Following Ida Dahl’s absence, her teammate has been identified as the new leader of Team Engcon. “She is an extremely important team player”, says her colleague.

Ida Dahl Absence

Ida Dahl will likely not compete again this year. She had a rough previous season and is now receiving support from teammate Hanna Lodin. While the team misses Dahl, Lodin acknowledges that other skiers have now stepped up to fill her role.

Last season, Dahl competed in nine races and finished eighth overall. With two victories at the start of the season, she seemed poised for another record-breaking year with Team Engcon.

Also Read: Ida Dahl opens up

However, things didn’t go as planned. A 13th-place finish at La Diagonela in early January marked a turning point—or perhaps the downward trend had started even earlier. Her results after that were not what fans had come to expect from Ida Dahl: sixth place in Tjejvasan, fifth in Vasaloppet, 11th in Birkebeinerrennet, and 12th in Janteloppet. Over the summer, Dahl didn’t compete at all, despite being registered for several races. Naturally, many wondered where she had gone and what had happened.

Hitting the Wall

Fans and the public had to wait nearly eight months before Dahl finally shared her story. According to Langd.se, in an interview on Vinterstudion (SVT), she told André Pops and Anders Blomqvist that she had been struggling with burnout.

“I hit the infamous wall. The past eight to nine months have been the absolute worst of my life“, she revealed.

“Right now, my focus is on having a fully functioning daily life without symptoms.”

Ida Dahl Absence – “She Is and Has Been One of the Greatest”

Dahl didn’t provide any clues about a potential comeback but is receiving strong support from her teammate Hanna Lodin.

“Of course, we miss her. She is an extremely important team player and, most importantly, she inspires the rest of us“, Lodin admitted in an interview with Langd.se.

Dahl won the yellow leader’s jersey in the 2022/23 season and finished second in 2020/21 and 2021/22. She also secured a hat-trick by winning the pink youth jersey three consecutive years (2019/20–2021/22).

“Ida is and has been one of the greatest“, Lodin emphasized.

From Newcomer to Front Runner – Filling the Gap Left by Dahl

Lodin noted that the gap left by Ida Dahl’s absence was quickly filled by a new addition to the team.

“I would say that with the steps Anikken has taken, she has almost filled that spot left by Ida”, Lodin explained.

“Anikken contributes significantly with tactical strategies. She influences and shapes how we operate as a team“, she says.

Read More: A3 Zinnen Ski Marathon: Anikken Gjerde Alnæs strikes again

Even Ida Dahl herself is impressed by Anikken Gjerde Alnæs’s progress this season.

“Very impressive. She has taken things at her own pace, and it has paid off well”, Dahl said about her teammate Alnæs.

However, Lodin is clear that a crucial piece of the team is still missing.

Does it feel like the team is incomplete without Ida competing?

“No, of course, we miss her, and it’s unfortunate, but it’s not noticeable in that way“, Lodin concluded.

In her SVT interview, Dahl took the opportunity to thank and praise her team for their support.

“They are a great support. There’s not much they can do, but just being there means a lot“, Dahl said about her team.