Norwegian national team rider Emil Iversen, who himself has a heavy period, is one of those who have spoken out about Sweden's adversity right now. To TV2 he says:

- It is a bit strange to feel that nothing works and that you are still equal to the best Swedes. It's a little scary. Then it is badly placed there. It does not want them. We would have liked a Swedish or two to give us a fight, but it is not. They just have to admit that they are in bad shape. But they can't just give up or just blame the ramparts, because it's not just that, he says.

Even Norway's national team coach Eirik Myhr Nossum is surprised by the Swedish performance so far this season.

- I suffer with my colleagues. It's not easy. They have been through a generational shift where runners like Marcus Hellner, Emil Jönsson and Johan Olsson have stopped. It has probably taken longer than they thought and hoped. They must restart.

Ernst A Lersveen, reporter at TV2, tells SVT Sport about the Swedish performance:

- It's too bad, and it's not good for international cross-country skiing that a nation is almost completely gone, except for Linn Svahn and Ebba Andersson. The big problem is the result, it's too bad, he says.

The Norwegian thinks that Sweden must ask the question of how to train on the men's side.

- Are they exercising well enough? I am sure you are asking the questions in Norway now that you see how well Bolshunov is doing. What do we do now?

He also thinks that there is a difference on the men's and women's side and maybe there is an answer there.

- Sweden has the best sprinters in the world and at least two distance girls who will be in the world top in Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson. Maybe it is an idea that the men see how the Swedish girls do?

One rider that Lersveen hoped for is Calle Halfvarsson.

- On the men's side, I've been waiting and waiting for Calle Halfvarrson to reach his full potential. I think it is failing mentally. He has the physical conditions needed, but I'd love to give half of Northug's confidence to him, ”he says.

Vallach manager Anders Niemi after the long race in Meråker: "Frustrating"

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