During the season premiere in Finland last weekend, the 27-year-old from Norway stepped onto the podium in both races he started. Thus, he proved that the crushing victory in the test race at Holmenkollen in October was no joke and is ready to get rid of the ‘Beito ghost.’

Finally, Mattis Stenshagen is back on track, almost three years after the setback he experienced as a U23 skier.

On Saturday’s 10 kilometers classic in Muonio, Stenshagen was the best Norwegian, only beaten by the local favorite Livo Niskanen but ahead of the entire Norwegian national elite and World Cup skiers from nearly 20 nations. The day before, Stenshagen took second place in the classic sprint. The atmosphere was high in Team Swix.

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This weekend, the Norwegian season opener awaits at Beitostølen. Classic sprint, 10 kilometers classic, and 10 kilometers freestyle, all with an individual start, are on the program.

“I have an ambition to get rid of the ‘Beito ghost,’” says Stenshagen to Langrenn.com after the fantastic weekend in Finland.

Stenshagen says he is both excited and anxious about the season premiere at Beitostølen. He knows he is in good form, understands how he compares to both Norwegian and international World Cup skiers and acknowledges that he has a lot to aim for this weekend.

If he delivers similar results at Beitostølen as in Muonio, Stenshagen will be hard to overlook in the selection for the World Cup premiere in Ruka, taking place a week after the Beitosprinten. When Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and almost half of the national team are out with Covid in addition, the chances to secure a spot in the squad for Ruka might be slightly larger this year.

But so far in his career, Stenshagen has yet to show his full potential at the season premiere at Beitostølen.

“I have an ambition to get rid of the ‘Beito ghost,’” says Stenshagen, explaining that he is working his mindset to precisely achieve that:

“I can’t do much with my form between Muonio and the season premiere at Beitostølen. It’s just about coming home, unpacking, recharging the batteries, and traveling again. Then I just have to try to sync what I did in Muonio. I arrived there with low shoulders, so now I just have to keep them low when I come to Beitostølen as well,” he says.

It seems simple on paper but is challenging in practice. It doesn’t get easier because Stenshagen is under extra pressure in this year’s season opener.

What makes many encounter the ‘Beito ghost’ and struggle to bring out their best at the season premiere at Beitostølen?

“For me, it’s energy drainage. There tends to be too much focus on the wrong things at Beito. Those races often feel bigger and more important than they really are, and then you get an unnatural fear of not going fast enough.”

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Teammate Mikael Gunnulfsen supports Stenshagen. He is one of those who have succeeded at Beitostølen, securing a spot in the World Cup squad, but he also experiences the opening weekend as a kind of lottery, where the ‘Beito ghost’ is real.

“It’s hard to say exactly why. But the national team usually has eight men among the top ten. Then an outsider can come in and snatch a podium place, but there are at least 20-30 men who could be the lucky one. So, it’s almost like lottery,” says Gunnulfsen.

Stenshagen and Gunnulfsen are two of the three skiers who broke away from Team Aker Dæhlie after last season when it became clear that their coach, Torstein Dagestad, did not have his contract renewed with the Norwegian private team. They then started building an entirely new elite team, and by the end of May, Team Swix was established.

Read also: Ski Classics Ski or Die – A behind-the-scenes Documentary soon on SC Play

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Comeback talent Stenshagen was a significant talent as a junior and U23 skier. He won gold and silver at the Junior World Championships and U23 World Championships, and a bright career was predicted.

In the 2018/19 season, he was accepted into the development national team and joined the elite national team in sprint the following year. However, Stenshagen faced a significant setback, losing his place on the national team.

Stenshagen had to take a step back. He joined the private team Team Telemark (which merged into Team Aker Dæhlie last year) and is now with the newly established Team Swix, always under the guidance of coach Torstein Dagestad. Together, they have spent the last few seasons rebuilding Stenshagen. And the work is starting to yield results.

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What makes you take such strides this year?

“I feel that it’s the result of the work I’ve done in the last two and a half years. I have systematically worked on rebuilding myself, laid one brick at a time, and used the experiences I gained from that setback,” says Stenshagen.

What happened back then?  Why did you face a setback when you joined the sprint national team?

“For me, it was about being young and curious. But I was probably a bit too curious about the training aspect. I trusted myself a little too little, looked around too much, and got too many answers instead of following my plan. Then I became just a poor copy of many different athletes at once.”

Stenshagen believes that experience is his most crucial strength as an athlete.

“It’s about being confident in the work I’m doing. There’s no magic, and it sounds simple. But Torstein (Dagestad, ed. note) and I have set a course now. I’m confident in the philosophy we have, and I feel that we are just at the starting line on that path.”

So, what are you thinking now about the ‘Beito ghost’ and the season premiere at Beitostølen – and the possibility of a ticket to the World Cup premiere in Ruka?

“I will use zero energy thinking about Ruka. I know that you get paid for what you perform.”

The season premiere at Beitostølen will take place from Friday, November 17, to Sunday, November 19. The program includes a sprint on Friday, a 10km classic on Saturday, and a 10km freestyle on Sunday, all with individual starts. The race weekend at Beitostølen runs parallel to the Swedish season premiere in Gällivare.