"Then most people thought my days were numbered"

It is in SVT's WC series "As I remember it" that the former Swedish star in cross-country skiing, Gunde Svan, today 59 years old, tells about a special WC memory.

Swan thinks back to what it was like before the World Cup in Val di Fiemme, Italy, in 1991.

Swan came to the championship with six previous World Cup golds in his backpack of merit.

Now the Swede was going to Italy and reap new successes, but the recharging had not been good.

- For the first time in many years, I had low expectations and this year almost nothing worked.

I was beaten for over a minute just ten days before the World Cup and then most people probably thought that Gunde's days were probably numbered, says Svan in the program.

"Terrible!"

We then get to hang on during the exciting three miles where Svan - with new skis and a new strategy - fought for the gold with Vladimir Smirnov from Kazakhstan and the Norwegian, Vegard Ulvang.

- I lost on the uphills against both Vegard and "Smirre".

But I also saw that I took a lot of them on the way down to the stadium every time, says Svan.

SVT's commentator Jacob Hård was involved in commenting on the drama.

- Terrible, what the last lap this will be, you can hear Hard state before the dissolution.

How did it go in the end for Svan in this three miles?

Watch the whole episode on SVT Play.