By Gavin Kentch
Saranac Lake bureau chief Peter Minde was in his local grocery store earlier Monday when he struck up a conversation with a man in a Team Norge jacket. Fortuitously enough, that man was Johannes Høsflot Klæbo’s wax tech Micke Book, and he had a second to speak with media on the record.
Will Klæbo be able to travel to the U.S. in time to race on Friday, came the question on everyone’s lips these days.
“We see though,” Book said. “I spoke with him this morning, and he will do some intensity tomorrow. Then we see.”
I have not seen this information reported anywhere else online. I am therefore calling this an exclusive. Massive shoutout to Peter for getting the story. Boots on the ground, as they say.
Book also spoke to spending this week at the venue in the village of temporary wax rooms (from photos I have seen they appear to me to be 20′ container offices but don’t quote me on that), rather a change in circumstance from the (in)famous two-story Norwegian wax truck that dominates the wax village skyline on the World Cup/Olympic circuit.
“It’s kind of back to the roots,” Book said. “Like in old times.”
Book was unconcerned by the smaller working space: “It’s a short time,” he said. “For a week, that’s fine.”
Book also explained that the team had done little venue-specific work in their vaunted grind program. “Most of that was done,” he said, “and we did quite a bit of that at the Olympics. So we are quite comfortable with that.”
Stay tuned for more #insights from Lake Placid throughout the week. And/or from the Saranac Lake grocery store.
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