Life without Jansrud: Kilde forges ahead

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde stood atop his very first World Cup podium in 2015, at age 23, having finishing third in a Val Gardena super-G to complete a Norwegian sweep alongside his tight-knit teammates and mentors Aksel Lund Svindal and Kjetil Jansrud.

Kilde’s less experienced days are now well behind him, having since achieved super-G and overall World Cup titles, and much like his fellow Attacking Vikings, Kilde has thrived on the classic Saslong downhill course, attaining victories in both 2018 and 2020.

The 29-year-old Norwegian clocked the fastest time in Thursday’s final downhill training, but unlike previous years, he is now forced to go about his business without the close camaraderie, assistance and course reports from his long-time teammate Jansrud. Jansrud’s season ended abruptly when he fell and sustained knee ligament damage in a Beaver Creek super-G on Dec. 8. The unfortunate incident also crushed the 36-year-old veteran’s hopes of representing Norway at a fifth Olympic Games.

Kilde addressed the Norwegian team’s tough loss, following his leading training run of 2:03.42 on Thursday in Val Gardena.

“When you’re a small team, it’s always so bad when you lose one because it has such a big impact on the group,” Kilde tells Ski Racing Media. “It’s part of the game, we know the risk.

“He is supportive no matter what, even when he is home too. We will miss his energy and experience, but we will keep the wheel rolling and try to do our best.”

Heading into the Val Gardena speed races, Kilde stands second in the downhill standings and third overall, 217 points behind World Cup leader Marco Odermatt, who will race Friday’s super-G, but skip the Saslong downhill. Kilde trails Austrian Matthias Mayer – having tallied 100 points for his victory in Beaver Creek two weekends ago – by a 71-point margin entering Saturday’s Saslong downhill.

Moving forward, in the absence of Jansrud’s vast experience and course knowledge, perhaps Kilde’s pursuit of a second overall World Cup title will be just a little bit tougher?

“It’s always harder when you lose one of your teammates, but on the other hand you’re always responsible for your own development, skiing and ways of handling things,” Kilde said. “The input that I get from Jansrud, when I cross the finish or standing at the start is always helpful.

“I won’t get that now – that’s ok, I’ll try to keep in mind what he would have said and would have thought and I’ll try to make my own plan.”

So Kilde is left alone to lead the Norwegian charge, a responsibly that he is certainly capable of. However, there is no denying that life on tour will be somewhat different. Kilde said he most likely will not communicate with Jansrud before Friday’s super-G or Saturday’s downhill.

“No, I don’t think so – unless he shoots me an sms. He’s home with his family and I’ll give him some distance,” Kilde said. “And he’s probably wanting some distance too.”

It’s almost beyond comprehension, but for the first time in countless years, Kilde is the lone Norwegian in the top seeded group of racers. Adrian Smiseth Sejersted was the country’s next highest finisher in Thursday’s training, crossing the line, well down in 35th place.

With a victory on Saturday, Kilde will become only the second racer to achieve three successive Val Gardena downhill wins, after Franz Klammer, who won four straight between 1975 and 1976, when double downhills comprised the schedule.

Unfortunately, he’ll have to try and do so without Jansrud’s presence.

Missing Svindal and Norway’s team concept

It is approaching three years since Kilde’s other trusted teammate and close confidante, Svindal, hung up his racing skis, ending the trio’s tenure as the Norwegian “Three Musketeers.”

Kilde shared his thoughts about the phenomenal teammate that Svindal was over nearly a decade of racing World Cup together, upon being asked about the recently released documentary, Aksel, which dives behind the scenes to depict the legendary Norwegian racer’s highs and lows, and improbable comeback from injury to win Olympic downhill gold in PyeongChang 2018.

“I know him well, so I know the story – he’s an incredible guy and we have a lot to learn from him, the way he handled different situations and how he was as a teammate too, it’s incredible and I always keep that in mind,” Kilde said.

Svindal won a record seven times in Val Gardena over his illustrious career.

Jansrud attained 11 podiums, including two victories.

Kilde – who is dating fellow overall World Cup champion Mikaela Shiffrin – attempted to explain Norway’s enormous success and consistency at the Northern Italian World Cup stop in the shadow of the massive Sassalungo, coming on a classic course that has it all – big turns, loads of air, vast and varied terrain, and gliding sections.

“It’s hard to say what we Norwegians do, but we always have a good game plan and it fits us well,” Kilde says. “We’re a country that always focused on keeping our turns fast and on this type of snow we try to ski fast turns. When we are able to do that, we have good times in Val Gardena.

“In general, it’s a hill that we have a good plan on and that’s probably one of the most important things and we like to be here,” he said.

Kilde touched Norway’s now famous teamwork and lack of egos, in an individual sport, a storyline also portrayed in Svindal’s documentary.

“I would say it’s like in every business – you do it better with support and you can get way better together than by yourself,” Kilde says. “When it comes to teamwork and how we work together, that’s a part of our success and we are going to keep that mentality in our group for as long as we can.

“As long as the athletes and also the coaches have that mentality, I think you’ll see one or two Norwegians up on the top for some years in the future.”

Follow Brian on Twitter – @Brian_Pinelli