For the first time, Nils van der Poel has called for a press day, where the media had the opportunity to follow the skating star during a training day in Åre.

- I have done exactly what I have done since I graduated and all of a sudden it was interesting, before it was just weird, says Nils van der Poel.

"Needs some protection"

After the success last winter with two World Cup golds and a world record, many wanted a share of him.

Inquiries from the media and sponsors became so large that a team has been built around the 25-year-old with both press contact and agent.

Have you seen that it was necessary to build a team around Nils?

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Yes, when things are going as well as they did, he needs to be protected a bit, says coach Johan Röjler.

- Now they feel like we have found a concept to handle it so it does not affect the training or my private life, says Nils van der Poel.

Training period in Åre

He has spent most of the spring in Åre where it has mostly been skiing at all lengths.

The training dose is around seven hours per day, Monday to Friday.

- They are the biggest difference in my everyday life today that in addition to the fact that we have tried to train a little more hours than before, there is a lot more work outside the training hours and that is new to me, says Nils van der Poel.

See the full report here:

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Nils van der Poel - a hunted man