It wasn’t the stars who stole the show in Trondheim; it was a 19-year-old who grabbed a podium spot and overshadowed Klæbo’s 100th World Cup win. Experts and rivals want him on the Olympic team, but what does Myhlback himself say?

“Alvar produced a masterpiece of a sprint.”

That’s what Erik Valnes says. The 29-year-old, who has both Olympic and World Championship gold on his résumé, does not doubt the 19-year-old’s third place in the Trondheim sprint.

Also Read: Klæbo powers to sprint win in Trondheim – Myhlback on the podium

“Of course Alvar has to go to the Olympics,” he says.

“How many juniors have actually been on a World Cup podium? The answer is very few,” Valnes tells Expressen.

On Friday, the Norwegian veteran was denied a podium spot by the Swedish teenager, who is actually focusing on long-distance racing. Klæbo was only a hair quicker in the prologue.

Clear leader, but unclear what comes next

After three World Cup races, Alvar Myhlback leads the U23 World Cup standings by a wide margin. He has already taken a World Cup podium and was the second-best Swede in the World Cup sprint in Ruka last week, finishing ninth. In the 10-kilometer race in Ruka, he placed 16th.

What happens after the World Cup weekend in Trondheim is still unclear.

After the World Cup round in Davos next weekend, Sweden’s national team leadership will make another selection for the Olympic squad. So far, only Edvin Anger and William Poromaa have been given the green light on the men’s side.

Will the national team push him to race in Davos? If so, it would clash with the Ski Classics Pro Tour season opener, and Myhlback is crystal clear that it’s out of the question to drop long-distance racing in favor of World Cup events.

The Olympics, however, run from February 6 to 22, a completely free period of Ski Classics Pro Tour events.

Read More: Shifted plans and joined Sweden’s World Cup team in Ruka

“No changes”

The 19-year-old keeps his feet on the ground, with his focus aimed straight at Ski Classics. But he’s pleased with what he’s done so far.

“It’s gone better than expected. Since it isn’t long-distance racing, I haven’t had any expectations,” Myhlback tells Langrenn.com.

He stresses that, for him, World Cup races and traditional cross-country skiing serve as preparation for long-distance racing.

What do these World Cup races mean to you?

“I’m a competitive person, so I put a lot into it, no matter what the competition is. But at the same time, this isn’t where my emotions are.”

So long-distance racing is still your primary focus?

“Yes, there are no changes there.”

And nothing can change that?

“No, why would it?”

Myhlback is almost irritated by questions about whether he’s now going to change focus and aim more toward competitive traditional cross-country skiing.

What about the Olympics now?

“I take the World Cup weekend by weekend, and the way it is, I’m going to race all the Ski Classics events, and that’s the main goal of the season.”

What do you get out of these World Cup races? Is there any transfer value to long-distance racing?

“Absolutely. Many of the best in Ski Classics are also good at this type of skiing. You need to be athletic. And I’m a skier either way, so I have to be able to race all types of ski races without people questioning it.”

Historic in Trondheim

But the fact is, whether it becomes the Olympics or not, the Swedish teenager is now historic in a World Cup context.

According to Jørn Sundby at Viaplay, Myhlback is the youngest athlete ever to take a World Cup podium. With third place in the Trondheim sprint, the Swedish youngster becomes the first-ever teenager to do it.

He breaks the record held by Vladimir Smirnov, who was 20 years and 16 days old when he reached the World Cup podium for the first time, in Murmansk back in 1984. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo was 20 years and 35 days when he did it in Ruka in 2016. Petter Northug was 20 years and 61 days in Falun in 2006.

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