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Skirious problems

Skirious problems

Skirious Problems is your backstage pass to the brilliantly unpolished world of elite cross-country skiing. Hosted by World Cup racers Mika Vermeulen and James Clugnet, the show delivers a sharp mix of insider insight, chaotic travel tales, training drama, and the kind of brutally honest banter you only get from athletes who spend far too much time together on the road. The hosts aren’t afraid to voice strong opinions, roast each other, or poke fun at the quirks of their sport — all with a wink and a sense of humility.

What truly elevates the show, though, is the lineup of prominent guests who drop in: World Cup winners, rising stars, Olympic medalists, wax technicians with cult followings, and the occasional wild-card personality from outside skiing. Their stories bring depth, humor, and a fresh range of perspectives, whether they’re unpacking tense race moments, revealing team secrets, or debating the future of the sport.

With its mix of authenticity, sharp humor, and unfiltered athlete conversations, Skirious Problems offers a uniquely entertaining look at skiing life beyond the finish line — perfect for fans, athletes, and anyone who enjoys a good dose of organized chaos.

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  • 22 episodes
  • Avg 52 min
  • English

Episodes 22

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  • Yesterday · 55 min

    Alvar Alev: Park City camp update and beef

    Alvar Alev is back with Mika and Jimmy for a Park City catch-up that moves from serious skiing to completely unnecessary personal conflict.They talk about Alvar changing his training after six years, why Park City keeps bringing him back, what European skiing can learn from the American system, university teams, Soldier Hollow and Utah 2034, Will Koch’s move to biathlon, and the economics behind athlete pathways.Then Mika reveals he is still angry about pickleball. Jimmy explains why Mika is the worst person in the world to argue with. A debate about double poling becomes personal, Alvar gets a front-row seat, and nobody learns anything.This is not a polished interview. It is three elite skiers in Park City with too many opinions and enough history to say exactly what they think.

  • August 21 · 59 min

    SKIRIOUS Camp Live Podcast

    Mika got sick on the final day of the SKIRIOUS Park City camp, so Jimmy handed the second microphone to Norwegian coach Vetle and opened the floor to the athletes.What began as a quick camp recap became a live coaching clinic: what Norway can learn from American ski culture, why underdogs can build stronger teams, how to plan a sprint heat, when training should feel hard, whether young skiers need to peak, and how to balance skiing with other sports and school.Recorded at Soldier Hollow in Utah, future home territory of the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

  • August 10 · 1 hr 1 min

    The Story Behind Blink: Bringing skiing to the people with Arne Idland & Morten Iversbakken

    Recorded in the middle of Blink Festival in Sandnes - with four people, three microphone cables and very tired legs - Mika and Jimmy sit down with Blink founder and sports director Arne Idland and IDT Sports' Morten Iversbakken. Morten explains why IDT brings 1,300 pairs of brand-new roller skis to Blink, whether Lysebotn Opp times can really be compared across different years, and why equal equipment, logistics and athlete safety matter. Arne tells the story of how Blink grew from an idea shared with legendary NRK commentator Kjell Kristian Rike into a free city-centre festival owned by the people of Sandnes. The conversation then gets bigger: what can World Cups learn from Blink, why does biathlon appear more willing to change than cross-country skiing, should roller skiing become part of the main World Cup, do we need more race formats - and do we even need classic technique? This one contains skiing, business, city-building, FIS versus the IBU, a proposed Norwegian Olympics and the usual amount of Skirious chaos. BLINK: https://www.blinkfestivalen.no/ IDT Sports: https://idtsports.com/

