Source: Langrenn.com — Translated by Torbjorn Karlsen
Things did not go Kristen Skjeldal’s way at World’s last season. He was left out of the 15-kilometer and 4 x 10-kilometer relay squad despite being best Norwegian and capturing fourth place, only 1 second from third in the last World Cup skate race before Worlds. Skjeldal skied solid at Worlds when he got the chance and captured seventh in both the pursuit and the 50-kilometer classic, only 11 and 8 seconds behind the winners. These were good results, but not what he had hoped for.
He was very frustrated after the 50-kilometer mass-start race, which turned in to a pack race with moderate pace for 45-kilometer and ended with a mass-sprint. He called the event a tragic race parody.
 is pulling #141 Odd-Bjœrn Hjelmeset (silver), #140 Jens Arne Svartedal (bronze), Tore Bjonviken (8.place) # 138 Espen Harald Bjerke (4.place). Photo: Erland Lundby</font></center><BR><br />
-This isn’t how the 50km is supposed to be. All you had to do was sit and wait for the final sprint. I was hoping for a faster pace because I never really have it in those final sprints, says Skjeldal (from FasterSkier.com article 50km Comments From The Norwegian Team <a href=http://www.fasterskier.com/racing2038.html)
http://www.fasterskier.com/racing2038.html )
Skjeldal wasn’t able to beat his teammates in that race, but he got revenge and crushed them in the 50-kilometer classic individual start race at the Norwegian championship.
 biathlon skiers have said that they are aiming for that race as well, says the five-time Norwegian 50-km champion, Kristen Skjeldal</p>
<p>For that reason he want to keep his options open regarding which distances he should focus on.</p>
<p>– I can’t give up anything in advance since I’m training equally hard for both techniques. The Olympics is stretched over a longer time-period than Worlds, which makes it easier to race more competitions, says Skjeldal</p>
<p>– The November and December races should give me an idea if certain distances and technique feels better than others, or if there are distances I won’t stand a chance in. We’ll see what happens, but I will up until then believe that I can do as well in a 15-km as I can in a 50-km, explains Skjeldal</p>
<p>He will up until then continue to train hard</p>
<p>– It’s getting more challenging when the weather turns wetter and colder and you at the same time is supposed to turn up the intensity another notch and still keep the hours up, says Kristen</p>
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