The German traditional cross-country skier fired an actual warning shot when she crushed the entire World Cup elite in the 10km race during the test World Championships in Trondheim last December. Now, the 29-year-old is being compared to Therese Johaug.

She has an exceptional attitude and approach to training. She is curious and highly goal oriented, and she has made huge strides over the past couple of years.

Victoria Carl was part of the German team that won gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2022. But she had her big breakthrough last December when she won the 10-kilometer race at the test World Championships in Trondheim. She secured four more podium finishes in the World Cup over the winter, was in the top 10 eighteen times, and finished fourth overall.

Also Read: Victoria Carl wins the World Cup 10km race in Trondheim

Now, the 29-year-old from Thuringia is being compared to Therese Johaug.

“She has an attitude similar to Therese Johaug’s. Both are in a league of their own when it comes to their approach to training. Vici (Victoria Carl, ed. note) is aware of her weaknesses. She is extremely goal-oriented and consistently seeks out situations that challenge her in precisely that way,” says Germany’s head coach Peter Schlickenrieder to eurosport.de, adding:

“For example, she almost always panics in mass-starts when there are many skiers around her. So, she travels from mass-start World Cup to mass-start World Cup all summer long. I shook my head and thought, ‘What on earth is that girl doing!?’ But in hindsight, it makes sense.”

At the same time, Schlickenrieder has also warned Carl against becoming overly intense.

“Not everything can revolve around cross-country skiing, and she also needs to realize that.”

This weekend, Victoria Carl and the rest of the German elite team are ready for the FIS races in Muonio, with a field worthy of a World Cup. Carl will compete in all three events: sprint, 10-kilometer classic, and 10-kilometer freestyle, before facing none other than Therese Johaug at the Norwegian season opener in Beitostølen.

Later this winter, they will meet again at the World Championships in Trondheim, in the same courses where the German won her first individual World Cup.

The story continues below!

Olos/Muonio Ski Race Weekend

Muonio, Finland, is the place for one of the first traditional cross-country skiing races this 2024/2025 winter. The event weekend starts on Friday, November 15, with a sprint race in classic technique. On Saturday, November 16, a 10km classic technique event awaits. And on Sunday, November 17, the weekend ends with a 10km freestyle race.

Read More: Olos/Muonio Ski Race Weekend: Complete Program & Where to Watch

Watch the complete weekend live streamed on SC Play, with exclusive rights in all countries except Finland. You can follow the events live on SC Play every race day from 8:45 CET with English commentaries from Kjell-Erik Kristiansen and Katerina Paul on Friday and Teemu Virtanen and Katerina Paul on Saturday and Sunday!

SC Play is included in Proxcskiing.com, Langd.se, Langrenn.com, Maastohiihto.com, and Bezky.net memberships.

WATCH HERE ON SC PLAY!

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New Generation

Germany has a long and solid tradition in international cross-country skiing, both in the women’s and men’s categories.

Victoria Carl is now one of seven German women who have won World Cup races in cross-country skiing and is part of a new generation increasingly making its mark in the World Cup and championships.

Previously, Carl was the reigning Olympic champion in the team sprint with Katharina Hennig, and she skied on the German team that took silver in the relay at the 2022 Olympics and silver in the relay at the 2023 World Championships in Planica.

Opens Up for Long-Distance Racing

Victoria Carl is not only one of the world’s best in traditional cross-country skiing. In April, she made her long-distance debut with a second-place finish in one of the most challenging races in the Ski Classics series, only beaten by Astrid Øyre Slind. Now, the German is one of three World Cup stars recruited to Team Ragde Charge for the coming Ski Classics Season XVI

Read More: Two stars join Team Ragde Charge

Are you interested in Ski Classics and long-distance skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.