“I don’t think it will be a disadvantage to warm up with 36 kilometers at an altitude of 2. 000 meters the day before,” says Larsson to Langd.se.

Team Ragde Charge’s Jenny Larsson broke through during Ski Classics Season XI. This resulted, among other things, in a victory in La Diagonela. But with a fall later that season, she injured her wrist, keeping her off the competitive trails for the last Ski Classics season. 

The wrist was operated on in April 2022, and in July, she started her first rollerski session after the surgery. But she has been working her way back and has had a solid start to the season. 

In the Bruksvallarna season premiere in the second half of November, she made it to the final in the sprint, was seventh in the classic race, and twelfth in the freestyle competition. And last weekend, she finished sixth in the Bad Gastein Criterium, the first individual Ski Classics Pro Tour event of the season. Larsson also started Saturday’s Pro Team Tempo, but due to illness in Team Ragde Charge, she had to ski on her own:

“I was almost shocked at how close I was to the podium, and this not least considering that I felt that there was so much I could have done better both technically and even more tactically. Before the weekend in La Venosta, I dream of getting on the podium. I have skied well there before, and I usually perform well at altitude,” says Larsson, who the Swedish National Team manager contacted on Sunday afternoon.

The question was: do you want to go to the World Cup in Davos next weekend?

“I needed to take some time to think, but I decided quickly. I have always dreamed of wearing the Swedish National Team race suit and attending the World Cup. Then it’s not my primary goal anymore, but now that the chance appeared, I’m eager to take it”, says Jenny Larsson from Livigno, where she’s preparing for the weekend’s competitions.

What’s your goal for your World Cup debut on Sunday?

“My goal is to manage my strength well and work well on the course; I know that a lot of time can be gained on the track in Davos. Then I want to keep the technique. I have not set a performance goal; it would be unfair to me. Maybe it sounds cliché, but I want to enjoy the atmosphere and the chance.”

You spend most of your training on double poling. How much skating have you been doing, considering you have a 20km freestyle race in the World Cup?

“Yes, there is very little training. Or actually one; the competition in Bruksvallarna. But I have to rely on the fact that I skied a lot of freestyle before, and I will put in some A1 skate training this week.”

Jenny Larsson is not the only Pro Tour skier who will start this weekend’s World Cup. Team Eksjöhus Frida Erkers and last weekend’s double winner Ida Dahl, Team Engcon, will start at the World Cup on Sunday after competing in Saturday’s race in Ski Classics:

“All three of us have improved as skiers since we changed our training to long-distance skiing. Then the circumstances are such that many in the national team do not start this weekend’s competitions. In addition, the competitions in Davos are at high altitude, and we are acclimatized as we have been at high altitude for a couple of weeks in front of the Ski Classics,” says Larsson and continues: 

“But having said that, I’m glad that the National Team is giving us a chance, and I think these courses suit us well. In Davos, there is a lot of skiing in ‘third gear,’ and it suits us long-distance skiers who are strong in the upper body much better than if it had been a track with a lot of skiing in ‘second gear.’”

Would you have believed it if someone said a few months ago, when you just had wrist surgery, that you would make your World Cup debut before Christmas?

“Absolutely not. I hadn’t even thought about it. But I thoroughly enjoy it. Then I don’t think it will be a disadvantage to race 36 kilometers at 2.000 meters altitude the day before my World Cup debut. My body usually responds well and is used to ‘back to back’ races.”

Do you already know what you aim for after this weekend’s competitions?

“There is total focus on the weekend’s competitions now, but the season’s big goal will come later. It’s winning Vasaloppet!”