Martin Johnsrud Sundy left the World Cup circuit after finishing 7^th in the 15 km skating race at the World Championships this winter. He and his buddy Niklas Dyrhaug merged with Team Koteng that is now called Team Koteng/Eidissen. Today, Sundby will race against the best Visma Ski Classics athletes in a 55 km roller-ski race at Toppidrettsvekan in Norway.

According to NRK, Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company, Sundby has trained less than ever before. His training hours in July were only 35, which three or four times less than normally. The 36-year-old skier is still confident that he can fine-tune himself before the new season kicks off as he knows what needs to be done in the fall season. He says it helps that he only needs to focus on double-poling, which makes it easier to plan his training program in order to get in shape before the winter.

He feels that today’s race is a good indicator of his current shape and the field around him. He tells NRK that Marcialonga is the first race that he is taking more seriously, and that’s when the game becomes a bit more nerve-racking. He wants to do well in the prestigious classic races such as Vasaloppet and Birkebeinerrennet, which he won in 2017.