Jesper understands the importance of routines in anchoring his performance. Yet, he's cautious not to transform routines into rituals that breed rigidity.

“It’s important to have routines but they can’t be too strict. You’re in deep water if they develop from a routine to a ritual. I think I have some healthy warm up routines but it can’t be like, if I can’t do them 100% I can’t perform at my best.”

He believes in starting the day with a hearty breakfast, ensuring his body is primed for the day-long challenges ahead. A deliberate warm-up routine, guided by a physiotherapist, not only safeguards him from injuries but also readies him to perform. 

“All the preparations are key, but the most important thing is probably the inspection. You have to internalize the course and have a clear plan of what to do in every situation.”

“In Norway we have some amazing mornings when we're up at five o'clock and get the sunrise on top of the mountain. It’s an amazing feeling—only you and nature and the course,” says Jesper.

Although he’s not a morning person by nature, he respects the fact that alpine skiing is a sport where you have to get up early. “To get the best out of the conditions, we have to utilize the night frost and light and good snow you find early in the morning. Because when the sun comes up, the quality of the snow usually worsens,” he says.

Being the first one on the hill also signifies that you have done one thing right already, which makes it easier to find a good flow. It sets the stage because if you're there before your competitors, you show them that they're already behind you from the start of the day. 

There are always things to improve as an alpine skier. You always want to become a little better and challenge yourself to go even faster when you may think that you're at your limit. The perfect turn or the perfect run isn't done yet. 

“To try to be on the edge of what is possible is something that keeps you moving forward. And sometimes you have to fail to learn where your boundaries are. To make mistakes is a natural part of what we're doing. But of course you don't want to be doing that in races,” Jesper explains.  

“Training is a place where you’re allowed to make mistakes. And when you do, you just want to go up and do it over again, because it's not good to end the session with a bad run. For me, it's important to always end on a high note and have a good feeling when I stop for the day. So if I crash in what was supposed to be the last run, I usually take one more because I don’t want to feel like I messed up the last thing I did before going down from the mountain.”

Many spectators probably view alpine skiing as an individual sport, but for Jesper and the rest of Team Telenor Alpine Norway, it’s quite the opposite. 

“Alpine skiing is a team sport, except for the two minutes when you're actually competing. So to work as a team is important. And I think getting up early and having a genuine team spirit is something that makes us better. 

“You need to appreciate everybody who’s around you that makes this possible – coaches, teammates, everybody works for the same results and helps each other become better versions of themselves, not only on the course, but also as humans. We’re all on the same journey, and even though we’re different individuals, we can learn a lot from each other. It’s important to have people to talk to and discuss with, people that can challenge you and what you think. The athletes may have other ideas than the coaches, and we learn from each other and make each other better every day.”

For athletes, it's important to have a space away from training and competitions – a place where they can just have fun. For Jesper, this space is at his family’s cabin in the mountains. Here he’s able to just ride powder with his sister and have fun without thinking about red and blue gates.

“There's a balance to everything, and you have to love what you do. My parents took me out skiing the first time when I was two years old. Not being locked to a wheelchair and switching to my ski and just going fast in the mountains, as fast as everybody else, is an amazing feeling of freedom. It just gives me so much.”

Getting up early and making the most of the first hour in the mountains, means sacrificing time with friends and family. And it’s not for everybody. 

“We who do it really enjoy it. To be early up and first one on the hill makes you feel like you’ve done one thing right even before you've started. Then it's easier to find a good flow and do your best in training as well.” 

“Still, there are usually coaches that set the stage for us and have been out salting and preparing for hours before we wake up. So we might not be the first guys out there but by being at our best we show the coaches that we appreciate their work because they've sacrificed a lot. It's a game where everybody is doing their best in order to become better. And that's what’s needed to be part of the team and to become the best in the world.”