  • July 23 · 1 hr 54 min

    Øyvind Sandbakk - There is NO norwegian method

    Does the famous “Norwegian training method” actually exist? Professor Øyvind Sandbakk joins Mika and Jimmy for a deep conversation about what has really made Norway so successful—not only in cross-country skiing, but across endurance sport. We discuss Norway’s wealth, sporting culture, club system and willingness to share knowledge; why copying individual Norwegian sessions often misses the bigger picture; and whether many athletes would develop better by staying home instead of chasing altitude camps. The conversation then turns to how cross-country skiers are actually built: technique versus physiology, volume versus intensity, training at 14, 18 and 22, learning through failure, and why testing should be viewed as facing reality—not sitting an exam. Topics include: •⁠ ⁠Is there really a Norwegian method? •⁠ ⁠What can countries with fewer resources realistically copy? •⁠ ⁠Is altitude training overrated? •⁠ ⁠Running versus roller skiing •⁠ ⁠How training should develop from junior to senior level •⁠ ⁠When more volume becomes valuable •⁠ ⁠Why athletes need room to make mistakes •⁠ ⁠What “talent” actually means in cross-country skiing •⁠ ⁠Mika’s own training development and recent struggles This is not a conversation about finding one perfect training programme. It is about understanding why different athletes need different routes—and why the environment around the training may matter just as much as the sessions themselves. Subscribe to Skirious Problems for more honest conversations from inside cross-country skiing. #CrossCountrySkiing #EnduranceTraining #NorwegianMethod

  • July 11 · 49 min

    Johannes Rydzek: « Nordic Combined is in big trouble »

    Jimmy and Mika are back with your No. 1 Nordic podcast, and this time they’re joined by Johannes Rydzek for an in-depth conversation about one of the biggest stories in winter sports: the removal of Nordic Combined from the Olympic program. Johannes shares his perspective on what the decision means for athletes, the future of the sport, and why he believes Nordic Combined still deserves its place on the biggest stage. We discuss how the news has affected the community, what can be done to grow the sport, and the challenges athletes now face as they look beyond the next Olympic cycle. Of course, it wouldn’t be Skirious Problems without plenty of laughs along the way. From behind-the-scenes stories on the World Cup to the usual banter between Jimmy and Mika, this episode has a bit of everything. Fresh episodes every two weeks, plus behind-the-scenes training VLOGs coming soon.

  • July 5 · 1 hr 9 min

    Sophia Laukli - My toughest year: What really happened

    Jimmy and Mika are back with your No. 1 Nordic podcast, and this time they're joined by American ski star Sophia Laukli for an honest conversation about one of the toughest seasons of her career. After stepping away from racing to deal with ongoing health challenges, Sophia opens up about what it was really like to put skiing on hold, the physical and mental battles behind the scenes, and how she's worked her way back toward the World Cup. We talk about rebuilding fitness from scratch, learning to trust the process again, balancing ski racing with trail running, and what motivates her as she returns to competition. Sophia also shares insights into life on the U.S. team, training, racing, and what she's hoping to achieve this winter. Of course, it wouldn't be Skirious Problems without plenty of laughs along the way. From training stories and travel chaos to the usual banter between Jimmy and Mika, this episode has a bit of everything. 🎧 SUBSCRIBE TO “SKIRIOUS PROBLEMS” ON: Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1nVdyND... Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast... YouTube: ⁠⁠ / @skiriousproblems ⁠⁠🤳🏼 FOLLOW US: Skirious Problems: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even... ⁠

