Emil Persson became the first Swedish male skier in eleven years to win Vasaloppet. In an interview after the finish, competitor Petter Northug first praised Persson before noting that there will be no more victories in Vasaloppet for the 28-year-old. When Emil Persson is a guest on Kallprat, he responds.
"He'll never get it. He's passed and too old, he says.
He still seems to be aiming for Vasaloppet?
"Yes, it's great to see that he's going and trying. But he still has some way to go. He has time against him.
"It's just a fabrication"
A rare move from Emil Persson who in the episode talks about why he dislikes making headlines, despite his dominance last season.
"It's rare that I throw things out, I try to avoid those things. There will never be headlines that are true, it will just be fabrications. Maybe that's not what I stand for," he says.
Isn't it good to be visible to build your own brand?
"If I were to try to make headlines, I wouldn't build my own brand. Because it wouldn't have been me. I wouldn't feel safe or satisfied making headlines for throwing bad words about opponents. I'm not like that at competitions or privately.
Watch the full episode of Kallprat med Emil Persson in SVT Play.