Finnish long-distance skiing is undergoing a transition period, as Team Mäenpää ended its ten-year run after this past season, and Team Kaski-Ekovilla already folded the year before. Team Edux is now the only remaining Finnish Ski Classics team carrying the blue-and-white flag on the Pro Tour. For the upcoming season, the Pro Team has decided to go all in and see if Finnish skiers can fight their way to the top. To reach that goal, Team Edux kicked off its first training camp of the season in Vuokatti.
Team Edux makes no apologies when announcing its goals. Pro Team Director Olli Tyrväinen told Maastohiihto.com that the team is aiming to break into the Top 10 in the Pro Team competition.
The competition in the Ski Classics series grows tougher every year, and increasingly younger skiers are getting excited to try their hand at long-distance skiing. And not just try, after all, Sweden’s Alvar Myhlback won Vasaloppet at just 18 years old. But this growing competition doesn’t intimidate the Finnish squad; on the contrary, it injects new energy into the whole team.
Team Edux kicked off its Vuokatti training camp on Saturday with a long group workout. The route went from Vuokatti to Kontiomäki, then via highway 5 to Jormua road and back to Vuokatti, skiing along bike paths and using the roller ski track. On long workouts, there’s always time for a chat, at least if the pace doesn’t get too fast.
During the session, Pro Team athlete Isac Holmström firmly stated that they are putting everything on the line for next season. His goal is to stabilize around the top 20 and, on a good day, push even closer to the front.
“You just have to dare and believe in yourself during races. Now we’re aiming to raise the level of Finnish long-distance skiing, and our goals are high. We’ll train at altitude in October, again in December, and once more in January. Let’s see if this investment brings new momentum to our skiing,” Isac reflected during a roller ski break.
The team’s newest member is Lauri Mannila, who has transitioned from sprint skiing to long distances. He aims to rise to the top level of sport, and his commitment is all-encompassing.
“I’ve been intrigued by the Ski Classics world for quite a while, and I’ve already included elements of it in my training before, at least during the summer. The competition format for sprint skiing in Finland killed my motivation because there are so few races, and you must succeed right at the start of the season or your winter will be over quickly. In Ski Classics, you have a full season to race, so that motivates you in a completely different way,” Lauri said in an interview with Maastohiihto.com.
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Olli reveals that, in addition to the core team (Isac Holmström, Olli Tyrväinen, Lauri Mannila, and Sofia Lindberg), Miro Karppanen may also participate in a few Ski Classics events, depending on the outcome of Olympic selections.
“In the women’s team, besides Sofia, we have a couple of other names I can’t reveal just yet. The roster is nearly finalized, and preparations for next season are at full speed. We’re planning logistics and waxing strategies and figuring out who will race which events. Lauri and Isac will do the full season, and Sofia will race at least through Vasaloppet and the Orsa race. I’ll race a few events next season as well, and for a couple of athletes, we’ll need to monitor how things develop regarding the Olympics,” Olli explains the team’s outlook for the coming winter.
The team’s established female member, Sofia Lindberg, from Sweden, joined the camp on Saturday evening. She aims for top 10 results in the women’s category and is also motivated by the prospect of defending her title at the world’s longest ski race, the Nordenskiöldsloppet.
“This is a great team, and I fit in well. The guys are fun, and they train hard. I think we complement each other well. I’m looking forward to tough sessions and long double-poling workouts at this camp. Training with the guys is really beneficial because I can see the level they’re at, and it helps me raise my level too,” Sofia said about the team and her goals for the camp.
The second day of Team Edux’s camp was dedicated to interval training in the rain: 4 x 10-minute sessions alternating 30 seconds at race pace and 30 seconds recovery. More in-depth interviews and reports from the team’s camp will be available in the next few days on ProXCskiing.com.
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Authot & Top Photo: Teemu Virtanen
