Sure you people can ramble about Sheryl Crow and Religion for hours on end, but can't find any info on one of the greatest athletes ever?

But how does he feel about gay marriage?

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Here's an interesting article.

http://home.hia.no/~stephens/bjorn.htm

because, a lot like swimming, you have to develope your technique to be a great x-c skier.

1. You don't see a lot on Dahlie because outside of Scandinavia and northern Europe interest in XC skiing drops to just about zero( relativly speaking) You think cycling is obscure to most North American's try talking to them about nordic skiing!!

2. Most of what is in print about him is possibly in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language.

3. In Norway that have a very good developmental program for junior xc skiers - it's emphasizes a great deal of volume and a lot of classic technique skiing. Dahlie was a great all around skier but he really made his mark with skating. I think that once he became a senior skier and was allowed to train more on his own and skate as much as he wanted, he took it to a new level.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Finally a good post.

Thanks.

Any more?

I'd say it also has to do with the number of x-c skiiers in norway. Starting at the age of 15 would put him way behind a lot of skiiers. My first year of x-c skiing(freshman in high school) i was happy just to finish a 10k without crashing...nevermind competing with the kids who had been doing it for a few years....but then again, all our races were skating. traditional is much easier to learn how to do.

I'm just saying this is pretty different than all of the other top elites in different sports. If you look at Chris McCormack's site or Tim DeBoom's (and I'm sure many others), most have a part about how they placed really really well in their first race/couple of races without training (or minimal training).

You have a point when you mention the vast number of x-c skiiers in Norway, but I do think Bjørn Dæhlie had a working knowledge of skiing when he "started" to compete at the age of 15 :-)

On a side note, BD has been on a lot of programs on Norwegian television, game shows and the like and he is the most competetive person I have ever seen.

Sorry I can't help with more information on BD, allthough I am norwegian I'm not very inerested in skiing. And I have never liked BD.

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Bent Olav Olsen, recreational triathlete?

I have no doubt about that...and I agree with you. x-c skiers score off the charts when it comes to max v02. they are incredible athletes. But, unlike biking or running, you won't find many people that just pick of a set of ski's and are immediately fast. it takes time to develop form.

Any particular reason you don't like BD? I've only managed to find a small amount of info on him, and he seems like a nice guy.

Good point - there is a whole technical side to nordic skiing that is often over looked, but as you strat to advance up the ladder starts to become very important.

1. Technique is huge. Both skating and classic are relativly easy to learn, but to be efficient and be competitive at the national and international you must have outstanding technique.

2. Waxing is critical to success at everything from local racing right on up to the World Championships. Miss the wax and all other things being equal, your day is done!

3. Access to top skis: Only the very top World Cup ranked skiers get access to the top skis from the top suppliers. This can be huge. For example - Daehlie, without a doubt would have had acess to the very fastest Fischer skis each year. I recall reading that If you take 50 skis coming off the productikn line there will be 2 - 3 skis that will be definately faster than the rest.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

I've been wondering this for a while but nobody to ask it to. Do you know anything about Veggert Ullvang (sp?)? I remember that once at the olympics (Lillehammer 94?) he was supposed to do well, but he dropped out because his brother disappeared during a trek. Did they ever find his brother?

Gerard.

Gerard,

Before Dahlie, there was Ulvang - multi time world cup winner, Olympic and World Champion.

I do recall something about his(Ulvang's) brother disappearing on a fishing trip with out a trace in northern Norway a number of years ago. Not sure they ever found the brother, but it did change the great champions perspective significantly. He was never really the same after that. Indeed, the torch was passed to Dahlie in dramatic fashion at the home-town, Norwegian Olympic games in 1994.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

There was a thread on him over a Gordo's forum a little while back, with what appeared to be quotes from a book:

http://www.coachgordo.com/forum2/upload/index.php?showtopic=57

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
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Yes that was my thread haha.

It didn't really take off, but Gorod's forum is almost strictly tri-related.

I wondered about that, with the handle... ;)

What book was it? I'd be interested in reading that.

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
Get Fitter!
Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB
Get your FIX today?

Very nice, very perfect, just to perfect, nothing more to it than that. Liked his friend Ulvang better. And in adition I have a distaste for the whole norwegian x-c skiing machine. Of course it's our national sport but the whole machinery with their trainers, waxers, ski testers, doctors and so one is a little bit over the top.

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Bent Olav Olsen, recreational triathlete?