Schumacher Makes History Again; Secures Second World Cup Podium in Falun

Gus Schumacher turned heads in today’s 20k skate in Falun, Sweden for more reasons than just his cow-print hat. The Alaskan, who secured his first World Cup win almost a year ago, landed his second-career podium with a second-place finish. 

It marks the first time an American man has ever podiumed in a 20k race - notably, Schumacher became the first American man to win a distance race in 2024 in the Stifel Loppet Cup in Minneapolis when he was first in the 10k skate. The last American to win a distance race was Bill Koch in 1983.

Schumacher showcased tactful skiing in a five-lap battle on a ripping-fast course, holding his own against a stacked field. Across the line, the top athletes shattered the 50-minute barrier, making it one of the fastest 20k races of the season. For the young Stifel U.S.  Ski Team men, it was Schumacher who delivered a statement performance. Alongside him on the start list were Zanden McMullen, Kevin Bolger, Walker Hall, Hunter Wonders and Luke Jager. 

From the gun, Schumacher positioned himself at the front, pushing the pace and skiing confidently on his Rossignol skis. He played a smart game, charging the downhills and conserving energy on the climbs, drafting behind key athletes like Sweden’s Edvin Anger and Norway’s Harald Østberg Amundsen. His strategy paid off, allowing him to stay fresh for the final push and put himself in a fighting position for the podium. 

Schumacher sat in fourth place with one lap to go, but as the stakes rose with Norway on each side moving into the finish, he knew he had to dig deep. Into the stadium were four men vying for the top three spots, but with Schumacher's signature no-pole skate, he put himself right behind Paal Goldberg of Norway, the ultimate winner of the day, and secured himself second across the line.

"My goal from the start was to not drift back in the pack, and on a twisty course like this one, it’s pretty easy to hold the position upfront, so that ended up being fairly simple," said Schumacher. "I also had good skis that made it easy to move up on the technical downhills where there’s more space than uphills. I didn’t KNOW I had a podium in the race, but that was for sure where my head was at, which I’m super proud of."

"It feels really good to be back on the podium! I know I can do it, but getting a confirmation right before the World Champs is nice! My body has been feeling really good here and I’m stoked to have capitalized today."

McMullen and Bolger of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team also performed well, staying just off the lead pack for much of the race. McMullen, whose career-best finish came earlier this season in Ruka, Finland, continued to show his growing strength on the World Cup circuit and finished 22nd; Bolger was 23rd. The win of the day ultimately went to Goldberg, who secured his first distance skate race podium, Schumacher second and Norway's Amundsen in third. U.S. athlete Wonders was 55th, Jager 64th and Hall 75th. 

With today's result, Schumacher now sits 16th in the overall standings as he builds momentum heading into the World Championships. Notably, this is only his second top-five finish of the season, his first being a fifth-place result in the skiathlon in Lillehammer.

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