– I feel a bit cocky when I say that I am not fighting for a 6th or 10th place, says Johaug to news. She is at news for a promo picture before the cross-country winter. A winter where most of the time is about the WC in Trondheim, which will be held from 26 February to 9 March. – Oh, I’m starting to feel that it’s getting close to the start of the season, Johaug exclaims, while the flash rains around her inside the photo studio. SMILING: Therese Johaug was bursting at the promo recording. Perhaps even bigger smiles await during the WC. There is only one month until the start of the season at Beitostølen. And there are four months to the WC. She has already run a close race in Granåsen, where the results are encouraging to say the least. – You can feel that the cold temperatures are coming, it is autumn outside and we will soon face the cold, beautiful time. It will be exciting. I feel that it tingles a little extra now, smiles Johaug. Johaug’s plan It is a poorly hidden secret that the tingling has been linked to the big goal during the World Cup on home soil, namely the historic five-mile that the women will run in the World Cup for the first time. But in this interview, the cross-country ace from Dalsbygda also talks about his desire to compete in several distances to hunt for gold in Trondheim. – It is primarily the five-mile that I want to go fast, then I will see how my form is at the other distances, says Johaug. There are four distances that are up for consideration. – Five miles, joint start with a change of skis and ten kilometers classic, says ho. – And the relay? – Yes, and the relay of course! I want to be part of it, says the 36-year-old. In total, there are six possibilities for WC gold if you go all out in Trondheim. The two exercises Johaug does not mention are sprints and team sprints. – I know I can say that Johaug is not interested in taking part in rehearsals to be an extra. She also doesn’t want to “steal” a place from a national team friend, and says she can potentially sign up for rehearsals already before Christmas if she doesn’t find the top level she was aiming for. It is precious metal that is used, and which makes Johaug feel a little cocky. – Then I know that a 6th or 10th place in a WC is great for many, many others. Maybe especially for the younger girls on the team, it’s huge, but when I’ve achieved what I’ve achieved in the last championships by taking nine out of nine individual golds, I know I can say that too. After five miles, 20 kilometers with a change of skis has the highest priority. Previously, he has walked the distance when he was 15 kilometres. – The fact that there are now five kilometers extra, I don’t think is a disadvantage for me, she says. EXPERT: news’s cross-country expert Torgeir Bjørn thinks it is wise for Johaug to sit through two practice sessions in the WC. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB Expert: Can take four golds news’s expert commentator Torgeir Bjørn thinks Johaug can manage the feat of taking four WC golds on home soil. – Yes, it is possible. The key lies in whether she returns at the highest level she has had. If she goes as fast as she did in the WC in Oberstdorf in 2021, she will win, Bjørn believes. In the championship in Germany just four years ago, there were precisely four golds. Bjørn believes that Johaug could have made an effort in the team sprint, but believes that there would be a risk that she would then gap too much. This is the cross-country program in the WC on February 27: Sprint, free technique, women and men March 1: 20 kilometer joint start with ski change, men March 2: 20 kilometer joint start with ski change, women March 4: 10 kilometer, classic, women and men March 5: Team sprint, classic, women and men March 6: Relay, 4×7.5 kilometers, men March 7: Relay, 4×7.5 kilometers, women March 8: 50 kilometers, free technique, men 9 March: 50 kilometres, free technique, women – Now she gets plenty of time between each run. It’s a program where she can perform at her best in all races and get enough recovery, says Bjørn about a plan with four WC races. – Her biggest goal is to win the five-mile. I think it is beneficial to have raced earlier in the championship with a view to winning. NB! We would like to point out that Therese Johaug was a cross-country expert for news for the last two seasons. The employment relationship stopped early in the spring of 2024 when she made a comeback as an athlete. Published 26.10.2024, at 07.53
ttn-69
– I feel a bit cocky – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