  • June 11 · 55 min

    Kasper Herland: Bonking your way to 5th in Holmenkollen WC

    Jimmy and Mika are back with your nb 1 nordic podcast and this time they’re joined by Lillehammer local Kasper Herland from Team Anlegg Øst for a proper deep dive into one of the most impressive breakthrough seasons on the circuit.Kasper takes us behind the scenes of Team Anlegg Øst’s huge year, from the day-to-day grind to the moments that changed everything. We talk about his rapid rise to a top-5 finish in his very first World Cup race, what clicked in his training, and how a small private setup can compete with the big national teams.Of course, it wouldn’t be Skirious Problems without a few disasters along the way. Kasper shares stories of completely bonking on the bike, suffering through brutal sessions, and the lessons learned from going a little too deep.The conversation also gets properly nerdy. We dig into training philosophy, intensity control, threshold work, ski-specific endurance, recovery, and all the little details endurance athletes obsess over. If you enjoy the geekier side of training, this one’s for you.And between all that, there’s plenty of banter, laughs, and classic podcast chaos from Jimmy and Mika.Fresh episodes every two weeks plus behind-the-scenes training VLOGs coming soon.🎧 SUBSCRIBE TO “SKIRIOUS PROBLEMS” ON:* Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1nVdyNDhttps://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2QxcEt1cFN0VWUyNlJ6Qm9wWWZ2UFhhbGdhQXxBQ3Jtc0tsR3F5UTREODNORUxGMThDaEVzZFhsaXZQaHYxWDZHUkt1VkdxSUEtei0ycjljdnlUSUg4cFVhSTJmdEpLSHpxekVxWWZmMHBCM0Zfak9JOVRzTm1jdEpqd0VqcWZONWRXbkFiZmsyUmdXeGdNN2FQZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F1nVdyNDukQ7Ucv7IdfXzpg%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0&v=b_avBy6GbeA* Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcasthttps://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbWtwRlBqYTNpRDh4b1doYkVRUEJ5UWdJcHY2QXxBQ3Jtc0tuSk1EdDY3amUyS3RtZ2tYMVdxSnBPWTZvWllUZG5obTNxcm5OV2NiakUzVWl5THNkeWRaRFZzTHRyZTBQeTd2MzB0ZGFZVUJLVVlhUlRwWEs1aDF2d1BwMFh4UDVkeEZtdnV1Y0FhRWFrVFRvM005cw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fno%2Fpodcast%2Fskirious-problems%2Fid1718097138&v=b_avBy6GbeA⁠- RSS-Feed: ⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/s/ed0abed0/podcast/rss ⁠* YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUlyGJW-RXmRlAZHfACivg⁠⁠🤳🏼 FOLLOW US:* Skirious Problems: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVBMb2VWYnlJZjhSN1JPX1FhMXlic19xak9md3xBQ3Jtc0tsempCVjNKNjlPTXpGendqUDJYeDRyMW1sZWlsR0tydzRudm1RWHpob19TRElUTVlyeUtJcnBlVUtkMFprTVkyQW5hLTMxeVF4V2d3d1BHRGQ5YWdEbUZGU2ZDSWNDSEpmRTVITFhJcFg0NTFjT0ptNA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fskirious_problems&v=b_avBy6GbeA ⁠* Mika Vermeulen: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmMwMEJlN1pZV0MtN3g3R1ZSZ183cE9KODdSZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsMmJqc0dKbldzcHZtTVdXYXdzM1FaTTNRanNHa1VwdllBcWJxZ096QURGWGJ5Mm1NUFJYQzVuS1NOdGs5UjlTREhjeEJhNHZkdk5JTkoxT2lsMDZ1cHNJT2tlUUFtYngzMktxbkVZV2xubVdNNVZmOA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fmikaa_ver&v=b_avBy6GbeA ⁠* James Clugnet: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGFBY1NFYnFSWDlSWkZMYllNWUQ5cDNqTXF3d3xBQ3Jtc0tseE1jVDMxd1B4SXg3cGNfTGhWZzhMODNzM1YxZXVKTVdPdlNSb2luYXpHcDdwVjU0UGlHYzlPY2I5cjNDNFQtWExXOElaNElSeWVFSXNNT3lDOGtHY21kdUU1czRzVVFnOHByekVkejZETjQwejVRQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fjimmycluggz&v=b_avBy6GbeA ⁠⁠

  • May 22 · 53 min

    Gjøran Tefre: American women & Norwegian drama

    Jimmy and Mika are back — and this time we’re joined by Norwegian ski legend Gjøran Tefre for a proper catch-up on everything happening around the sport right now. We get into the current state of the Norwegian national team, the rise of private team setups, and what it actually takes to survive outside the federation system. Gjøran shares stories from inside the Norwegian scene, while the boys throw in plenty of opinions, questionable takes, and classic Skirious Problems banter along the way. We also somehow end up discussing beautiful American women, life on the road, training, racing, and all the chaos that comes with being a skier in 2026. Fresh episodes every two weeks — plus behind-the-scenes training VLOGs coming soon. 🎧 SUBSCRIBE TO “SKIRIOUS PROBLEMS” ON: Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1nVdyND... Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast... ⁠- RSS-Feed: ⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/s/ed0abed0/podcast/rss ⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠ / @skiriousproblems ⁠⁠🤳🏼 FOLLOW US: Skirious Problems: / skirious_problems ⁠ Mika Vermeulen: ⁠⁠ / mikaa_ver ⁠ James Clugnet: ⁠⁠ / jimmycluggz ⁠⁠

