Before the season, Stina Nilsson asked for patience as she embarked on her first season in a new discipline. But in the very first long-distance race of the season, during the opening weekend in Bad Gastein in December, she went straight onto the podium.

And after 11 of 14 races, Nilsson has claimed victories in both Vasaloppet and Birkebeinerrennet on her first attempts. She also has two additional podium finishes, two fourth places, three fifth places, and a tenth place, with a strong chance of finishing on the overall Ski Classics podium.

This success comes despite an illness that lasted from January until just a few weeks before Vasaloppet, causing Nilsson to miss races like Marcialonga.

Took the Ski Classics Scene by Surprise

The 31-year-old, who competes for the Norwegian pro team Team Ragde Charge, admits she is surprised by her debut season—especially by winning the two most prestigious races.

“I never thought I would win Vasaloppet or Birken when I started this season,” says Nilsson.

See video interview with Stina Nilsson further down in the article.

A Steep Learning Curve

The former ski star boasts five Olympic medals and seven World Championship medals from her career in traditional cross-country skiing. But for the past four years, Nilsson has focused on biathlon at the World Cup level. It has been less than a year since she transitioned to long-distance skiing and completely changed her training regimen.

“There’s a huge difference between biathlon and long-distance skiing, so I’ve had to take things gradually to build a strong foundation and avoid injuries,” Nilsson tells Langrenn.com.

“I knew I had a lot to learn, both technically and in terms of conditioning my body to endure such long distances. But the progress, especially on the technical side, has been surprisingly good—especially in the last few weeks,” she says, adding:

“There are also many other factors, such as how and how much nutrition I need during races, how to pace myself, and strategies that are completely different from what I’ve done before. I learn so much from every race, I also feel that each competition pushes my level higher from week to week.”

“I Was Crazy Sore”

How did her body feel after the grueling 90 km of Vasaloppet and the tough climbs of Birken?

“I was crazy sore after Vasaloppet, especially in my upper body. It took me a long time to recover afterward. But I think Vasaloppet made me stronger overall. Birken wasn’t as bad because we had some headwind, and no one wanted to take the lead, so the pace wasn’t as high, and it didn’t feel as exhausting.”

You seem to have a special ability to peak at the right time. That was the case in your cross-country career, and it seems to be the case now. How did you manage to hit peak form for Vasaloppet and Birken in your first season in a completely new sport?

“Of course, I have some experience in knowing what it takes to peak at the right moment. But this time, I think it was a bit of luck. I was sick from New Year’s and through much of January, so for weeks, I had to rest a lot and couldn’t train as planned. But I managed to shake off the lingering virus just in time before Vasaloppet, allowing me to train consistently in the final three weeks before the race. And then my peak form came at the perfect moment.”

“I Never Know What Kind of Body I’ll Have on Race Day”

Now, Nilsson is curious to see if she can maintain her form through the final three races of Ski Classics Season XVI.

“I never really know what kind of body I’ll have when I get to the start line. But I hope I can still be up there fighting for top positions.”

If she succeeds, Stina Nilsson could stand on the overall Ski Classics podium in her debut season.

Next year, the Winter Olympics will feature a 50 km classic race. Is that tempting?

“I’m not thinking about that at all. I’m still in the middle of the long-distance season, and that’s my only focus.”

So, is the door completely closed?

“I haven’t thought about it at all. I have no contact with the national team.”

Next Up: Three Final Races

On Saturday, Stina Nilsson will race Marcialonga Bodø, a brand-new event in Ski Classics. After that, she will wrap up the season with two brutal back-to-back races in Troms: Reistadløpet on Saturday, March 29, and Summit 2 Senja on Sunday, March 30.

See the overall Ski Classics standings and all jersey competitions HERE. Watch the video interview with Stina Nilsson below.

Read More: All you need to know ahead of Marcialonga Bodø Season XVI