift the power balance
Riege is the fourth new signing for the Norwegian Pro Team.
Earlier this spring, they secured this winter’s breakout star Mathias Aas Rolid and Kasper Stadaas, who finished second overall last season – both from Team Ragde Charge. Shortly after, Team Aker Dæhlie signed Gaute Kvåle, who joins the long-distance team after more than ten years at the top level of allround skiing in Norway.
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Kasper Stadaas joins Team Aker Dæhlie
Mathias Aas Rolid joins Team Aker Dæhlie – Gaute Kvåle also signs
Team Aker Dæhlie already had the Swedish star Max Novak – who was in contention for the overall win this winter right up until Birken – and Petter Stakston from Lillehammer on their roster.
With that, Team Aker Dæhlie now has six of the strongest Ski Classics Pro Team athletes, all with finishing power, capacity, and racing strength. On paper, they form a lineup that could shift the entire power balance in the men’s field of the prestigious long-distance series.
“With the athlete group we have now, the men’s team is complete, and we have the best possible foundation to have several skiers fighting together in the finale,” says Wermskog with satisfaction.
He is clear that the team previously had too few athletes to fully exploit the tactical elements of long-distance racing.
“It has become clear in recent years that you need several skiers with high capacity and strong finishing abilities. So, we only see benefits in having multiple athletes with similar qualities. All the guys know each other well already, and together we’ll build on that with joint sessions and training camps leading into the season.”
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Photo: Team Aker Dæhlie
