Last weekend, the Pro Tour champion Season XVI won a Ski Classics Challengers event and almost got a World Record. But behind the celebrations lies a summer drama that nearly derailed her career – again.

Anikken Gjerde Alnæs’ career could have ended after the roller ski accident last year. Yet she rose again and became the Pro Tour star Season XVI (2024/2025). This summer, things could have gone just as badly. Now she shares the battle she wishes she had never faced.

Let’s rewind a bit: In June last year, Alnæs was brutally taken out during roller ski training. Her knee was crushed, her thighbone injured – and her future as a skier was at risk.

Also Read: Gjerde Alnæs hit by a car while roller skiing

With relentless effort and a strong support team, she fought her way back. On December 14, she was at the start line of Ski Classics – uncertain, hesitant, and against all odds.

In March, she won the Ski Classics Pro Tour overall title after completing every race in the series for the first time in her career.

Last weekend, the 31-year-old seemingly picked up right where she left off: on top of the podium. On Saturday, she won the prestigious 40-kilometer Värnamorullen after a thrilling finish – just one-tenth of a second ahead of her rivals.

Read More: Mannila and Gjerde Alnæs claim Värnamorullen victories

On Sunday, she set a personal best in the 5000-meter SkiErg at the SkiErg Open, taking second place – only 29 seconds behind the World Record.

Also Read: Double World Record: Larsson and Roos dominate SkiErg Open in Sweden

But even if Alnæs makes her comeback look effortless, last weekend’s results were far from guaranteed. This summer, progress turned into setbacks, with both physical and mental challenges.

New surgery and infection

After a planned surgery in June, Alnæs developed an infection in the wound. Her knee swelled up, and she was admitted to the hospital again.

“They feared the infection had spread to the joint, so they had to open everything up and wash it out. For four days, I lay in A-hus staring at the ceiling. That wasn’t much fun,” Alnæs told Langrenn.com.

“Luckily, it turned out the infection was only in the stitches. But there are still threads left inside, and if they get encapsulated, they’ll have to be removed. I’m not tempted to go through that now, so it’ll have to wait,” she says.

Bike crash and new trauma

After the operation, another round of rehab awaited. Her first outdoor bike ride was with her mother – but it ended with another trip to the hospital.

“She went headfirst over the handlebars on my first ride. To be honest, it shook me up. I was supposed to do a hard session the next day, but those intervals were far from my best,” Alnæs says.

Both escaped with only a scare.

“Luckily, she’s doing surprisingly well. No fractures in her neck, back, or hand, but one tooth was pushed straight into her mouth, she had many deep cuts, and two badly sprained wrists.”

Still, the incident left its mark mentally.

“When you’ve had a crushed knee yourself, you immediately think ‘worst case scenario’ when you see your mother with a bloody face. I panicked in the forest, and that feeling lingered for quite a while. Spring and summer had already been tough, and this just added on top,” she says.

Mental setbacks

Alnæs explains that last year’s accident has left deeper marks than she expected.

“I’ve had some mental setbacks, things that never affected me before. I’ve become more aware of how to deal with it, even if it’s not always positive for my mental health,” she says.

“And I’ve gotten better at reflecting and looking at things in a bigger perspective. Asking myself if this is something I really need to challenge – and if I need to do it right now.”

The story continues below.

Looking ahead

Only in recent weeks, heading into autumn preparations, has Alnæs begun to feel progress again. That made the weekend’s results all the more important.

“It feels good to be back with the team. I’ve felt good for a while and gotten strong numbers in everything I’ve done. That feels great,” she says.

Now she’s looking ahead. In one week, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs will compete in the Klarälvsloppet for the first time since last year’s accident. This winter, she has two big goals.

“My goal for the season is to put together as stable a season as last year and to win a Grand Classics race I haven’t won before.”

So far, she has one Grand Classics win: Jizerská50 last winter. Still missing are Marcialonga, Birkebeinerrennet, and Vasaloppet – where her best result so far is second place in all three.

Also Read: Ski Classics Pro Tour Season XVII 2025/2026

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