The TV pictures from Berga By with the mass start of the classic Vasaloppet are Swedish sports history - every year.
But in the shadow of the pandemic, the organizer chooses to move the start of next year's race, from Berga By to Tjärnheden's IP.
Behind the decision are practical reasons and the small starting field, which only consists of elite skiers.
- The sports aspects for the participants will be the same because the challenge with the first slope and the number of altitude meters there remains even if it goes about two hundred meters next to the regular slope, says Johan Eriksson, acting CEO at Vasaloppet, to SVT Sport.
- With the move, we also do not need to close the national road, which means that the winter events will not disrupt traffic in the area.
We see it as a very good solution for the winter's limited number of participants in the Vasaloppet.
The sports field that is home to Sälens IF is large, with three football pitches and exercise tracks, and has no problems swallowing the 400 skiers who are expected to start in the Vasaloppet in Sälen on the first Sunday in March.
Tjejvasan on 27 February starts at the checkpoint in Oxberg with around 100 participants.