Burman and other national team mates have just landed at Östersund Airport after being escorted by the Armed Forces' Jas plane the last bit.

A different World Cup season under the dark corona cloud has come to an end, a small feat in itself.

Burman has had long-term back problems and did not make his season debut in the World Cup until the end of January.

Since then, the results have increased in line with the Jas plan.  

- My form has gotten better and better.

I have taken steps and developed weekend after weekend and it is inspiring that you can take a step in such a short time, says Burman and points to the most important reason why the peak of form came in the eleventh hour of the season.

World class in the last competitions

On the third relay distance over 10 km freestyle in the WC in Oberstdorf, Burman had the second fastest time, only beaten by the Norwegian world champion in 15 km freestyle, Hans Christer Holund, by four seconds.

In the final five miles, Burman was in the lead for 47 km before finishing in a meritorious fifth place (where the first man in goal Johannes Hösflot Kläbo was washed).

Yesterday he finished third in the five miles in the World Cup final in Engadin after Simen Hegstad Krüger and Holund.

The three races ended Burman's season on the big stage.

- It gives more flavor and now you want to climb higher up on that stool.

It shows that it is possible to be up there as long as it works and that the training you have done has given results, says Burman.

Now he knows that as long as his back holds, the results will come.

"For the Olympics, I can aim higher"

- Now I hope that my back holds and that I can have an injury-free body.

Without it, it will not work.

Everything must be kept in check, says Burman, who strengthened it with rehab.

There is a month left of competitions at the national level before there will be a short rest before he starts training for the next season in May.

- For the Olympics, I can aim higher.

It is almost as if you long for the next season already now, says an eager Burman.

Burman's podium in Switzerland was the first Swedish rider on the podium in a distance race since Calle Halfvarsson in November 2018. Otherwise, it has mostly been black headlines about the Swedish men before Oskar Svensson lit a candle in connection with the Tour de Ski shortly after New Year when his first world cup victory came, that in sprint.

Svensson's success did not only matter to himself. 

- We are inspired by each other and above all by the fact that Oskar got to step up on the podium three times and won two of them.

I myself have been inspired and want to show that it is possible.

We pull with each other in the same direction and it gives a positive feeling, says Burman.