Cross-country skiing: Emil Persson on Alvar Myhlback — “The Olympic finishing straight suits him”

Emil Persson says he was not at all surprised that 19‑year‑old Alvar Myhlback claimed a sensational third place in the World Cup sprint in Trondheim. Speaking to SVT Sport, Persson explained that Myhlback’s summer training showed top form, so the podium felt “quite natural.”

Myhlback, who won the Vasaloppet at age 18 in March, is Persson’s teammate in the long‑distance Ski Classics series. Persson won’t weigh in on whether Myhlback should commit to the Olympics, but he believes the Olympic finishing straight in Val di Fiemme could play to Myhlback’s strengths. He praises Myhlback for forging his own path and doing what he enjoys, whether that’s long‑distance marathons or traditional World Cup racing.

Persson concludes that it should be Myhlback’s decision to choose his focus, and that pursuing what motivates him will allow him to reach his full potential. The conversation ties Myhlback’s rapid rise from long‑distance success to World Cup sprint podiums with the looming Milan–Cortina 2026 Games.