– I must admit that it came as a big shock, and it was hard to swallow. I hadn’t seen it coming, or thought about it before the withdrawal came. I felt it was pretty safe after Östersund (6th place at the joint start in the world cup, journ.mrk.). I didn’t think any of the young people would squeeze me out, Aleksander Fjeld Andersen told news. A number of changes were made in the various national teams when the draw came three weeks ago. On the men’s recruit team, Fjeld Andersen and Sverre Dahlen Aspenes were scrapped, while Johannes Dale stepped up to the elite team. In came Martin Uldal, Mats Øverby and Johan-Olav Smørdal Botn. – One will be disappointed. But it doesn’t help to be sad either, because you have to take care of the same people in the winter too. I felt I didn’t get a very good grounding either, so it’s a bit disappointing, admits the 26-year-old from Geilo. – What was the rationale you received? – I have been on the team for four years and haven’t had much development. It’s a bit of a punishment to go to the World Cup the first year you’re a recruit, so to speak. I would have been good enough for almost every elite team in the world. The second was that they wanted to make room for younger runners. Endre (Strømsheim) and Vebjørn (Sørum) were ranked ahead of me, and then there was no room for another one who is older. – If you feel you are not good enough The battle for national team places on the men’s side has never been tougher. The elite runners have wreaked havoc in the World Cup, and at the level below, Strømsheim won the IBU Cup. Sørum came third, while Fjeld Andersen took fourth place overall. When the last-mentioned World Cup took place in Östersund in March, he took 10th and sixth place. It didn’t make it to one of the six places. – In the four years I’ve been on the recruit team, I’ve jammed over being the best and been in the loop and the discussion about a place on the elite team. Then it’s really hard to get kicked out. It is difficult not to feel that it is something personal, because it is easy to feel that you are not good enough. Several people were involved in deciding the selection, and recruit coach Anders Øverby gave the message to Fjeld Andersen. – It was absolutely awful, and not something you look forward to. There are three arguments for why he was not chosen, and it is the time he has had on the team, that there are other exciting athletes who have not had the opportunity yet and a bit of what a recruiting team should be. It is a balance to find six runners who are competitive for the World Cup and WC in the short and long term, says Øverby to news. – I understand that he was surprised based on the results he has delivered, but there is a tough battle for places, adds sports manager Per Arne Botnan. AT THE TOP: Aleksander Fjeld Andersen was second in the start of the season at Sjusjøen in 2019, behind Johannes Kühn and ahead of Martin Fourcade. Photo: Geir Olsen The Vesle brother and roommate at Lillehammer, Filip Fjeld Andersen, kept his place in the elite team, even though the end of the season was troubled for him. – I think it’s a fair arrangement that the first time someone joins the elite team it’s for two years, so it’s good that he’s still there. He was better than me before Christmas, then we were even and I was a little better at the end. It is so brutal that one keeps the elite place, while the other moves out of the draft, says the older brother. Property mediation or cross-country skiing Fjeld Andersen spent Easter collecting his thoughts and considering the future. Having to give up after having sacrificed so much for many years is difficult, but a clear option. – I got a place on a team in biathlon, but I didn’t really want to. The motivation is not good enough, so now I am trying to get a cross-country team to bring a biathlete. Nothing is ready yet, so I’m waiting for an answer, says the athlete from Geilo. – If nothing happens, I will probably become a student. I started a bachelor’s in property brokerage at BI last year, so I’m getting started and don’t have to figure out what I want to become. Those are the two alternatives I have landed on that I think I will enjoy, he says. LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE: Aleksander Fjeld Andersen believes he has found good alternatives. Photo: Matthias Schrader / AP He reveals that it is about the private team Team Aker Dæhlie. Fjeld Andersen contacted the coach, and hopes for a positive response, even though he is a biathlete and not a cross-country skier. Daily manager of Team Aker Dæhlie, Knut Nystad, confirms that they have been in dialogue with Fjeld Andersen. – This is a decision I have to make to the board and the owners, but how the road will continue, I neither know nor have I received an answer to that, says Nystad. He says they have not had any discussions about biathlon before and that the question from Fjeld Andersen “came out of the blue” for them. – We take it absolutely seriously and will give as good, clear and orderly an answer as we can. Right now we are not at the point where we have been able to assess what that means. That is why we have only said that we must have some ice in our stomachs, so that we can do what we have to do first. Then we can come back to that question when we are ready. Fjeld Andersen gives this answer to why he thinks Team Aker Dæhlie might be right for him. – I know that would be an offer that could match being on the recruiting team. Then I let go of the feeling of having fallen down. If I’m going to return to a confederation team, it has to be elite, and then I know where the list is. One must have a victory in the World Cup. I took 6th place this year, so I have to take another step, he admits. – I hope he perseveres. Nothing would have been better than taking him out to the IBU Cup and helping him prepare for the winter, says trainer Øverby.
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Biathlete was shocked by the crash – put up if he doesn’t get a place on the cross-country team – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
