Runar Skaug Mathisen and Lager 157 Ski Team are aiming for a hat-trick this Sunday.

Runar Skaug Mathisen is confident that last year’s Marcialonga victory wouldn’t have been possible without the Lager 157 Ski Team. According to Langd.se, the team has a clear goal this Sunday: “We’re going for a hat-trick.”

A Challenging Start to the Season

Runar Skaug Mathisen has faced a tough start to this year’s Ski Classics season, with his best result so far being 27th place. Expectations were high following last year’s triumph in Marcialonga, where he secured one of the biggest victories of his career and his first in Ski Classics. However, his current results haven’t reflected his potential due to technical issues and misfortune in earlier races.

During a press conference earlier this week, Runar reflected on his performances so far, including struggles with a weak finish in Toblach and technical issues at La Diagonela, where he had to ski 10 kilometers with only one pole.

“In Toblach, I felt really bad during the last hour, and I don’t know why. But at La Diagonela, I broke both poles and skied about 10 kilometers with just one. It wasn’t ideal for my results,” said Mathisen.

“I believe I’m better than 43rd”, the 31-year-old added.

“Now I Need to Deliver”

Despite these obstacles, Runar maintains that his form is better than his results suggest. His training data, including SkiErg results, shows he’s in excellent physical condition.

“My SkiErg results have been as good as last year’s. And when I’m out training, I feel really strong. So, I believe I’m better than I’ve shown so far. But talk is cheap—now I need to deliver”, Mathisen asserted.

Teamwork is Everything

Runar Skaug Mathisen won Marcialonga 2024 after a heroic breakaway following the second sprint in Predazzo. The victory didn’t come easily; his teammates played a crucial role in securing it. Ahead of the final climb to Cavalese, teammate Emil Persson was part of the chasing group, ensuring a strategic slowdown that allowed Mathisen to maintain his lead. This well-thought-out team tactic ultimately gave Lager 157 Ski Team and Mathisen the victory.

“I’m 100% aware that I wouldn’t have won Marcialonga without being in Lager 157 Ski Team. I had fantastic teammates then, and I believe everyone on the team is ready to give their all again this year”, Mathisen said.

“Now I know I can win races in Ski Classics on a good day—even the biggest ones”, he says confidently.

Marcialonga – Aiming for a Hat-Trick

Lager 157 Ski Team won Marcialonga in 2023, with Emil Persson defeating Tord Asle Gjerdalen and Andreas Nygård in a sprint finish. Runar emphasized that the team’s goal this year is crystal clear.

“We’re going for a hat-trick”, he said.

“We have three strong contenders on the team—Emil, Oskar, and Alvar,” Runar concluded.

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