Alfred Buskqvist will start his first full season as a long-distance athlete, with Team Ramudden. Last winter he already raced Vasaloppet, Birkebeinerrennet and Reistadløpet, where he was top 30th each time. The sprinter from Gothenburg will fight, among other things, for the Green bib.

Team Ramudden is now in a training camp in Malorca, but ProXCskiing spoke with Alfred Buskqvist during their last training camp, in Båstad, southern Sweden, about his training, the upcoming season and his choice to join Team Ramudden.

Let’s first talk about training, what is your favorite training session?

“My favorite training session is anything that is long and has a lot of different elements as parts of it. Like intervals, strides, and intermittent intervals.”

Do you also enjoy biking, skating, or running for training?

“I like to do different types of training. Running, biking, and skating have all been part of my training during the summer even though the main part has been in double poling.”

Do you use Skierg or rollerski treadmill a lot? If so, why do you prefer that rather than rollerskiing outside?

“I use rollerski treadmill pretty much. I think it’s a good way to push yourself to the limit. But it’s also nice to have standardized sessions where you can really measure your development.”

There is place for mental training on your preparation?

“I haven’t worked so much with mental training during the last years. Team Ramudden do have help from Mattias Elg, so it will hopefully be a bigger part of my preparations during this winter.”

This winter will be your first winter on Ski Classics, even if you have already done some races. You have chosen Team Ramudden, what’s the reason?

“I really like the mindset that Lina and Gustaf show. They have a really nice way to help athletes and get the best out of them by giving them time to develop and perform. It’s also good service and they make the conditions around the team really good. I felt that Team Ramudden can give me the best atmosphere and conditions to perform and have a fun winter.”

According to you, what is the biggest strength of Team Ramudden?

“I think it’s the composition of the team with motivated and empathetic people, both athletes and coaches.”

What about you and your goals for this season? As a sprinter, is the Green bib your main goal?

“The main goal for the winter is the Green bib. But the goal is also to do some really good races and to help my teammates in competitions and for us as a team to win the Pro Team competition.” 

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Do you also plan to compete on traditional cross-country skiing?

“I will ski some races that fit in between the races in Ski classics. One of these is the first competitions in Bruksvallarna and hopefully the national championships.”

If you would have to choose only one race, which one would it be and why?

“That would be Vasaloppet. I really think that’s a fun race and it’s also a race that I feel fits me well.”

What is your favorite type of course? Where is your biggest strength?

“So far it has been pretty flat courses with much high-speed double poling. I do hope that my uphill double poling has improved this year though. But we will see this winter.”

What are you doing when you are not skiing or training?

“I work as a test leader at the Swedish Winter Sports Research Center. We do different physiological testing, but our main focus is endurance activity at submaximal and maximal intensity.”

Do you have a favorite streaming series or a movie to recommend?

“Whiplash is a really good movie.”

If you would have a piece of advice to give to a young athlete, what would it be?

“My best advice is to try to find a context and a type of training that you think is really motivating and fun. You can’t do enough hard and good training if it doesn’t fit you as a person and if it’s boring when you do it.”