Canadian Olivier Leveille Wins in Swedish Premiere

Olivier Leveille won the 10-kilometer race in Bruksvallarna, marking a notable achievement for Canada in the Swedish cross-country skiing season opener. Starting strong and maintaining his lead throughout the race, Leveille finished ahead of Truls Gisselman, who secured second place. At just 23 years old, Leveille's performance raises questions about the future of Swedish men's skiing, particularly since many top Swedish stars did not participate.

Leveille's strategy involved pushing hard from the beginning and focusing on maintaining his lead. His best result in the World Cup so far has been a ninth-place finish in the 15-kilometer freestyle in Falun in 2022.

The surprise of the race came as Johan Ekberg, initially leading, ended up being passed by both Leveille and Gisselman. Alvar Myhlback, despite being a top contender, finished fifth, commenting on the toughness of the skate style.

Among other competitors who didn’t participate are Edvin Anger, William Poromaa, and Calle Halfvarsson, indicating a significant absence of strength in the Swedish team this time around.