Thomas Alsgaard

Thomas Alsgaard
Thomas Alsgaard
	Thomas Alsgaard in April 2013
Country	Norway
Full name	Thomas Alsgaard
Born	10 January 1972 (age 52); Lørenskog, Norway
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Ski club	Eidsvold Værks Skiklub
World Cup career
Seasons	11 – (1993–2003)
Starts	110
Podiums	29
Wins	13
Overall titles	1 – (1998)
Discipline titles	2 – (1 LD, 1 SP)
Medal record
Men's cross-country skiing
Representing Norway
Olympic Games
World Championships
Junior World Championships

Thomas Alsgaard (born 10 January 1972) is a Norwegian former professional cross-country skier. Alsgaard is regarded by many as the best performer of the freestyle technique (skating) in cross-country skiing and many of today's best skiers have studied his technique. In total, Alsgaard won 15 medals in the Winter Olympics and FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, making him one of the most successful skiers of all time.

Early life

Born in Flateby, Enebakk, Alsgaard began cross-country ski racing at the age of three. That was when he was entered into a race against many 5-year-olds. He beat all of them. A year later, it was rumored that he was lost in the village the family lived in. In fact, he was found at the local ski area, just about to start his third time around a 9-kilometer loop. Alsgaard says that his passion for skiing comes from liking to be outdoors.

Athletic career

Alsgaard got his international breakthrough in the Lillehammer 1994 Winter Olympics winning the 30 kilometre freestyle event. In total, Alsgaard won 15 medals in the Winter Olympics and FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, making him one of the most successful skiers of all time. Excluding his World Championships debut in 1993, Alsgaard won at least one gold medal at every Olympic Games and World Championships that he participated from 1994 to 2003. Alsgaard retired from racing after the 2003 World Championships.

He won the Holmenkollen medal in 2001 (shared with Adam Małysz and Bente Skari).

After his career as a professional skier

Alsgaard retired from racing in 2003. Between 2013 and 2017 he was the owner and manager of a ski team, Team LeasePlan.^[1]

He now works as a technical advisor for Alpina Sports, working in the Nordic boot department.

He is also known as a sports commentator^[2] for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.

In the Norwegian Championship in January 2011, Alsgaard took a sensational bronze medal at the 15 km classical individual race, defeating many skiers on the Norwegian World Cup team. He was only beaten by Eldar Rønning (gold) and Martin Johnsrud Sundby (silver). He repeated the feat in 2012, expressing frustration with the lack of aggressiveness and initiative in both the younger elite athletes and the team surrounding them.^[3]

Ski Classics team owner

As of December 2016 the team consists of four "allround" skiers and six skiers with langløp (or long races) as their specialty; Swede Lina Korsgren is the team's only female (as of 2016); Hans Kristian Stadheim assists in coaching.^[4] On 21 April 2017, Alsgaard announced that Team LeasePlan had to shut down due to sponsorship problems.^[5]

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).^[6]

Olympic Games

6 medals – (5 gold, 1 silver)

Year	Age	10 km	15 km	Pursuit	30 km	50 km	4 × 10 km relay	Sprint
1994	22	24	—	DNS	Gold	—	Silver	—
1998	26	5	—	Gold	DNF	6	Gold	—
2002	30	—	—	Gold	12	—	Gold	—

World Championships

9 medals – (6 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze)

Year	Age	10 km	15 km	Pursuit	30 km	50 km	Sprint	4 × 10 km relay
1993	21	—	—	—	—	DNF	—	—
1995	23	21	—	8	—	27	—	Gold
1997	25	11	—	4	Bronze	—	—	Gold
1999	27	14	—	Gold	Silver	—	—	Silver
2001	29	—	16	5	—	—	12	Gold
2003	31	—	—	—	Gold	—	41	Gold

World Cup

Season titles

3 titles – (1 overall, long distance, 1 sprint)

Season
	Discipline
1998	Overall
	Long Distance
	Sprint

Season standings

Season	Age
Season	Age	Overall	Long Distance	Middle Distance	Sprint
1993	21	20	—	—	—
1994	22	7	—	—	—
1995	23	16	—	—	—
1996	24	8	—	—	—
1997	25	17	6	—	24
1998	26			—
1999	27	13	18	—	27
2000	28	5	4	8	—
2001	29		—	—	6
2002	30		—	—	21
2003	31	46	—	—	43

