Cross-country skiing : Alvar Myhlback continues to impress, aged 19
In March 2025, he shook the world of cross-country skiing by becoming the youngest ever winner of the Vasaloppet, aged just 18. Known mainly as a distance runner, the Swede Alvar Myhlback has decided to try his hand at sprinting since the start of the 2025-2026 World Cup. It’s a big step whilehe’s still exploring his own limits.
Ninth in Ruka (Finland) on 29 November, he impressed from the qualifying round of the classic sprint in Trondheim (Norway) on Friday,finishing third and then winning his quarter-final. This gave him plenty of confidence going into the semi-finals, where he qualified on time after racing against Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo and Erik Valnes.
“At each start, I have all the cards in my hand to win”.
In his first final on the circuit, Alvar Myhlback found himself the only Swede in a field of five Norwegians. Despite the succession of races and their intensity, he remained in the hunt right up to the final straight. He started fifth, overtook two strong rivals and just missed out on his first World Cup podium (3rd). A performance achieved without wax at the age of 19.
“It exceeded all my expectations”, he told SVT. As the praise rained down on his performance, illustrating his potential and versatility, he continued to tellAftonbladet: “At every start, I have the feeling that I have all the cards in my hand to win. But he kept his feet on the ground, again with SVT: “I still have a lot to learn.
Read also
- Cross-country skiing | “It’s impossible to deny that the Olympics are coming at just the right time”: prodigy Alvar Myhlback opens the door to Milan/Cortina 2026
- Cross-country skiing: Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo reaches the milestone of 100 World Cup victories
- Cross-country skiing | Trondheim: King Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo wins the classic sprint, Les Bleus out in the quarters
- Cross-country skiing | Trondheim: in a chaotic final, Johanna Hagstroem dominates the classic sprint, Swedish quadruple win
