– It’s weird, and I also think it’s special that the biggest star, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, goes there, while the rest of the guys, both in sprint and all-round, say they should be in the lowlands. It is very special, says former cross-country star Petter Northug to news. For the Norwegian men’s national teams, the high days before the World Cup in Planica will drop next winter. Emil Iversen, for example, will not spend any days at altitude. The exception is Klæbo, which will have several altitude days outside the national team. Between 90 and 100 days is the plan. – I am also surprised that it is cut and that they do not use the height – neither in the autumn nor almost in the winter in preparation for the championship. That surprises me a little, says Northug. – We have the experience of what he himself was concerned with getting enough altitude days before the season, and he thinks the altitude stays were important for him to be able to keep up with the very best cross-country skiers in the world. He does not understand why the national team does not do the same. – It is probably because they have had a couple of championships where several of the athletes have succeeded in being in the lowlands, but I think that as a team you should not follow that. I think the height has been one of the success factors for the national team since the 90s. They have had good tests and measurements, and we have the experience of that, he believes. WINNING MACHINE: Petter Northug believes that altitude training was important in order to compete with the very best. Photo: Dmitry Lovetsky / AP In his time, Bjørn Dæhlie was also very keen to complete the height training before the season. Together with Vegard Ulvang and Erling Jevne, he had many days at the height. – We lived and trained 70-80 days in height. It was an important part of the training, and I really believed in it. It’s about the fact that when you train at a very high level, you get an additional load of training at 2000 meters in height, which in my opinion is quite interesting. I had firm faith that this was right, says Dæhli to news. He adds that it gives an extra motivation to get a few extra weeks with shorts and a T-shirt in the autumn months. – You get the mental aspect, and I had a lot of faith in it, he says. – What do you think about the all-round national team not going to the heights now? – Considering the previous Olympics (in Beijing), I was very clear that training at height would be a must. If there is a championship in the lowlands, it is quite possible to do it without altitude training, but I would not do it – it would be completely out of the question. Klæbo: – Could not care less Klæbo starts the altitude program in August, something he has planned together with grandfather Kåre and sprint coach Arild Monsen. – It will be from August in the first instance, and then it will be a full roll until we are at the starting line in the WC in Planica, Klæbo says to news. PRIORITIES HEIGHT: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo estimates that he will spend between 90 and 100 days in height. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB The cross-country profile says that the height is right for him, but he does not want to criticize his colleagues who drop the height. – I think they should do what they want. I have chosen to do what I think is right, and I feel I have had my plan since I was 18. It is that I will endure 1000 hours, then I start with altitude training after that. Now I can tolerate 1000 hours, so then I will start with altitude training, he says. – Had it not been for covid, I would probably have gone to the heights even earlier. Now I got good experience with it last year, and now I look forward to a new year with new heights. – Are you surprised that more people do not do as you? – I have very little idea of what others are doing, and I could not really care less either. They have to do what they want, and people probably have different family situations than me too. I prioritize what I think is right for me to go skiing as soon as possible. Takes the criticism calmly The coach of the all-round national team, Eirik Myhr Nossum, takes the criticism calmly. He is aware that the most important thing is that each athlete is allowed to train as they see fit. – I have a team that has been with a few years, and that has tried a lot of height and also tried without height, and most of them have done best in the seasons where there has been little height, he says. He emphasizes that he still believes in altitude training, but that this does not have to be a must, and that other factors can be just as crucial. – We have athletes on the team who have proven to have a good effect of height. But they consider that the effect of being able to train with the team is greater than being at height, says Nossum. When it comes to Dæhlie’s weather argument, Nossum is clear: – Now there are not many who are so sick of the weather on the team. If you had chosen a sport based on weather, cross-country skiing is a stupid sport to choose, he says. CRUSHING PEACE: Eirik Myhr Nossum takes the criticism from Northug and Dæhlie with crushing calm. Here with sprint national team coach Arild Monsen. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB
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