Individual podiums

13 victories
29 podiums

No.	Season	Date	Location	Race	Level	Place
1	1993–94	14 February 1994	Lillehammer, Norway	30 km Individual F	Olympic Games^[1]	1st
2	1994–95	8 January 1995	Östersund, Sweden	30 km Individual F	World Cup	3rd
3	1994–95	25 March 1995	Sapporo, Japan	15 km Individual F	World Cup	3rd
4	1996–97	21 February 1997	Trondheim, Norway	30 km Individual F	World Championships^[1]	3rd
5	1997–98	14 December 1997	Val di Fiemme, Italy	15 km Pursuit F	World Cup	2nd
6		16 December 1997	Val di Fiemme, Italy	15 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
7		20 December 1997	Davos, Switzerland	30 km Individual C	World Cup	2nd
8		3 January 1998	Kavgolovo, Russia	30 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
9		8 January 1998	Ramsau, Austria	15 km Individual C	World Cup	1st
10		10 January 1998	Ramsau, Austria	30 km Individual F	World Cup	1st
11		8 March 1998	Lahti, Finland	30 km Individual C	World Cup	2nd
12		11 March 1998	Falun, Sweden	10 km Individual F	World Cup	1st
13	1998–99	19 February 1999	Ramsau, Austria	30 km Individual F	World Championships^[1]	2nd
14	1998–99	19 February 1999	Ramsau, Austria	15 km Pursuit F	World Championships^[1]	1st
15	1999–00	27 November 1999	Kiruna, Sweden	10 km Individual C	World Cup	2nd
16		11 December 1999	Sappada, Italy	7.5 km + 15 km Duathlon C/F	World Cup	1st
17		9 January 2000	Moscow, Russia	30 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
18		12 January 2000	Nové Město, Czech Republic	15 km Individual C	World Cup	1st
19	2000–01	25 November 2000	Beitostølen, Norway	15 km Individual C	World Cup	2nd
20		29 November 2000	Beitostølen, Norway	10 km Individual F	World Cup	3rd
21		17 December 2000	Brusson, Italy	1.0 km Sprint F	World Cup	1st
22		10 February 2001	Otepää, Estonia	10 km Individual C	World Cup	1st
23		7 March 2001	Oslo, Norway	1.0 km Sprint C	World Cup	1st
24	2001–02	25 November 2001	Kuopio, Finland	10 km Individual F	World Cup	3rd
25		5 January 2002	Val di Fiemme, Italy	10 km + 10 km Duathlon C/F	World Cup	2nd
26		2 March 2002	Lahti, Finland	15 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
27		9 March 2002	Falun, Sweden	10 km + 10 km Duathlon C/F	World Cup	1st
28		16 March 2002	Oslo, Norway	50 km Individual F	World Cup	1st
29		23 March 2002	Birkebeinerrennet, Norway	58 km Mass Start C	World Cup	1st

Team podiums

12 victories – (12 RL)
25 podiums – (24 RL, 1 TS)

