Five starts and five victories. That was Andreas Svensson’s record in the Swedish national long-distance skiing cup. Despite the solid results, he has yet to receive an offer from Pro Teams for this winter’s Ski Classics.

In this article, Andreas Svensson talks about how less training has made him better, the dream of a Grand Slam, and the main goal for the winter.

Since last season, the Swedish national long-distance skiing series has been known as 157 XCC Originals. And there was no question about who the dominant skier on the men’s side was.

Ulricehamn’s Andreas Svensson started in five of the six races and won all of them:

“Of course, it feels a little bit sad to be so close to a Grand Slam, but I got sick before the race in Orsa, so there was no chance to be there,” says Svensson to Langd.se.

What are the strengths that make you win races?

“I get better the longer the race is. I must work much harder to keep up in short races. Also, I’ve done a lot of gym work in recent years, which has made a big difference in the sprints. And the sprint capacity is something that I have been able to play on tactically. But the big difference is that I train much less now than before.”

What is the difference?

“It used to be up to a thousand hours of training per year. But there are other things in the world you want to do besides training. So, in recent years, I’ve cut out many of those ‘junk kilometers’ in the afternoons. I work half-time to fund my venture, making it impossible to get the rest you need. So, I do my main sessions in the mornings. When I feel very tired or worn out when I go out in the afternoons, I may instead go out and play golf or something else that gives me energy. This has meant that I have become more efficient in my main sessions and that it is more fun to train,” says Svensson, who a few weeks ago finished eighth at Alliansloppet.

Also Read: Thomas Joly winner of Challengers Alliansloppet 2023. 

“It was a very nice plan. I was a little unsure of my form, I train a lot by myself in the mornings and interval sessions have been with the ‘elite athletes’ that I run with: Anton Hedlund and Pontus Hermansson. I may not really be an elite athlete yet, but it’s a good group. And we have a lot of fun together.”

Andreas Svensson competed for Team Eksjöhus in Ski Classics at the end of last season. But before and after that, he defended the colors of the Swedish ski club Ulricehamns IF in all other competitions.

Given your previous winter success, how many offers have you received from Ski Classics Pro Teams?

“Actually, not a single one.”

Doesn’t that seem unusual, given that you won every Swedish national race this winter?

“I haven’t thought much about it, but maybe so.”

What is your goal for the upcoming winter season?

“Vasaloppet is always the main goal. Last winter, I was 33rd, but it was the first speed session I did after the illness in Orsa. So, there should be a lot more to get out there. Then the idea is to go to Marcialonga, and maybe another competition in Ski Classics. But then it would be cool to get a Grand Slam in Originals,” concludes Andreas Svensson.

Are you interested in Ski Classics and long-distance skiing? Click HERE and read more.