Left out of the World Cup opener in Ruka, Trondheim, and this weekend’s round in Davos. Now the Swedish ski star is taking emergency measures in the chase for a spot on the Olympic team.

After finishing 21st in the sprint, 14th and 24th in the distance races at the Swedish season opener in Gällivare, the World Cup opener in Ruka went ahead without Calle Halfvarsson – for the first time in many years. He was also absent from last weekend’s crucial World Cup round in Trondheim, where three Olympic events were on the program. And he will also not take part in this weekend’s round in Davos. The 36-year-old will instead race the Scandinavian Cup in Östersund.

Also Read: Swedish national team for the Davos World Cup 

After Halfvarsson shocked everyone by breaking with the national team this spring, he is no longer prioritized for selection in the early part of the season. Now the Swedish veteran must qualify for the World Cup team on the same terms as other athletes outside the national squad.

Read More: Calle Halfvarsson leaves the Swedish National Team – Shifts focus

Meant to give a boost

Halfvarsson himself believed that this change would give him a new boost. He won several roller ski races this summer, but the season start has not gone according to plan.

The 36-year-old, who finished 46th in the World Cup last winter, admits he is starting to feel stressed about the Olympics. Now he is taking drastic measures to save his spot in the team.

“It’s a bit of a Johan Olsson approach for me now,” Halfvarsson told Falu-Kuriren, referring to the Swedish star who moved away from his family for six weeks before the 2015 World Championships in Falun.

Halfvarsson says the isolation already feels heavy, but he tries to cope by keeping his focus on the tasks.

“Of course, it’s hard to be away, but this is the situation. I just have to bite the bullet and focus on my career,” he says.

Missing his family

Calle Halfvarsson, who had his second child last spring, married Isabell this summer. The loneliness at the cabin in Grönklitt caught up with the veteran after only a few days.

“I really want to be home and be with the kids, but we make it work by talking on FaceTime,” he says.

It doesn’t help that his children, Casper-Lo (3) and Stella (1½), are not exactly enthusiastic.

“They’re quite uninterested in talking to me on FaceTime right now,” he says.

Halfvarsson has previously said he wants to continue his career through the 2027 World Championships in Falun, then retire on home soil.

Time is ticking

Someone who has just as much reason as Halfvarsson to feel stressed about Olympic qualification is Jens Burman.

The 31-year-old finished 22nd and 29th in the two distance races at the Swedish season opener in Gällivare and did not earn a spot in the Ruka team. His plan was therefore to race the opening events of the national Smart Energy Cup in Boden last weekend. He left with 47th place in the sprint, plus 24th and 15th in the distance races. When the World Cup selection for Trondheim was announced, Burman was not included. And he will not travel to Davos this coming weekend either.

Must drop down to the Scandinavian Cup

Now, both Olympic veterans must put everything into the Scandinavian Cup in Östersund from December 12–14 to earn a spot on the team for the Tour de Ski. That is practically their last chance to secure a place in the Olympic squad.

Because in Sweden, as in Norway, results at the highest level are what matter when the national team managers make their final Olympic selections in January.

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