Photo: Swiss Ski

Beda Klee is making his way to the top. This winter, the 27-year-old from Toggenburg kick-started the season with a solid 5th place in the overall rankings of the Tour de Ski, followed by another top-ten ranking at his home World Cup event in Goms.

Beda Klee, can you give us an insight into how you’ve been feeling throughout this season so far? 

My season got off to a great start in Finland at the end of November. I achieved two personal bests, ranking 11th and 10th, which was a great confidence boost. Thanks to these experiences, I went to the Tour de Ski feeling really good and everything just seemed to fall into place right from the start. I didn't expect to feel as strong as I did each day, so 5th place in the overall rankings was a surprise but also a nice reward for all the hard training over the years. The fact that I was able to build on these results and that it wasn't just a momentary peak was even better.

You road to the top hasn't been straightforward and the very top results have evaded you up until this season. What motivated the turnaround?

The most obvious change has been my new coach. Working with François Faivre, who previously managed the sprint team only, is going great. We both have a very similar approach to training and general athlete life. I’ve been able to develop really well both athletically and mentally under him. This hasn't meant major changes to my training schedule but simply setting goals, wanting to improve each day and having trust in your training.

Success also brings more pressure and expectations. How do you deal with this? 

I'm not feeling too much pressure at the moment. I'm just really enjoying being able to improve. Of course, it's amazing to suddenly have a podium in your sights but, at the same time, I'm trying to focus on enjoying the competitions rather than stressing about the results.  

What are other factors for success?

For me, the main factor is definitely enjoying your sport. Life as an elite athlete can be tough and so it's all the more important to turn up to training with a smile and remember how much you enjoy doing your sport. Another factor that also particularly applies to cross-country skiing is that you need to be patient. Success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s important to keep at it and trust that the effort will pay off. A healthy dose of self-confidence naturally makes this easier.

How does a cross-country skier train in summer?

Most of my training over summer involves endurance work. It’s essential to take these sessions at a slower pace and not go too quickly. You don’t need to be completely exhausted after every session. In terms of strength training, I’ve been using Sypoba for two years now, which is a full-body workout on unstable ground. This gives my body a workout and helps me to implement technical elements on the skis better.

Do you have an insider tip you would be willing to share with us?

There isn't just one inside tip as cross-country skiing requires so many factors to be taken into account in order to really improve. If I had to name one though, I'd say that you shouldn't get too hung up on the finer details. For me, it doesn’t matter whether I eat muesli, bread or pasta before a competition as long as I can stomach it and have enough energy for the entire competition. 

And what tips do you have for amateur athletes?

The same advice I heed myself: don’t get too fixated on results; go into the competition because you enjoy the sport and train regularly. The results will then automatically come to you.