The 30-year-old Pro Team athlete from Norway was last year’s big signing for Team Aker Dæhlie. Now, he is finished with the prestigious Norwegian team after just one season.

Magnus Vesterheim originally had one year left on his contract with Team Aker Dæhlie. However, he is now leaving the Pro Team.

“A Bit Too Weak”

The reason is a lack of results in Ski Classics this winter. This is confirmed by Pro Team Director Chris Jespersen in the local newspaper Harstad Tidende.

“We want to strengthen the team a bit more. It has been a little too weak,” Jespersen told the newspaper.

Vesterheim recently completed his sixth Ski Classics season. He finished 20th overall and had an eighth-place finish at the Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja as his best result of the season.

Check HERE for all the Ski Classics results for Magnus Vesterheim.

“I learned a lot from my time with Team Aker Dæhlie. Looking back, I might have wanted too much too soon, and I pushed a bit too hard during the roller ski season,” he told Langrenn.com.

In addition to Vesterheim, Stian Hoelgaard is also leaving Team Aker Dæhlie. The 33-year-old is retiring from elite competition after 13 seasons in Ski Classics, eight of them with the team now known as Team Aker Dæhlie.

Read More – End of an Era: Retires after 13 seasons at the top level

Continuing the Pursuit

Around this time last year, Vesterheim passed 10.000 training hours—often cited in research as the number of hours required to reach an international top level.

One year and a thousand hours later, Vesterheim is still chasing his first Ski Classics podium. In addition to that, he’s also pursuing a contract with a Ski Classics Pro Team for the upcoming season.

“My goal is the same as last year—to reach the podium in Ski Classics and fight for a good overall standing,” Vesterheim told Langrenn.com.

His fourth place in 2023 Birkebeinerrennet remains his best result to date.

Just a week and a half ago, however, Vesterheim received a welcome surprise: a financial contribution earmarked for continued efforts.

That makes the chase a little easier—at least financially.

Also Read: “I was absolutely not prepared for this”

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