  • May 11 · 56 min

    SKIRIOUS IS BACK - Debriefing the Norwegian Mafia and FIS meetings

    Jimmy and Mika are finally back after a long break — and this time it’s just us catching up on everything that’s been going on in the ski world. We’re kicking off a new rhythm with fresh episodes every two weeks, plus some behind-the-scenes training VLOGs along the way. In this episode, we dive into the latest chaos and politics surrounding the Norwegian “mafia” federation, unpack what went down at the recent FIS meetings, and talk about where cross-country skiing is heading next. There’s also plenty of catching up on training, racing, and what life has looked like during the off-season break. No guest this week — just classic Skirious Problems. 🎧 SUBSCRIBE TO “SKIRIOUS PROBLEMS” ON: Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1nVdyND... Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast... RSS-Feed: ⁠https://anchor.fm/s/ed0abed0/podcast/rss ⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@skiriousproblems 🤳🏼 FOLLOW US: Skirious Problems: https://www.instagram.com/skirious_problems/ Mika Vermeulen: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mikaa_ver/ James Clugnet: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jimmycluggz/

  • April 2 · 1 hr 36 min

    Lake Placid LIVE PODCAST - Klaebo, Karlsson, Gimmler, Pellegrino, Ogden -

    To finish the season in style, we brought you the best world cup skiers, on a Live Podcast in Lake placid. It was insane laughs the whole time. Stay tuned for a epic evening with the crew and exciting guests from the World Cup circuit 🚀🎧 SUBSCRIBE TO “SKIRIOUS PROBLEMS” ON:Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1nVdyND...Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast...⁠- RSS-Feed: ⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/s/ed0abed0/podcast/rss ⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠ / @skiriousproblems ⁠⁠🤳🏼 FOLLOW US:Skirious Problems: / skirious_problems ⁠Mika Vermeulen: ⁠⁠ / mikaa_ver ⁠James Clugnet: ⁠⁠ / jimmycluggz ⁠⁠Skirious Problems is partially supported by ‪@fis‬ and produced in cooperation with ⁠⁠⁠Maniac Studios⁠⁠⁠.

  • March 19 · 44 min

    Alison Mackie: Making the World Cup Look Like a Family Road Trip

    Jimmy and Mika somehow pulled off booking Alison Mackie—literally at the last minute—and she brings all the good vibes and killer stories from her breakout season on the World Cup. Alison dives into her crazy jump from being barely known to racking up top World Cup results, and shares what it’s actually like navigating the whirlwind of international racing as a young Canadian. You’ll hear about money struggles, travel chaos, surviving road trips, what it really costs to race at the top level, and why the World Cup is both a dream and a grind for North Americans. The crew also gets into big topics: racing traditions, the infamous Holmenkollen 50K, struggles with federation funding, and why sometimes you just have to break the “no candy before dinner” rule. 🎧 SUBSCRIBE TO “SKIRIOUS PROBLEMS” ON: Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1nVdyNDukQ7Ucv7IdfXzpg⁠⁠ Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/skirious-problems/id1718097138 ⁠RSS-Feed: ⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/s/ed0abed0/podcast/rss YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@SkiriousProblems ⁠⁠🤳🏼 FOLLOW US: Skirious Problems: https://www.instagram.com/skirious_problems ⁠ Mika Vermeulen: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mikaa_ver James Clugnet: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jimmycluggz ⁠⁠ Skirious Problems is partially supported by FIS and produced in cooperation with ⁠⁠⁠Maniac Studios⁠⁠⁠.

  • March 14 · 21 min

    Holmenkollen 50k Debrief - Fog, breakaways and race interference

    Your nb 1 nordic podcast is back for the debrief of one of the biggest race of the season the 50k in holmenkollen. The first ever 50k with women and men racing simultaneously ! Hedegart is becoming a GOAT, KOT doing kot tings, Frida being a tank everything was in for a good debrief. Tune in to hear our take on the whole thing.

  • March 12 · 1 hr 18 min

    Drammen World Cup Debrief - Concussion, tactics and excitement

    Your number-one Nordic skiing podcast is back—this time diving straight into the thrills of the FIS Cross Country World Cup. Drammen delivered its trademark chaos: sprint mayhem, elbows everywhere, and yellow cards flying like confetti and a sad day for the GOAT of skiing to be carried off the track. Tune in for sharp insights, questionable jokes, and the usual banter-laden debrief—because if Drammen brings the fireworks, we’ll happily bring the commentary.