No.	Season	Date	Location	Race	Level	Place	Teammate(s)
1	1993–94	22 February 1994	Lillehammer, Norway	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	Olympic Games^[1]	2nd	Sivertsen / Ulvang / Dæhlie
2	1993–94	4 March 1994	Lahti, Finland	4 × 10 km Relay C	World Cup	2nd	Skjeldal / Eide / E. Kristiansen
3	1994–95	18 December 1994	Sappada, Italy	4 × 10 km Relay F	World Cup	1st	E. Kristiansen / Skjeldal / Dæhlie
4		5 February 1995	Falun, Sweden	4 × 10 km Relay F	World Cup	1st	Sivertsen / Langli / Dæhlie
5		12 February 1995	Oslo, Norway	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	World Cup	3rd	Sivertsen / Jevne / B. Kristiansen
6		17 March 1995	Thunder Bay, Canada	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Championships^[1]	1st	Sivertsen / Jevne / Dæhlie
7		26 March 1995	Sapporo, Japan	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Cup	1st	Ulvang / Dæhlie / Skjeldal
8	1995–96	10 December 1995	Davos, Switzerland	4 × 10 km Relay C	World Cup	2nd	Sivertsen / Jevne / Dæhlie
9		14 January 1996	Nové Město, Czech Republic	4 × 10 km Relay C	World Cup	2nd	Ulvang / Jevne / Dæhlie
10		26 February 1996	Trondheim, Norway	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Cup	1st	Ulvang / Jevne / Dæhlie
11		1 March 1996	Lahti, Finland	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Cup	3rd	Skjeldal / Eide / E. Kristiansen
12	1996–97	28 February 1997	Trondheim, Norway	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Championships^[1]	1st	Sivertsen / Jevne / Dæhlie
13	1996–97	9 March 1997	Falun, Sweden	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Cup	2nd	Hjelmeset / Skaanes / Sørgård
14	1997–98	23 November 1997	Beitostølen, Norway	4 × 10 km Relay C	World Cup	1st	Eide / Jevne / Dæhlie
15	1997–98	6 March 1998	Lahti, Finland	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Cup	2nd	Estil / Sivertsen / Eide
16	1998–99	26 February 1999	Ramsau, Austria	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Championships^[1]	2nd	Bjervig / Jevne / Dæhlie
17	1999–00	28 November 1999	Kiruna, Sweden	4 × 10 km Relay F	World Cup	2nd	Bjervig / Skjeldal / Hetland
18	1999–00	13 January 2000	Nové Město, Czech Republic	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Cup	1st	Hjelmeset / Jevne / Skjeldal
19	2000–01	9 December 2000	Santa Caterina, Italy	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	World Cup	1st	Estil / Skjeldal / Hetland
20	2001–02	16 December 2001	Davos, Switzerland	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Cup	3rd	Estil / Jevne / Hetland
21	2001–02	10 March 2002	Falun, Sweden	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Cup	1st	Estil / Aukland / Skjeldal
22	2002–03	24 November 2002	Kiruna, Sweden	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Cup	2nd	Skjeldal / Aukland / Hetland
23		8 December 2002	Davos, Switzerland	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Cup	1st	Aukland / Bjonviken / Hetland
24		19 January 2003	Nové Město, Czech Republic	4 × 10 km Relay C/F	World Cup	1st	Aukland / Estil / Hofstad
25		26 January 2003	Oberhof, Germany	10 × 1.5 km Team Sprint F	World Cup	3rd	Svartedal

Note: ¹ Until the 1999 World Championships and the 1994 Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

Equipment

Alsgaard used skis from Madshus, one of Alpina's partners, with Alpina boots and Rottefella bindings.

References

^ "Thomas Alsgaard og Lina Korsgren - Denne jenta er helt spesiell for Alsgaard. Avslører møtet som endret alt: - Jeg var skeptisk". 8 December 2016.
^ Kirkebøen, Stein Erik (5 January 2009). "Ekspert-veldet". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 16 January 2009.
^ Kvamme, Sigve (26 January 2012). "- Hvorfor var det ikke noen løpere eller trenere som spurte meg?". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 26 January 2012.
^ "Thomas Alsgaard og Lina Korsgren - Denne jenta er helt spesiell for Alsgaard. Avslører møtet som endret alt: - Jeg var skeptisk". 8 December 2016.
^ "Thomas Alsgaard legger ned Team LeasePlan" (in Norwegian). langrenn.com. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
^ "ALSGAARD Thomas". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 6 January 2020.

Thomas Alsgaard at the International Ski and Snowboard Federation
Holmenkollen medalists – click Holmenkollmedaljen for downloadable pdf file (in Norwegian)
Holmenkollen winners since 1892 – click Vinnere for downloadable pdf file (in Norwegian)

[1] "Thomas Alsgaard og Lina Korsgren - Denne jenta er helt spesiell for Alsgaard. Avslører møtet som endret alt: - Jeg var skeptisk". 8 December 2016.

[2] Kirkebøen, Stein Erik (5 January 2009). "Ekspert-veldet". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 16 January 2009.

[3] Kvamme, Sigve (26 January 2012). "- Hvorfor var det ikke noen løpere eller trenere som spurte meg?". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 26 January 2012.

[4] "Thomas Alsgaard og Lina Korsgren - Denne jenta er helt spesiell for Alsgaard. Avslører møtet som endret alt: - Jeg var skeptisk". 8 December 2016.

[5] "Thomas Alsgaard legger ned Team LeasePlan" (in Norwegian). langrenn.com. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2018.

[FISprofile-6] "ALSGAARD Thomas". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 6 January 2020.

