Ingemar Stenmark is one of our biggest.
But when he admits one thing about his unparalleled career, Gunde Svan can hardly believe it’s true.
– I feel like a slouch, says Svan.
Gunde Svan and Ingemar Stenmark were dominant in one sport each. Not only were they extremely successful, winning pretty much everything there was to win, they also always brought a smile to the Swedish people’s faces with their fantastically lovely personalities.
Gunde’s surprise
Gunde Svan was the giant who changed cross-country skiing, who never left anything to chance and who always did everything to win. Ingemar Stenmark is the undisputed king of alpine sports, with credentials that no one can match. Both belong to the absolute top in Swedish sports history, and it was therefore completely magical when they were on the same TV program a few years ago.
In the TV4 program “In the head of Gunde Svan”, Gunde met a number of Swedish sports icons, and Ingemar Stenmark took part in one episode. It was of course fantastic television, when Gunde Svan got the chance to really get to know the man Stenmark, and what drove him through his career, and what made him one of the absolute greatest. As always when Gunde Svan is on the move, there was a lot of laughter, but also a lot of surprise.
READ MORE: Pernilla Wiberg’s confession about Ingemar Stenmark – reveals a whole new side of the icon: “He is very…”
Incredible revelation
At one point during the program, Ingemar Stenmark talks about how dissatisfied he often was during his career. He reveals, among other things, that he was only satisfied with a single race in all his years as a world-leading alpine skier.
– I only know one competition during my career, where I got a clean cut in all turns. And that was in Courchevel in 1979. Otherwise, it’s really hard to go, he says.
Gunde Svan immediately starts laughing, and can hardly believe what he has just been told is true.
– Once!? One chance!? One ride once, and he has been skiing for 25 years!, says Svan.
When Gunde Svan visited Nyhetsmorgon to talk about the program, he talks about his surprise:
– Many people tend to think that I am quite meticulous and systematic, but in Ingemar’s company I feel like the number one slouch. He won 86 World Cup races, but is only satisfied with a single ride. Huh!? Then you understand what level!
See the clip here (from 03.17):
READ MORE: When Alberto Tomba won Olympic gold ahead of rival Ingemar Stenmark – to his great sadness(!): “If only…”