– I think the “father” has had a busy week, but I have taken it easy and done things I want to. And the longer time goes by now, the more confident I am in the choice. It feels right, and I’ve had lots of messages from near and far, and it’s been nothing but support. The choice feels more and more right, says Klæbo to news. – Worrying On Saturday, he will start the city sprint in Mosjøen, a show race on snow where a number of runners from the world’s elite compete against each other in the center of Mosjøen. – The national team’s model must be the best sportingly and economically. But in my case, as I see it, the national team would have been the best place to be financially, but not sportingly, and that is worrying, he says. – What is lacking in sports? – A slightly clearer plan, and that bit of height is a point. There are several factors that come into play here, he says. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo in action in Mosjøen on Saturday. Photo: Marius Guttormsen / news Cross-country skiing manager Espen Bjervig comments on Klæbo’s decision as follows in a press release from the Ski Association. – Johannes has previously, also in the media, communicated that a further investment could take place outside the national team, and we respect this decision. At the same time, it is important to emphasize that we naturally wanted to have him on the national team. We were positive to make as many arrangements as possible for Johannes next season as well, says Bjervig. – Don’t have a clue Klæbo emphasizes that there was a lot that contributed to him deciding to leave the national team. – It is an overall assessment, quite simply. There are several factors, including how teammates are treated. It can get better, and then I feel that it was right, he says. – You mention this with the treatment of teammates, what exactly are you thinking of? – I’m going to the height this year, and the fact that I’m going to take up a place, but not take part in the gathering, then I feel it’s better that someone else can take that place, so I can be at the height anyway. There are factors like that, but not only that, there is an overall assessment that has been made here, Klæbo replies, without actually answering the question. – How has your dialogue with the Ski Association been? – It is the “father” who has had the most dialogue, so it is he who has the most overview. But it is clear that we should have had more time than we did, says Klæbo. – What will your plan be going forward, will you train a lot alone? – To be honest, I have no idea. The only thing I know is that I’m going to the height. Now we have to use May wisely and make a good plan. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has broken with the national team. Photo: NTB Northug warns The retired ski king Petter Northug, now an expert for TV 2, himself broke with the national team in 2013. Northug believes that Klæbo has made a well-thought-out choice. – And that choice must be respected. I think there have been some issues that have irritated and bothered “team Klæbo” a bit, and there has been a bit of poor communication, and over the past two years Johannes has been a lot at the top and perhaps grown a bit away from the rest of the team, and then I also think that it is right, says Northug to news. However, he warns Klæbo that the noise surrounding the election is unlikely to subside anytime soon. – For his part, a turbulent time awaits in the coming months, he will return in November and get a representation agreement in place, and even though he has withdrawn now, there is still a lot of work to be done before he can start for the national team when is the first World Cup race in November, says Northug. Everyone who has chosen to be outside the national cross-country team, but who will represent Norway in the World Cup and championships, must sign a representation agreement. – When will we see how “team Klæbo” and the Skiing Association solve it with the contract he has to sign when he will represent the national team again from November to March, says Northug. – What was it like for you to be on the outside of the national team with everything you don’t get access to? – It went very well and was carefully planned. After all, I had Coop behind me as a sponsor, and for me it was mostly about motivation, while for Johannes there is perhaps a little more conflict, so there are two different breaches. Petter Northug, here in action in Mosjøen on Saturday, believes Klæbo must be prepared for more noise. Photo: Marius Guttormsen / news Klæbo’s decision first became known when the Klæbo camp released a press release on Sunday evening. There, Norway’s biggest ski star justified his exit by saying that the events of the past week around the ski association and the national team are the main reason why he chooses to say no. – With my departure, the ski association has opportunities to reduce its costs and instead spend money on other athletes. Yes, now they will also not have to pay for my altitude stays. I have several mates on the national team who I feel have been badly treated in this selection process, Klæbo wrote in the press release. – Under enormous pressure, news’s cross-country experts Fredrik Aukland and Torgeir Bjørn both labeled the decision as dramatic for the national team model. – They are putting the Ski Association under enormous pressure, and that will have consequences. It could be the start of a change in how the sponsorship market in cross-country skiing will work. It could open the way for more privatization of the sport, said Aukland when the news broke. Sponsor experts are now predicting a huge blow for the Ski Association, and believe that the association must be prepared to get far worse financial conditions now that the market value of sponsoring a national team without the golden calf Klæbo will obviously decrease, they warn. – We don’t dare to take that risk now. Sparebank 1, which is the main sponsor of the national cross-country team, told news directly that they see the situation as “unfortunate”. The Ski Association’s finances are already under pressure, and cross-country manager Espen Bjervig admits that they have noticed that the situation has become more difficult financially. – With increased expenses and a slight loss of sponsorship income, the gap will be large. But this is not a unique situation. We are in this situation every year. What is unique this year is the market we are in. In a normal market, Norwegian cross-country skiing would have managed to obtain new cooperation agreements steadily throughout the spring, summer and autumn. We dare not take that risk now. We don’t dare to budget with so many uncertain incomes when we see how the business world is also struggling in today’s market, says Bjervig. Golberg: – As honestly as I can answer, the Confederation has already cut the budgets around the national teams for the coming season. Pål Golberg, World Championship winner in the five thousand, fears that a lack of access to the biggest stars could lead to further cuts in the future. – I can answer as honestly as I can. I wish it was the most attractive model that everyone wanted to go for. Regardless of whether Johannes wants to go to the heights or not, I would like him to be an equally big part of the team, says Golberg to news. It has been speculated whether Klæbo’s national team refusal could mean that he risks not being able to go to the World Cup next season, but Norway’s ski president Tove Moe Dyrhaug tells news that this will not be a problem and that you can go if you are good enough. As the winner of the World Cup this season, Klæbo has a free place until Christmas anyway, NTB informs. Won the city sprint Back to the show race in Mosjøen on Saturday: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo coped best with soft snow and won the City Sprint. – It is heavy on lead. The conditions are just getting wetter and wetter. We enjoy ourselves, even if it gets tiring for a few minutes here and there, he told TV 2.
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