Cross-country: Alvar Myhlback ill — could miss Ski Classics opener

Swedish cross-country skier Alvar Myhlback risks missing the Ski Classics season opener.

The 19-year-old has been dealing with a cold since his successful weekend in Trondheim, where he claimed his first World Cup podium. As a result, he will sit out this weekend’s World Cup races in Davos to concentrate on what he enjoys most: long-distance events.

“My participation is a bit in the danger zone. But I like being in the danger zone — that’s where all the fun happens,” Myhlback said at a Wednesday press conference. “It’s obviously not the perfect lead-up to the weekend, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I’ve really been looking forward to this and hope I can start.”

Myhlback also agreed with teammate Emil Persson’s assessment that sprint finishes where athletes double-pole to the line suit him well — and could even fit an Olympic scenario. “Most finishes where you double-pole to the line suit me very well,” he said, adding that more double-poling in World Cup races would play to his strengths. He does not see switching from sprint racing to long-distance as a big transition: “It’s more like returning to what I’m used to.”

The Ski Classics opener is scheduled for this weekend in Bad Gastein, Austria.