Podcast
Skirious problems
Hosted by Skirious problems · EN
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.
34episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Story Behind Blink: Bringing skiing to the people with Arne Idland & Morten Iversbakken
6d ago01:01:19Tap to summarizeRecorded 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/
Transcribe →Øyvind Sandbakk - There is NO norwegian method
3w ago01:54:07Tap to summarizeDoes 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 strugglesThis 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
Transcribe →Johannes Rydzek: « Nordic Combined is in big trouble »
Jul 1100:49:03Tap to summarizeJimmy 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.
Transcribe →Sophia Laukli - My toughest year: What really happened
Jul 501:09:04Tap to summarizeJimmy 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...
Transcribe →Kasper Herland: Bonking your way to 5th in Holmenkollen WC
Jun 1100:55:35Tap to summarizeJimmy 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
Transcribe →Gjøran Tefre: American women & Norwegian drama
May 2200:53:42Tap to summarizeJimmy 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
Transcribe →SKIRIOUS IS BACK - Debriefing the Norwegian Mafia and FIS meetings
May 1100:56:33Tap to summarizeJimmy 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/
Transcribe →Lake Placid LIVE PODCAST - Klaebo, Karlsson, Gimmler, Pellegrino, Ogden -
Apr 201:36:30Tap to summarizeTo 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.
Transcribe →Alison Mackie: Making the World Cup Look Like a Family Road Trip
Mar 1900:44:27Summary readyJimmy 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/1nVdyNDukQ7Ucv7IdfXzpgApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/skirious-problems/id1718097138RSS-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.
SummaryHolmenkollen 50k Debrief - Fog, breakaways and race interference
Mar 1400:21:32Tap to summarizeYour 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.
Transcribe →