After being dropped from the national team, Iver Tildheim Andersen has made a new plan for the winter. He is now joining a Norwegian Pro Team, but the Pro Team Director hopes they will hardly see him.

Iver Tildheim Andersen has earned a professional cycling contract, taken podium finishes and snatched Strava records from Tour de France riders. Now the World Cup star is parking the bike and going all in on cross-country skiing again.

The 26-year-old from Rustad IL lost his national team spot in April, even though he finished the winter with Norwegian Championship gold in the 50km skate. Now the goal is to fight his way back to the World Cup and secure a spot at the World Championships in Falun.

And the road there goes through his home club and Ski Classics.

Also Read: Team Rustad IL Oslo — Pro Team presentation Season XVIII

Straight into Ski Classics

That Tildheim Andersen would become part of his home club’s Ski Classics team has been clear since April.

Now Pro Team Director Atle Simenes of Team Rustad IL Oslo confirms that the 26-year-old will be ready for the season opener at Beitostølen, despite this summer’s cycling venture.

“Iver was actually supposed to race Klarälvsloppet for us on September 20, but that came a bit too early. But he was with us at the training camp in Ramsau during the autumn break, and he is in good shape now, so he will be ready for the season opener at Beitostølen,” Pro Team Director Atle Smenes of Team Rustad IL Oslo confirms to Langrenn.com.

But that is exactly what puts the team manager in a bit of a bind.

How much will Tildheim Andersen actually be with the team this season?

“That’s a good question. What is completely certain is that he will race the first race weekend in Bad Gastein in December. But it is hard to say whether he will race anything more,” says Smenes, and explains.

“We have to see how it goes for him at Beitostølen. We do hope that he gets to race the World Cup and makes it to the World Championships in Falun. So in a way, we hope that he doesn’t get to race any more for us than that weekend in Bad Gastein.”

What does it mean for you to have Tildheim Andersen in the squad?

“It means a lot for the club to have a name that everyone knows on that team.”

Smenes explains that part of what sets Rustad apart from other Ski Classics Pro Teams is the way the club integrates the long-distance skiers into the regular training groups.

“We don’t really distinguish between junior, senior and long distance. The coaches are the same, and many of the camps are shared. We have many new young skiers who get pulled into long distance racing that way,” he says.

Has developed two of the world’s biggest stars

At the same time, Smenes highlights that the club has developed two of the biggest Ski Classics stars in the world.

“Both Anikken (Alnæs Hagen) and Amund (Riege), who won the Ski Classics overall last winter, are Rustad skiers. We are very happy that they have had the opportunity to move on to other big teams,” he says.

Alnæs Hagen first went to Team Ragde Charge, before moving to Team Engcon. She won the yellow jersey in the last two seasons, before retiring in April.

Amund Riege first went to the Swedish top Pro Team, Team Ramudden. Last year he moved on to Team Aker Dæhlie and took the yellow jersey in his first season there.

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