Former national sprint specialist Luděk Šeller has surprised the skiing community. Despite meeting the nomination criteria, he has opted for a radical change and will enter the world of Ski Classics this winter.

The 31-year-old Luděk Šeller has been known as a sprint specialist, representing the Czech Republic in the World Cup and at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. He was a key member of the national team.

This season, however, brings a significant change. Luděk will not compete in the national team colors, neither in the A nor B team, and instead will embark on a completely new adventure: long-distance skiing in the Ski Classics World Championship circuit.

Met the criteria, yet departed

At first glance, this may seem like a forced decision. The opposite is true.

“I met the criteria for the B team, but that alone doesn’t guarantee a spot in the team. Conversely, not meeting them doesn’t automatically mean you can’t make the team,” Šeller explains to Bezky.net, immediately adding the key reason for his decision: “The main reason for my decision was the desire to find new motivation and try something new.”

The decision was made even before the end of the last season.

“I knew before the end of the season that next year I would be racing in long-distance events regardless of any potential inclusion in the national team,” he states without hesitation. A pleasant bonus is the financial aspect. According to him, the financial rewards in long-distance races are significantly better than in the national team.

A Pro Team with tradition

Šeller is not venturing into the unknown. He has signed with the Team Slavia pojišťovna Robinson Trentino, which has excellent service and years of experience in the Ski Classics circuit. It was a well-considered choice.

“I had been in contact with the team’s main sponsor before and knew that if I ever wanted to try long-distance skiing, it would only be with this team. I didn’t consider any other option,” he admits.

He has already had a slight introduction to long-distance skiing under the Slavia pojišťovna banner:

“I gained my first experience two years ago when I participated in the Marcialonga,” he recalls humorously. “Thanks to that, I even had to involuntarily contribute to the federation’s fund. I had to pay a fine of 30,000 CZK (about 1,500 EUR) for racing under Slavia pojišťovna and promoting other partners.” Despite this negative experience, he found the overall impression positive: “For me, it was a huge experience, and I’m glad for it now.”

Also Read: Team Slavia Pojišťovna Robinson Trentino reflects on its best season yet

Plans for the first season

Šeller does not plan to participate in the entire Ski Classics World Championship calendar in his first season.

“Not yet. I plan to participate in about three-quarters of the series. It’s a new world for me, and I don’t yet know what the results will be or how I will handle the individual races and overall load,” he states.

He could have a natural advantage as the current calendar includes more shorter races, where decisions are often made in the final sprints. This could theoretically play to the strengths of an experienced sprinter.

“Shorter races might suit me better than the very longest ones. On the other hand, there’s a big difference between sprinting after 30 kilometers and sprinting after one and a half kilometers,” Šeller emphasizes, revealing his priority: “For me, the main thing will be to start well, not to be at the back, and gradually improve my starting position for the next races.”

And what about the fear of several-hour races?

“I don’t have any respect for that yet. I believe that quality summer training will help me transition to longer races as smoothly as possible.”

A refuge in Norway

His training base is in Norway, where he even bought a house with his girlfriend.

“I train most of the time in Norway near Lillehammer, where I’m excited about the opportunities for skiing and running.” This summer, he has two training camps planned in Italy, where he will meet the other team members for the first time. He sets his own training plan, and it seems to suit him. “I don’t feel as much pressure and enjoy training more.”

“I mainly train alone now. Occasionally, I trained with Kačka Janatová in Lillehammer, and when I return there, I would like to join the training sessions with the guys, Kačka’s boyfriend, and Mika Vermeulen,” Luděk explains his summer training plans.

The transition to long-distance racing has required a complete overhaul of his training.

“The preparation has already changed. I only do classic technique on roller skis, and about 90% of my training consists of double poling. I need to prepare to be able to ski for two to three hours at high intensity, not just three minutes at full speed,” he describes.

His previous national team coach, Vasil Husák, will no longer coach Luděk: “A few days ago, I spoke with Vojta Hačecký from the Sports Medicine Center, and we discussed training and what to change. Vasil told me that he’s not sure about advice regarding preparation for long-distance races, so we’re just talking about how we are and what we will do.”

Šeller’s past: a combination of skiing and cycling

Šeller’s path to elite sports began at the Fischer Ski Club Šumava Vimperk, where he learned the basics of cross-country skiing. Since 2015, he has competed for Dukla Liberec, which opened the doors to the World Cup for him. In 2019, he transferred to Sport Club Plzeň.

Šeller is not just a skier. He also competed very successfully in cycling, specifically in mountain biking. He represented the Česká spořitelna specialized junior MTB team and won the title of Czech Republic champion in sprint eliminator in 2016. Later, he added a title in the elite adult category to his junior success. He combined both sports until about the age of 21.

As a cross-country skier, he shone at the Junior World Championships in Almaty, where he finished 12th in the classic sprint, his best result in international competition at that time. He also achieved 5th place in the Alpen Cup in Zwiesel, again in the classic sprint.

He has a title of Czech champion in the freestyle sprint (2017) and also won the Czech Cup in the 10km classic race (2017).

International results came gradually. In December 2020, he earned valuable points in the World Cup in Finland, finishing 22nd in the classic sprint, one of his best results in the World Cup at that time.

The highlight of Šeller’s career so far has been his participation in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where he was nominated as part of the national team in cross-country skiing. He finished 25th in the freestyle sprint and placed 29th in the qualification. Together with Michal Novák, he secured 14th place in the team sprint.

Read More – Season XVIII calendar: Bruno Debertolis shares his perspective

Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII (2026/2027)

• Event 1: December 11, 2026 – Bad Gastein Prologue – Austria – 1km
• Event 2: December 13, 2026 – Sportgastein Criterium – Austria – 30km
• Event 3: December 19, 2026 – Bad Gastein ITT – Austria – 7km
• Event 4: December 20, 2026 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Austria – 36km
• Event 5: January 16, 2027 – Engadin La Diagonela – Switzerland – 55km
• Event 6: January 17, 2027 – Zuoz–St. Moritz Sprint – Switzerland – 30km
• Event 7: January 31, 2027 – Marcialonga – Italy – 70km
• Event 8: February 12, 2027 – Bedřichov Heat Sprint – Czech Republic – 1.5km
• Event 9: February 14, 2027 – Jizerská50 – Czech Republic – 50km
• Event 10: February 27, 2027 – Oxberg–Mora Sprint Women – Sweden – 30km
• Event 11: February 28, 2027 – Oxberg–Mora Sprint Men – Sweden – 30km
• Event 12: March 7, 2027 – Vasaloppet – Sweden – 90km
• Event 13: March 20, 2027 – Birkebeinerrennet – Norway – 53km
• Event 14: April 3, 2027 – Reistadløpet – Norway – 35km
• Event 15: April 4, 2027 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Norway – 60km

Also Read: Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII

For more updates and detailed information about the Ski Classics World Championship, visit skiclassics.com.

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