Alexander Ståhlbergin rose from the bottom to the national team

In 2021, Ståhlberg won three youth World Cup medals and was even compared to him at that time Iivo Niskasen. During the next five years, such declarations were no longer heard.

After the Junior World Cup success, Ståhlberg decided to lose weight, which turned out to be a terrible mistake. He stirred his system thoroughly for a long time.

The IF Minken skier couldn’t take the training anymore, and his physical characteristics collapsed. Junior World Cup medals were replaced by ynnna muut rankings on domestic tracks.

The years at the bottom were long, but last winter Ståhlberg returned to the limelight with a bang. Great skiing in the rest of the season earned a place in the A national team.

“It’s over now,” Ståhlberg, 24, assures of his difficulties.

“Unfortunately, it took a long time to get back, but I’m finally back. Now the goal is only to be the top of the world.”

About problems the recovery took so long that Ståhlberg’s entire career as a skier was at stake.

He revealed in April For Yle Urheilu that he considered quitting after last season if the results did not improve.

They got better at the last drop.

Light began to appear at the end of the tunnel in January of this year, when Ståhlberg finished second in the 15 km traditional Finnish Cup.

In March, he got to show his nails in three World Cup races and finished 22nd twice and 17th once. In the previous five years, he had competed in the World Cup only three times and was at his best 44th.

The season ended with the Finnish championship of the general series, the king’s distance with 50 kilometers.

“Yes, it made it easier. When everything is crap and at the bottom, there aren’t many people around, but at the top, everyone comes back. Today, life is a lot easier,” he admits.

In the spring, Ståhlberg hoped that the racing season wouldn’t end at all.

“Unfortunately, however, it ended. Fortunately, I have been able to train really well in the summer.”

If after all, Alho, who lasted for years, raised Ståhlberg both as a person and as an athlete.

Nowadays, he makes sure he eats enough and rests if he gets tired.

“Once you’ve made a mistake, you know what not to do in the future.”

His attitude towards eating, for example, has changed considerably.

“Now I know how important energy is. If the tank is empty, you can’t move forward.”

The national team camps have been instructive for the first-timer in this regard as well.

“The new national team coach Hans Kristian Stadheim has considered it important that we have enough energy. He has brought a cook, Gifflars and other similar things to the runs.”

Ståhlberg has gradually regained his physical characteristics to a sufficient level. The development has also been seen on the test mat.

“My oxygen uptake value and my time have been better than before. I have seen the numbers myself and that I have improved a lot.”

However, there is still a lot of work to do. The difficult years weakened muscle endurance and nerves so much that Ståhlberg’s skiing technique also suffered.

He can still be hard on himself.

“I know that I have a good oxygen absorption capacity and a good engine, but they don’t matter much if you don’t know how to use skis. In technique, you easily lose the seconds that you gain with the engine.”