article by Nicola Pucci
In Norway the Nordic disciplines, and in this specific case cross-country skiing, are equivalent to a sort of sporting religion. If you live in those latitudes, being raised in the cult of toil in the snow is almost certain, from an early age, and undoubtedly the proliferation of champions is such that to emerge you need qualities that if everywhere would guarantee a permanent place in the national team, in Scandinavian country must instead be calibrated to those of ruthless competition.
This is the case of protagonist of our story today, Terje Langliwho was born in Steinkjer on 3 February 1965, and who, since he was a boy, demonstrated his skill on narrow skis (average width of 4.5 centimetres, attached with special shoes which are fixed only at the tip, allowing the heel to lift freely) to point from stand out at the Junior World Championships which in 1983 in Kuopio and 1985 in Tasch saw him win two silvers in the 3×5 relay with the Norwegian national teamin both cases behind the Soviet Union.
In Norway, in fact, champions abound in cross-country skiing, and to excel Langli, given that he is strong but others are stronger than him, he must carve out a showcase for himself in group exercise, so much so that when he enters the World Cup circuit on a permanent basis, he achieves the first placings in the relay on the podium, or four third places tra Falun, 8 marzo 1987 con Mikkelsplass, Aunli e Ulvang, e Örnsköldsvik, 11 marzo 1990 associato a Skaanes, Siversten ed Ulvang, prima di winning for the first time in Vang, on March 16, 1990, when with Skinstad, Skaanes and Ulvang he was finally the best of all.
Own the Swedish weekend in Örnsköldsvik brings good luck to Langli, who in the 30 kilometers classic technique race on March 10th is not only among the top three in an individual race for the first time, but actually beats the competitionwhich goes by the name of the Finnish Harri Kirvesniemi and the Soviet Vladimir Smirnov, two great mothers of world cross-country skiing, finally showing that they are good not only in the relay but also when called upon to start their own business.
And if at the 1987 World Championships in Oberstdorf, together with the same Mikkelsplass, Aunli and Ulvang he had put the bronze medal in the 4×10 around his neck finishing in the wake of Sweden and the USSR, that’s it for the world championship edition four years later, scheduled for February in Val di Fiemme, he will carve out a showcase for himself as an absolute protagonist.
Langli made his debut on 7 February 1991, finishing in a bitter fourth position in the 30 kilometer classic technique won by “swan” Swede Gunde Svan ahead of Smirnov and Ulvang, who deprives him of the bronze by just 8″, and then, four days, scoring a breakthrough in the 10 kilometre, always to be run with alternating paceand which replaces the 15 kilometers which had rewarded the Soviet Mikhail Devjatjarov at the 1988 Calgary Olympics and Kirvesniemi himself at the 1989 World Championships in Lahti.
This time the Finn did not match his fame, finishing no better than sixth, but after the Swede Christian Majback set the best time in 25’59″7, Langli, with bib number 31, crossed the finish line in 25’55″0, jumping into the lead and waiting for the rivals who follow to be able to do the same. The two compatriots Bjorn Daehlie, already winner of the 15 kilometers free technique, who is only ninth, and Ulvang, forced this time to settle for fourth place, fail to do so, much less Svan and Smirnov, who founder in the rear, even 17th and 22nd , and when also the other Swede Torgny Mogren, with bib number 55, is finally third with a delay of 6 seconds, here is Terje, who in the 4×10 on February 17th will beat everyone again (he will also do it two years later at the World Championships in Falun, while at the 1992 Albertville Olympics he will win gold with his teammates and bronze in the 30 kilometers in classical technique behind Ulvang and Daehlie) combining his effort with that of Skaanes, Daehlie and Ulvang, can legitimately shout to the world that yes, you don’t live by relay alone.
And that sometimes, even when skiing alone, you can be the best even in an army of champions.