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v t e Olympic champions in men's cross-country combined/double pursuit
10 km + 15 km combined	1992: Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR) 1994: Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR) 1998: Thomas Alsgaard (NOR)
10 km + 10 km combined	2002: Thomas Alsgaard (NOR) / Frode Estil (NOR)
15 km + 15 km pursuit / skiathlon	2006: Yevgeny Dementyev (RUS) 2010: Marcus Hellner (SWE) 2014: Dario Cologna (SUI) 2018: Simen Hegstad Krüger (NOR) 2022: Alexander Bolshunov (ROC)

v t e World champions in men's cross-country combined/double pursuit
10 km + 15 km combined	1993: Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR) 1995: Vladmir Smirnov (KAZ) 1997: Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR) 1999: Thomas Alsgaard (NOR)
10 km + 10 km combined	2001: Per Elofsson (SWE)
10 km + 10 km double	2003: Per Elofsson (SWE)
15 km + 15 km double	2005: Vincent Vittoz (FRA) 2007: Axel Teichmann (GER) 2009: Petter Northug (NOR) 2011: Petter Northug (NOR) 2013: Dario Cologna (SUI) 2015: Maxim Vylegzhanin (RUS) 2017: Sergey Ustiugov (RUS) 2019: Sjur Røthe (NOR) 2021: Alexander Bolshunov (RSF) 2023: Simen Hegstad Krüger (NOR)