  • March 8 · 25 min

    Lahti World Cup Debrief - Yellow cards, slush and chaos

    Your nb 1 nordic skiing podcast is back, this time we discuss the FIS Cross country World Cup from Lahti. Today we have the honor of being joined by Benni Moser who was close to being an MVP this weekend. Chaos happened in the sprint and yellow cards were distributed all aboard. Tune in to your usual insights and banterous debrief.

  • March 5 · 57 min

    Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget: The long game master

    Norwegian cross-country star Martin Løwstrøm Nyengät has got a wild ride to share. He wasn’t some child prodigy winning every junior race, but through a mix of stubborn patience, plenty of setbacks, and some serious grind, he eventually landed Olympic medals and World Cup victories in his late 20s. We chat honestly about everything: weird mistakes they made learning the ropes, balancing family and training, handling brutal disappointments, and what it really takes to survive (and thrive) in the heart of Norway’s ski machine. You’ll hear about rest days that quickly turn into home renovation days, adjusting to dad life on the World Cup circuit, and the occasional friendly roast. If you want to know what makes Norwegian skiers tick, how the best bounce back after setbacks, and why Martin might be sneaky-fitter than anyone at the treadmill lab, don’t miss this episode! 🎧 SUBSCRIBE TO “SKIRIOUS PROBLEMS” ON: Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1nVdyNDukQ7Ucv7IdfXzp Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/skirious-problems/id1718097138⁠ RSS-Feed: ⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/s/ed0abed0/podcast/rss ⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@SkiriousProblems⁠⁠ 🤳🏼 FOLLOW US: Skirious Problems: https://www.instagram.com/skirious_problems ⁠ Mika Vermeulen: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mikaa_ver James Clugnet: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jimmycluggz ⁠⁠ Skirious Problems is partially supported by FIS and produced in cooperation with ⁠⁠⁠Maniac Studios⁠⁠⁠.

  • February 26 · 1 hr

    Dani Aravich: Why the Paralympic Games deserve better TikToks

    We’ve got a special guest on the pod this week in honor of the upcoming Paralympics! Dani Aravich is a Biathlon Bandit, a two times Paralympian and the host of the FIS podcast “Hidden Champions - The Best Athletes You’ve Never Heard Of”. Dani brings her insider perspective to the table, sharing what really goes on behind the scenes in the world of para sports. From funny event mishaps and wild rule changes to honest talk about “classification doping” and what it means to race at the elite level, this episode is full of stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Dani opens up about life as a para athlete, balancing intense training with her passion for sports media, and why humor is such a powerful tool in the para community. Plus, we get some juicy details about the tech, the parties, and even the controversial Paralympics TikTok account. SUBSCRIBE TO “SKIRIOUS PROBLEMS” ON: - Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1nVdyNDukQ7Ucv7IdfXzpg⁠⁠ - Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/skirious-problems/id1718097138 ⁠- RSS-Feed: ⁠⁠https://anchor.fm/s/ed0abed0/podcast/rss ⁠ - YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@SkiriousProblems SUBSCRIBE TO “HIDDEN CHAMPIONS” ON: - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3J1vBOZpMrnhcFAltSyxtp - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1870046273 - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FISparasnowsports - RSS-Feed: https://fis-hidden-champions.podigee.io/feed/mp3 ⁠⁠ FOLLOW US: - Skirious Problems: https://www.instagram.com/skirious_problems ⁠ - Mika Vermeulen: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mikaa_ver ⁠ - James Clugnet: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jimmycluggz ⁠ Skirious Problems is partially supported by FIS and produced in cooperation with ⁠⁠⁠Maniac Studios⁠⁠⁠.

  • February 22 · 31 min

    Olympic 50k Women Debrief - Ebba crashed, Poland back, Swiss MVP

    You chose fresh snow and blue skies over sitting inside to watch a brutal women’s 50km classic? Fair enough 😉 Don’t worry — we’ve got you covered with a high-quality debrief. We break down everything that went down in the race, from the key moves to the moments that blew it wide open, and talk about what separates the very best from the rest. Tune in for the full recap and all the latest from the women’s 50km — you won’t miss a thing.

  • February 21 · 26 min

    Olympic 50k Men Debrief - The GoAt make us look like sheep

    You wanted to enjoy the fresh snow and nice weather to go skiing rather than watch a 50km classic race where norwegians win ? We got you sorted with a good quality debrief, we chat about everything that has happened in the race and discuss why Klaebo makes us look like absolute amateurs. Tune in to hear the latest.

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