By Johan Trygg
Team Ragde Eiendom - the reigning champion in the Pro Team competition - just finished a tough training camp in the Tønsberg area south of Oslo in Norway.
We checked the team status with the Pro Team Manager Jørgen Aukland.
Tönsberg is home ground for Jørgen and Anders Aukland and this time of year the team usually has a training camp there.
Jørgen explains why:
“Tønsberg is perhaps the world's best place for roller skiing this time of the year. There are many nice roads with little traffic. We have had a very good camp with solid training. This is a good time to get together and start to work out harder.”
All the athletes in the team attended the camp However, Marit Bjørgen only took part in the first three days.
“Marit is motivated in her new journey but she needs some time to get started. Right now she is a little bit behind but she will be better and she has high ambitions for Vasaloppet the first Sunday in March,” Jörgen says.
For now, it's only decided that she will compete in Vasaloppet 2021. It’s still uncertain if she will join the Pro Tour in any other races this coming season.
“There is a chance that she will start in Marcialonga but that will be decided later on,” Jörgen informs.
As you know, Team Ragde Eiendom also has a new addition in Anikken Gjerde Alnaes, 26 years, whom we will see throughout season XI.
“Anikken shows good speed and power and she is on a high level of training. With the experience we have with women in the team for ten years, I think she will be able to be among the top athletes this winter. It looks promising,” says Jörgen.
To complement Gjerde Alnaes, since Björgen only has the Vasaloppet in focus, Jörgen wishes to be able to recruit another woman athlete.
There are a couple of women that we have on a list. We hope that the one we recruit will be able to fight at the top of the Youth bib competition. We are working on this matter but are not finished yet,” Jörgen informs.
The men of the team, Anders Aukland, Petter Eliassen, Andreas Nygaard, Oskar Kardin and Joar Thele, look strong, as usual.
“Sometimes someone has a tough day and another day someone else. At this camp, however, Petter was really strong all the way. He has kept his great shape since the victory at Vasaloppet,” Jörgen concludes.
Photo: Børre E. Helgerud.
