Photo: Bildbyrån
Alvar Myhlback, 18, came fifth and sixth during this weekend’s season premiere in Bruksvallarna.
Despite the fine results, the Swedish talent was a little disappointed.
– It’s my best premiere, it is. Even though I wanted more, he tells Expressen afterwards.
He came third in the Vasaloppet in March as a 17-year-old. The super talent Alvar Myhlback really has pressure on his shoulders – and he feels it himself. He came fifth and sixth in the weekend’s two premier races in Bruksvallarna, but was a little disappointed with the results despite being just a few seconds off the podium.
Myhlback’s reaction after the premiere
On Saturday, the great talent came sixth, a full 35.5 seconds behind the winner Edwin Anger. On Sunday it went better. Halfway through the race he was ninth, but managed to climb four places and gained several seconds. In the end, he was just 1.7 seconds off the podium. Something he should be quite happy about, considering he hasn’t competed that much at senior level.
– Then it was damn cool that you lost those 1.7 seconds. It felt like every single second you started behind today was a small disadvantage. It actually felt better today. Or today it feels like I’m no better than this. It feels like I had a good run. Yesterday I felt that you got sixth and there was nothing wrong. What should I say? I’m not a second better than I was today, then I can’t be dissatisfied either, he tells Expressen afterwards.
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As I said, he wasn’t entirely happy with how it went either. He probably expected more himself because he has high demands on himself.
– It’s my best premiere, it is. Even though I wanted more. I am where I am now, but I know I did an extremely good job this summer so I think it will be a fun season, he says.
Blomquist defends Alvar Myhlback
SVT’s length expert Anders Blomquist defends Alvar Myhlback after the premiere weekend and says that people should not expect too much from the teenager even now. It’s not fair to him. He believes that people need to let him train and compete without judging him too early.
– Partly because of not overthrowing him, that there will be unreasonable demands. But I also think that you have to keep in mind how young he is and that what he does is completely unique. Then it’s so nice if he can exceed those expectations, but I don’t think we should have too many demands on him, says Blomquist in SVT.
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Myhlback doesn’t think this weekend’s results will get him a place in the World Cup opener in Ruka next weekend, but that doesn’t worry him. He knows there will be opportunities later.
– I don’t know if the World Cup awaits me, I probably have a little bit left but I’m not worried about it. The season is very long and I have more to give, he tells Falu-Kuriren.
Don’t be so hard on yourself, Alvar. You made two really nice efforts in the tracks. You deserve to be satisfied and take with you what was good from Bruksvallarna. Your time will come.
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