After standing outside the Swedish national team’s training groups for the first time in six years, Moa Hansson arrives in Gällivare with a very different preseason behind her. She is now on site for the season premiere.

Moa Hansson has dominated the roller ski season and shown strong form on several occasions. This comes after she was left out of the Swedish national team training groups for the first time in six years. Now, just like the rest of the skiing elite, she is in Gällivare for the season opener.

“I think it’s fun to be here, and I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. But I also think it feels more relaxed than before, actually — I’m not entirely sure why. There’s not quite the same pressure as earlier; it just feels fun to get started,” Moa Hansson tells Langd.se the day before the season premiere.

Also Read: Sprint in Gällivare – Livestreamed today from 9:35 CET on SC Play

A different preseason

This preseason has been different compared to recent years. Last spring, the 24-year-old wasn’t given a place in the national team setup and, for the first time in six years, stood outside the national team’s training groups.

“I’ve been in the national team for many years. I think it’s been six years in the junior and senior teams. It was a bit of an adjustment. At first, I thought: okay, what do I do now? But quite quickly, I saw a lot of opportunities in being able to adapt things more to myself,” Moa explains, and continues:

“I think it quickly became a source of motivation.”

This preseason, Moa has instead been based more at home in Falun and, according to her, gained a different sense of calm.

“It has been very relaxed, and I think that’s been very good for me. You also don’t see as much of what everyone else is doing, and that’s actually been quite nice.”

Trying to find her own way

Through the DSA training group at home in Falun, Moa has had sparring partners and help from several coaches. She has also gone her own way more than before and structured her training a bit differently than in previous years.

“In recent years, I’ve tried to find more of what works for me, and maybe I’ve taken that a step further this year. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that you should train a lot, and those hours are what count. But I’ve realized that I don’t think that’s what develops me. I’ve focused a lot on the hard sessions and made sure to maintain good energy throughout. And that’s meant I’ve been able to do all sessions well, even the easy ones.”

“Get the most out of what I have”

What are your expectations for the premiere in Gällivare?

“I really just want to get started and compete. I’m usually not at my best at the beginning of the season — I tend to be a bit better in the spring. But I’m looking forward to getting going and just racing hard.”

In recent years, Moa has bounced between the Smart Energy Cup, the Scandinavian Cup, and the World Cup. Because of that, she says it’s important always to give everything, no matter where she races.

“When you’re where I am, you don’t always know where you’ll compete. Suddenly, you’re doing a World Cup, a Scandinavian Cup, or a Sweden Cup. I usually think that wherever I get to compete, I want to get the most out of what I can do, no matter what arena I’m racing on.”

Part of Ski Team Göhlins

Moa Hansson is also registered with the Ski Classics Pro Team, Ski Team Göhlins. Last spring, she finished eighth in Vasaloppet and will be a valuable addition to the Småland-based team.

“I’ll do some long-distance races if there are openings and opportunities. I looked last week at how things were looking, and it seemed pretty good for the spring.”

Do you find Ski Classics appealing?

“I like that every race becomes a challenge, and you compete against yourself. You have to push yourself in a different way, and I like those races. I think they’re really fun and appealing,” she says in closing.

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