Pro Tour athlete Amund Riege reflects on a remarkable season filled with achievements and surprises. The Norwegian athlete, known for his solid performances and recent triumph in the Ski Classics Youth bib competition, shares his thoughts on the past winter, the challenges, and his preparation for the upcoming season.
In an interview with ProXCskiing.com, Amund Riege, Team Ramudden, shared his thoughts on Season XIV and offered a glimpse into his plans for the upcoming year. The Youth bib winner, who exceeded his expectations, displayed a relaxed and optimistic outlook while discussing his accomplishments and challenges throughout the season.
Riege had a solid season, winning the Youth bib competition and finishing 5th in the Champion bib competition overall. Despite still being young, this Norwegian skier has already shown that he is one of the skiers to watch in the future. Finishing several events in the top 5 and getting to the podium at Jizerská50 show his strength.
Rising star: Amund Riege’s consistent season and Youth bib triumph
Amund Riege expressed gratitude when asked about last season and described it as “really good” and even better than anticipated. The season started positively before Christmas and gradually gained momentum from January onwards. The Norwegian Pro Team athlete noted his ability to perform well in different race formats, which allowed him to contend for a strong position in the overall standings, a delightful surprise for him.
“I think what has surprised me the most is that I have been able to perform well in different types of races, which also made it possible for me to fight for a good result in the overall standings,” said Amund.
Reflecting on standout performances from the season, the Norwegian athlete highlighted his third-place finish at Jizerská50, which stood out as his only podium finish this year. Additionally, Amund mentioned the Pustertaler Ski Marathon, where he felt genuinely in the podium fight, making this another notable moment in his season.
“The third place at Jizerská stands out because it was my first and only podium place this season. But I would also mention Pustertaler since it was the first race where I felt I was fighting for the top results.”
When discussing obstacles faced during the Season, Amund Riege admits there were no significant hurdles to overcome. Staying healthy and avoiding trouble were the primary challenges. However, he acknowledges that maintaining good form over such a prolonged period was demanding.
While his shape dropped slightly in March despite his best efforts to incorporate rigorous training, the Norwegian athlete performed better during the final weekend.
“The greatest challenge for me was to try to be in good shape over so many weeks. I think my shape dipped a bit in March, even though I tried to put in a good amount of training. Fortunately, I managed to finish the season in a good way on the final weekend,” says Amund.
Setting the bar higher: Amund Riege’s training for the next season
Recognizing the significance of summer training in an athlete’s preparation, Amund shared insights into his regimen for the off-season. He goes for a relatively relaxed approach in the spring with fewer training hours. Once summer arrives, the focus shifts to high-volume, low-intensity training, with only a limited number of intense sessions each week. Throughout July, he aims to incorporate one challenging workout weekly, gradually increasing the intensity during autumn.
The athlete stressed the importance of team training camps, which present demanding periods filled with double poling and high-quality sessions alongside his teammates. Nevertheless, he emphasized the importance of incorporating variety into their training regimen throughout the summer.
“The training camps with the team are the toughest periods with a lot of double poling and good quality sessions with strong teammates.”
Also Read: This is Team Ramudden for the next Ski Classics Season
As for staying competitive during the off-season, Amund revealed his plan to participate in the World Classic Tour in August. While these races primarily serve as valuable training sessions, they also offer the opportunity to compete against top-level opponents, enabling them to assess their standing against the rest of the field. The athlete expressed anticipation and excitement for the roller ski races, highlighting the thrilling action and fair competition that awaits.
“Roller ski races are fair competitions with lots of action, so I am really looking forward to it,” said Amund.
Looking ahead to the upcoming Season, Amund Riege outlined his main goals and aspirations. Building upon this year’s experiences, he aims to improve his performance in the renowned Vasaloppet, which could have gone better than he wished this season. Additionally, he expressed a desire to compete for the coveted Youth bib, fully aware of the fierce competition that lies ahead in the coming year.
“Since Vasaloppet was one of the main goals this season and did not go as well as I hoped, it is a natural goal to have a better race there next year. The Youth bib will also be one of the goals for next season, and I am sure there will be a tough competition next year as well.”
With a successful season behind him, the athlete’s relaxed mindset and determined approach to training and goals offer a promising glimpse into what lies ahead for this talented competitor.
Here you can find Amund Riege’s Ski Classics results.
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