National Team coach Svein Tore Samdal made the following evaluation of the members of the Norwegian Women’s Team before the start of the World Cup season:
Marit Bjorgen: Should be a little up and down, but I hope she will ski better in the regular races in addition to being the World’s best sprinter.
Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen: Hilde is a candidate to win the overall World Cup. She has been good in most everything in the past and I hope it continues to be that way. It would be fun if she could win her first World Cup race.
Kine Beate Bjornas: It’s difficult to say since she was out all last season with a knee injury. In the long run she will benefit from that year since she used the break to build upper body strength, which she was missing. I hope she gets many results among the top 20 and several in the top 10.
Vibeke Skofterud: She is moving forward and has been positive all the way. There were now indications two years ago that she was going to race as fast as she did. I hope she will step it up this season.
Kristin Stormer Steira: She should first of all do well in skating, especially on longer distances. She has a very good engine and can do well in very tough conditions. I expect her to improve in classic as well. That could also give her good results in duathlon. She might even reach the podium in a World Cup race on a very good day.
