Myhlback’s Record: “This is a life goal, and I achieved it at 18 years old”
Myhlback’s record has impressed everyone! He is young, fearless, and the youngest Vasaloppet winner ever: “I’ve never felt better in my life. I love Vasaloppet.”
Myhlback’s Record – The guy from Lager 157 Ski Team
The guy from Lager 157 Ski Team took the lead right from the start. He pulled the entire pack after three kilometers, crushed the best long-distance skiers in the sprint, and finished with the second-best time in Vasaloppet’s history. Alvar Myhlback became the youngest and most impressive winner of Vasaloppet ever.
“It’s crazy. This is a life goal, and I achieved it at 18! I love Vasaloppet. I’ve never had better skis in my life, from start to finish,” says the young winner in a live interview with SVT after the victory, shared by Langd.se.
Came Back After Setbacks
The superstar, who won two gold medals at the Junior World Championships last year, admits the season has been tough so far. He has missed several races due to illness. It was also challenging to be dropped from this year’s Junior World Championships despite being the reigning champion in two events.
But the setbacks are nearly forgotten in the triumph of Vasaloppet, where he won on the same skis he used when winning the World Championship gold last year.
“I’ve never felt better in my life. It went incredibly well,” says Myhlback.
Tactical Masterpiece
With 10 kilometers to go, there was still a large group of 13 skiers at the front. Among them were all the favorites, including three skiers from Lager 157 Ski Team.
A kilometer and a half before the finish, last year’s Marcialonga winner, Runar Skaug Mathisen from Lager 157 Ski Team, took the lead to prepare for the team captain, Emil Persson.
With just a few hundred meters to go, everything seemed set for last year’s revenge-seeking winner, Emil Persson, to take his second career victory in the prestigious race.
But right behind comes the team’s fast junior, Alvar Myhlback. The 18-year-old shows no respect, surges at the finish line, and wins nearly a second ahead of Persson.
“I got what I wanted, and when I realized it would be between me and Emil, I got so much energy,” says Myhlback, who has practically grown up in the Vasaloppet track.
Thus, the Lager 157 Ski Team scores a double victory.
Swede Max Novak, from the Norwegian team Team Aker Dæhlie, finishes third, marking his first-ever podium in Vasaloppet.
The man who served up the double victory on a silver platter, Runar Skaug Mathisen, finishes ninth, 8.5 seconds behind Myhlback.
Breaking a 100-Year-Old Record
Myhlback made history in 2023 when he had the rules of Vasaloppet changed and debuted with an eighth-place finish. Last year, he placed third, becoming the youngest ever to make it to the podium in Vasaloppet.
Read More: Myhlback: “I want to master everything – short and long – skating and classic”
This year, Myhlback became the youngest Vasaloppet winner, breaking the previous record by over three years.
Before Myhlback’s victory, Ernst Alm from IFK Norsjö was the youngest winner. He was 22 when he won the first Vasaloppet in 1922.
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