This year marks the 25th year that Thomas Alsgaard (NOR) is racing for Madshus on a contract. And he doesn’t see the end of it. Alsgaard loves skiing. He loves racing. And he loves product development.
“It’s been 25 years since I was 16 years old and signed my first Madshus contract,” Alsgaard recalls, and adds jokingly that he is expecting a gold watch in the near future.
It might have to be a golden heart rate monitor, because Alsgaard is not planning to retire anytime soon. And Alsgaard has never regretted nor doubted his commitment to Madshus.
“I have been with this company throughout my entire career. We have had ups and downs, but I love the people who work at Madshus. They take such pride in their work, and are so eager to make the best gear in the world,” Alsgaard says.
“Even if I didn’t have a contract with them, I would ski Madshus skis until I die. I am a Madshus racer, that’s where my heart is,” Alsgaard says.
“Contract negotiations with Madshus are really easy. They take between 30 seconds and a minute, depending on how fast we can find a pen to sign the paperwork,” he says with a grin.
Part of the process, not just a tester
Alsgaard also appreciates the way Madshus includes their racers in the product development. The athletes are not just high-profile testers and billboards for the company, and that is inspiring.
“The people at the factory are passionate about their products. When you have feedback on the gear, they listen and try to figure out the best way to solve it. They are very open to ideas, and extremely innovative,” he says.
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