On Saturday morning, a previously unknown 23-year-old from Spain stunned the entire world elite in one of the season’s most significant races. Competitors and commentators alike were left speechless.

Jaume Pueyo, the young Spanish skier, had a surprise result in the sprint prologue, finishing 3rd, leaving nearly the entire sprinting elite in his wake—except for Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and American Ben Ogden.

Trailing him were sprint specialists such as Erik Valnes, Even Northug, Håvard Solås Taugbøl, and Matz William Jenssen; Italy’s veteran Federico Pellegrino; Klæbo’s French rival Lucas Chanavat; Sweden’s sprint star Edvin Anger; and World Cup leader Harald Østberg Amundsen.

A Career-Defining Moment

Before his surprise result, few had heard of Jaume Pueyo. His third-place finish is the best-ever result for a Spanish skier in a World Cup prologue.

Pueyo advanced to the quarterfinals, competing against Klæbo, Norwegian talent Oskar Opstad Vike, Swiss athletes Valerio Grond and Janik Riebli, and Slovenia’s Nejc Stern. Although he came close to advancing further, strategic errors cost him a semifinal spot.

“It’s unfortunate. I know I have the level to compete here, but I didn’t show my best today. Next weekend in Davos, I’ll aim to continue building towards the World Championships in Trondheim,” Pueyo told ProXCskiing.com’s sister site Langrenn.com.

Rapid Progress

Pueyo’s rise has been remarkable. Just last weekend, he placed 18th in the classic sprint at the World Cup opener in Ruka. Until this season, he had rarely advanced beyond prologues in his 19 World Cup sprint appearances.

Representing Spain at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, he finished 37th in the sprint. At the 2021 World Championships in Oberstdorf, he placed 58th in the sprint and 18th in the team sprint.

When asked about his improvement, Pueyo credited consistent training and technical refinement. “I’ve had some good results in junior and Alpen Cup races, but the step to the World Cup is significant. I’ve been working on my technique, but now I need to focus on gaining experience and improving tactically.”

Ambitious Goals

Pueyo, hailing from the small club Cefuc in the Pyrenees, now lives and trains in Font Romeu, France. He emphasizes the excellent training conditions and strong competition he faces there, particularly from French and Italian athletes.

Looking ahead, Pueyo is targeting a breakthrough at the World Championships in Trondheim. “I think the World Championships will be incredible—a huge celebration in Norway, the heart of cross-country skiing. I want to make a name for myself there and hopefully reach the final.”

A Growing Spanish Presence

Pueyo’s success follows another Spanish surprise: Imanol Rojo’s gold medal in the 15 km classic at the Rollerski World Championships in September. Pueyo is optimistic about the future of Spanish skiing, highlighting the progress of teammates like Bernat Selles and promising juniors Marc Colell and Peio Añarbe.

“I’m confident we’ll see more Spanish skiers competing at the top level soon,” Pueyo said.

Read more: Cross-Country World Cup standings after Lillehammer