v t e Holmenkollen Medal
Until 1900	1895: Viktor Thorn (NOR) 1897: Asbjørn Nilssen (NOR) 1899: Paul Braaten (NOR), Robert Pehrson (NOR)
1900–1950	1901: Aksel Refstad (NOR) 1903: Karl Hovelsen (NOR) 1904: Harald Smith (NOR) 1905: Jonas Holmen (NOR) 1907: Per Bakken 1908: Einar Kristiansen (NOR) 1909: Thorvald Hansen 1910: Lauritz Bergendahl 1911: Otto Tangen (NOR), Knut Holst (NOR) 1912: Olav Bjaaland (NOR) 1914: Johan Kristoffersen (NOR) 1915: Sverre Østbye (NOR) 1916: Lars Høgvold (NOR) 1918: Hassa Horn (NOR), Jørgen Hansen (NOR) 1919: Thorleif Haug (NOR), Otto Aasen (NOR) 1923: Thoralf Strømstad (NOR) 1924: Harald Økern (NOR), Johan Grøttumsbråten (NOR) 1925: Einar Landvik (NOR) 1926: Jacob Tullin Thams 1927: Hagbart Haakonsen (NOR), Einar Lindboe (NOR) 1928: Torjus Hemmestveit (NOR), Mikkjel Hemmestveit (NOR) 1931: Hans Vinjarengen (NOR), Ole Stenen (NOR) 1934: Oddbjørn Hagen (NOR) 1935: Arne Rustadstuen (NOR) 1937: Olaf Hoffsbakken (NOR), Birger Ruud (NOR), Martin P. Vangsli (NOR) 1938: Reidar Andersen (NOR), Johan R. Henriksen (NOR) 1939: Sven Selånger (SWE), Lars Bergendahl (NOR), Trygve Brodahl (NOR) 1940: Oscar Gjøslien (NOR), Annar Ryen (NOR) 1947: Elling Rønes (NOR) 1948: Asbjørn Ruud (NOR) 1949: Sigmund Ruud (NOR) 1950: Olav Økern (NOR)
1951–2000	1951: Simon Slåttvik (NOR) 1952: Stein Eriksen (NOR), Torbjørn Falkanger (NOR), Heikki Hasu (FIN), Nils Karlsson (SWE) 1953: Magnar Estenstad (NOR) 1954: Martin Stokken (NOR) 1955: Haakon VII (NOR), Hallgeir Brenden (NOR), Veikko Hakulinen (FIN), Sverre Stenersen (NOR) 1956: Borghild Niskin (NOR), Arnfinn Bergmann (NOR), Arne Hoel (NOR) 1957: Eero Kolehmainen (FIN) 1958: Inger Bjørnbakken (NOR), Håkon Brusveen (NOR) 1959: Gunder Gundersen (NOR) 1960: Helmut Recknagel (GDR), Sixten Jernberg (SWE), Sverre Stensheim (NOR), Tormod Knutsen (NOR) 1961: Harald Grønningen (NOR) 1962: Toralf Engan (NOR) 1963: Alevtina Kolchina (URS), Pavel Kolchin (URS), Astrid Sandvik (NOR), Torbjørn Yggeseth (NOR) 1964: Veikko Kankkonen (FIN), Eero Mäntyranta (FIN), Georg Thoma (FRG), Halvor Næs (NOR) 1965: Arto Tiainen (FIN), Bengt Eriksson (SWE), Arne Larsen (NOR) 1967: Toini Gustafsson (SWE), Ole Ellefsæter (NOR) 1968: Olav V (NOR), Assar Rönnlund (SWE), Gjermund Eggen (NOR), Bjørn Wirkola (NOR) 1969: Odd Martinsen (NOR) 1970: Pål Tyldum (NOR) 1971: Marjatta Kajosmaa (FIN), Berit Mørdre (NOR), Reidar Hjermstad (NOR) 1972: Rauno Miettinen (FIN), Magne Myrmo (NOR) 1973: Einar Bergsland (NOR), Ingolf Mork (NOR), Franz Keller (FRG) 1974: Juha Mieto (FIN) 1975: Gerhard Grimmer (GDR), Oddvar Brå (NOR), Ivar Formo (NOR) 1976: Ulrich Wehling (GDR) 1977: Helena Takalo (FIN), Hilkka Kuntola (FIN), Walter Steiner (SUI) 1979: Ingemar Stenmark (SWE), Erik Håker (NOR), Raisa Smetanina (URS) 1980: Thomas Wassberg (SWE) 1981: Johan Sætre (NOR) 1983: Berit Aunli (NOR), Tom Sandberg (NOR) 1984: Lars Erik Eriksen (NOR), Jakob Vaage (NOR), Armin Kogler (AUT) 1985: Anette Bøe (NOR), Per Bergerud (NOR), Gunde Svan (SWE) 1986: Brit Pettersen (NOR) 1987: Matti Nykänen (FIN), Hermann Weinbuch (FRG) 1989: Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi (FIN) 1991: Vegard Ulvang (NOR), Trond Einar Elden (NOR), Ernst Vettori (AUT), Jens Weißflog (GER) 1992: Yelena Välbe (RUS) 1993: Emil Kvanlid (NOR) 1994: Lyubov Yegorova (RUS), Vladimir Smirnov (KAZ), Espen Bredesen (NOR) 1995: Kenji Ogiwara (JPN) 1996: Manuela Di Centa (ITA) 1997: Bjarte Engen Vik (NOR), Stefania Belmondo (ITA), Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR) 1998: Fred Børre Lundberg (NOR), Larisa Lazutina (RUS), Alexey Prokurorov (RUS), Harri Kirvesniemi (FIN) 1999: Kazuyoshi Funaki (JPN)
Since 2001	2001: Adam Małysz (POL), Bente Skari (NOR), Thomas Alsgaard (NOR) 2003: Felix Gottwald (AUT), Ronny Ackermann (GER) 2004: Yuliya Chepalova (RUS) 2005: Andrus Veerpalu (EST) 2007: Frode Estil (NOR), Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset (NOR), Harald V (NOR), Sonja (NOR), Simon Ammann (SUI) 2010: Marit Bjørgen (NOR) 2011: Ole Einar Bjørndalen (NOR), Michael Greis (GER), Andrea Henkel (GER), Janne Ahonen (FIN) 2012: Magdalena Neuner (GER), Emil Hegle Svendsen (NOR) 2013: Tora Berger (NOR), Martin Fourcade (FRA), Therese Johaug (NOR), Gregor Schlierenzauer (AUT) 2014: Magnus Moan (NOR), Eric Frenzel (GER), Thomas Morgenstern (AUT), Darya Domracheva (BLR) 2015: Eldar Rønning (NOR), Anders Bardal (NOR), Anette Sagen (NOR), Kamil Stoch (POL) 2016: Noriaki Kasai (JPN), Tarjei Bø (NOR) 2017: Marie Dorin Habert (FRA), Sara Takanashi (JPN) 2018: Charlotte Kalla (SWE), Princess Astrid (NOR), Hannu Manninen (FIN), Kaisa Mäkäräinen (FIN) 2021: Maren Lundby (NOR), Johannes Thingnes Bø (NOR), Dario Cologna (SWI), Johannes Rydzek (GER) 2022: Tiril Eckhoff (NOR), Marte Olsbu Røiseland (NOR), Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (NOR), Jørgen Graabak (NOR) 2023: Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR), Stefan Kraft (AUT) 2024: Jessie Diggins (USA), Simen Hegstad Krüger (NOR)

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF
National	Norway