Anders Blomquist backs Norwegian call for closer ties: “Ebba Andersson is a trailblazer”

SVT Sport’s cross‑country expert Anders Blomquist has endorsed a recent statement from Team Engcon’s stable chief Jörgen Ulvang, who said the relationship between World Cup skiers and long‑distance teams has become “frosty.”

Ulvang told SVT he would prefer “a more homogeneous cross‑country world, where you can move a bit back and forth between disciplines,” arguing that the sport would be stronger together than apart. Blomquist agrees, saying both sides would benefit from closer cooperation and could help develop each other’s skills.

A focal point of the discussion is Swedish star Ebba Andersson, who is training with Ulvang’s Team Engcon and skipped the Swedish national team’s altitude camp in Lavazé, Italy. Blomquist calls her a forerunner for moving between formats and believes the approach can enhance her traditional skiing, improving double‑poling and upper‑body work—areas he notes have been a challenge for her.

Ulvang also suggests the Ski Classics long‑distance series may eventually switch from classic to skate technique, a significant potential shift for the marathon circuit. For traditional World Cup athletes, the key target ahead is the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics (4–22 February), which will be broadcast by SVT and TV4.

The segment underscores the tension between national‑team structures and private long‑distance teams while presenting Andersson as an example of how cross‑pollination could raise performance across formats.