The 22-year-old from Bærum challenged the world’s best in the sprint event in Lillehammer World Cup this past weekend: in the prologue, he placed fourth, with Johannes Høsflot Klæbo being the only Norwegian to ski faster. Holmboe also eliminated Harald Østberg Amundsen in the semifinals.

In the final, against some of the world’s most experienced skiers, the reigning U23 World Champion came close to the podium.

“It was really fun. My goal was to make the final, and I managed to achieve it. I knew I had the level to do it, but actually accomplishing it is something else,” Holmboe told ProXCskiing.com’s sister site Langrenn.com.

Toward the end of the race, however, the World Cup veterans proved to be a bit too strong. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won the final with his usual commanding margin ahead of Even Northug, with Federico Pellegrino taking third. Matz William Jenssen was fourth, Lucas Chanavat fifth, and Holmboe finished sixth.

“It was a bit disappointing not to be in the fight for the podium. But I just didn’t have enough energy left in the final. It’s a new learning experience, so I’m satisfied,” Holmboe said.

Looking back, Holmboe believes he might have made different tactical choices.

“I focused mostly on reaching the final, so I chose heat five with Harald Østberg Amundsen because I knew it would be fast, which gave me a chance to advance as a lucky loser,” Holmboe explained.

He won his quarterfinal heat ahead of Amundsen and finished fourth in the semifinal, but the pace of his heat was fast enough for two skiers, including Holmboe and Even Northug, to advance based on time. However, choosing a later quarterfinal heat meant less recovery time before the next round.

“If I get another chance, I might choose an earlier quarterfinal to have more energy left for the final,” Holmboe reflected.

Read more: Cross-country World Cup: Complete program for Davos

Progression and Growth

The sprint in Lillehammer marked Holmboe’s third World Cup start. Last year, he placed 14th in the sprint at the pre-World Championships in Trondheim after being eliminated in the quarterfinals.

“It’s another step forward for me,” Holmboe said with satisfaction.

The 22-year-old joined the regional team Team Elon Oslofjord after last season, where he secured gold in the sprint at the Junior World Championships in Planica.

On Saturday, Holmboe was one of two Team Elon Oslofjord skiers to make the final in the crucial World Cup sprint in Lillehammer. The other was 24-year-old Matz William Jenssen.

“It’s incredibly fun. It shows that we belong here, and it’s great for the team as well,” Holmboe said.

What Has Changed?

“It’s a new team with an even higher level, so I get tough competition all year. That helps you improve and feel more confident about doing things right when you have so many strong teammates. If you’re keeping up with the others in training, you know you’re at a good level,” Holmboe explained.

Asked about changes to his training, he said:
“It’s quite similar to last year, but I’ve focused even more on sprinting, and I feel I’ve become a bit stronger and better technically. Those small margins make the difference in getting closer to the top.”

On transitioning from U23 competitions to the World Cup, Holmboe noted:
“The level in U23 is high, but here it’s even higher with the very best. The biggest difference for me is that in U23 races, you can conserve energy in the quarterfinals and semifinals, which leaves you stronger for the final. Here, you have to expend much more energy in every heat, as the competition is much tighter.”

Looking Ahead to Davos and Beyond

When asked about the possibility of competing in the World Championships, Holmboe remained cautiously optimistic:
“I was the fourth fastest in the prologue, so there’s a chance, but everything has to align to make it happen.”

What would it take to secure that spot?
“I need to perform in Davos next weekend. This isn’t a bad application, but it’s a tight selection process, and the national team prioritizes their skiers until Christmas. Still, I hope to be chosen.”

And so it turned out: on Monday afternoon, the team announcement confirmed that Aleksander Elde Holmboe is set to compete in the sprint in Davos on Saturday. It will be his first World Cup start under the international quota.

If the 22-year-old delivers a strong performance in Davos, a spot at the World Championships in Trondheim may be well within reach.