“On a good day, we could make the podium in the Vasaloppet,” says team manager Tore Berdal in Team Koteng-Eidissen.

Team Koteng-Eidissen will field five racers in Vasaloppet on March 6: Chris Jespersen, Torleif Syrstad, Mikael Gunnulfsen, Thomas Bucher Johannessen and Astrid Øyre Slind. 

The team manager in Team Koteng-Eidissen, Tore Berdal, knows what potential lives in his racers, despite the fact that the team has been ravaged by Covid-19 since January.

“All are strong skiers who have skied fast before, but we are definitely underdogs for the Vasaloppet this year,” says Berdal, explaining that the season has not been according to plan so far. 

“Our racers have struggled a lot after we were knocked out by Covid-19 earlier this winter. Some are not even back on their training plans at all yet,” he says.

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Berdal says that the Koteng team has been struck with Covid-19 in parts of the group since January, divided into two or three rounds. Realistically speaking, a lot has to fall into place for any of the five to land on the podium in the Vasaloppet this year. 

“Mikael Gunnulfsen is the one who is in the best shape at the moment. But for him, it is the first time he will go further than 50 km in a race context,” Berdal says.

The 29-year-old, who mainly focuses on traditional cross-country skiing, was on the podium in La Diagonela and among the top 10 in the opening race in Orsa, Sweden, in December. But the team manager points out that there is a big difference between 65 kilometers and 90 kilometers.

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Performances all over the map
Øyre Slind won the opening race in Orsa, Sweden, in December and was on the podium in both races in Toblach, Italy, at the beginning of January. In Marcialonga, she finished second, but fought for the victory all the way to the finish line, even just a week after being sick with Covid-19.

But after Marcialonga, Øyre Slind’s performance has been all over the map. At the Jizerska, she was fourth. But at Tartu, she had to pull out and DNF’ed. 

“Astrid has struggled a lot after getting hit with Covid-19, and has not been herself since Toblach in early January. Last weekend in Tartu she had to pull out and DNF’ed, because her body did not respond at all,” Berdal says.

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Bucher Johannessen was 24th in Orsa, but did not start in the Marcialonga. Both Syrstad and Jespersen have been among the top-20 in their best races this season.

“For us, our main focus right now is resting up for race and being as close to 100 percent as possible when we step up to the Vasaloppet start line on Sunday.”

Won’t be able to blame the skis
Although the Koteng racers are underdogs coming into Vasaloppet, the team puts all its resources into setting them up for success. 

“Vasaloppet is the most important race we do all season. It is the longest race with the longest history, the most participants, the biggest prizes, and by far the most general interest, which makes it the race that is most rewarding to win,” says Berdal. 

“Vasaloppet is like the Olympics and the World Championships at the same time, but in Vasaloppet, you only have one chance to succeed.”

Therefore, Berdal sends 12 guys out into the woods working day and night the last four days prior to Vasaloppet in order to find out which skis and products glide best.

“The skis are a lot more important in long-distance racing than at the World Cup. So, it will be very important to nail the skis and the structure,” he says.

Berdal is confident that the 12 ski testers will dial in the equipment. Now, he also hopes that the five racers will nail their peaking plans. 

After a demanding winter, succeeding at Vasaloppet would be a good start to a brighter spring season.