He was on the podium in the Swedish sprint premiere for senior skiers. On Monday’s sprint at the Junior World Championships, Alvar Myhlback is outside the Swedish team.

“There is a huge competition for the places in the boys’ sprint. And Alvar (Myhlback) was left out this time,” says junior national team coach Linda Danvind Malm to Expressen.

The Junior World Championships starts on Monday. Sprint is the program’s first event. Anton Grahn is the reigning champion, and Elias Danielsson was second at the sprint last year. Grahn and Danielsson, both in their last junior year, are among the favorites again this year.

Alvar Myhlback was on the podium in the Swedish sprint premiere in Gällivare, won the first sprint during the Ford Smart Energy Cup, and has raced a World Cup sprint this season but is outside the team for the sprint:

“Yes, the only thing I know right now is that I am selected for the 20-kilometer freestyle race,” says Alvar Myhlback to Expressen.

And you had wanted to race the sprint on Monday?

“Yes, absolutely. I really wanted to do that, so this feels like a small defeat,” he continues to Expressen.

When the last Junior World Championships test in the sprint was held in Falun, Myhlback was instead in Switzerland to race Engadin La Diagonela (where he finished ninth, just like last weekend’s Marcialonga). 

“That could have played a role. But my plan has always been that I would participate in the Junior World Championships test in Boden (where he came fourth in the sprint) – but not in Falun. And as I understood it, the management had approved it,” Myhlback continues to the newspaper.

Linda Danvind Malm, responsible coach for the junior national team to Expressen:

“It is close for the places in the boys’ sprint. And this time, it was Alvar who was left out. We have our selection competitions, and you should participate in them.” 

The Swedish line-up will have Anton Grahn, Elias Danielsson, Erik Bergström, and Jonatan Lindberg on the squad.

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