– Obviously you get some of the noise. It’s impossible not to catch on, says Johannes Høsflot Klæbo about the row that has arisen after he turned down the cross-country national team in April.
NRK meets the cross-country set at Skeikampen, where he has charged up for the World Cup opening in Ruka with an interval session.
The first in a long time after he had to cancel his altitude stay in Livigno due to covid.
But seven days on the couch has helped. Now he is ready for the start of the season. He is also ready to put the long-standing conflict with the Ski Association behind him.
Because above all, he is looking forward to going cross-country skiing.
FOCUSED: Johannes during an interval training session at Skeikampen.
Photo: Aleksandr Nedbaev / NRK
Announces talk with Golberg
Klæbo chose to turn down the cross-country national team this spring. After that, there has been a hail of reactions from several quarters. Because according to the Skiing Association’s general rules, athletes who refuse to join the national team will not be allowed to go to the World Cup in the coming winter, unless there are special circumstances.
The cross-country committee gave Klæbo an exception because they believed that the cross-country set, which wanted to run its own altitude scheme, was a special circumstance.
After long and many negotiations throughout the summer and autumn, the Ski Association and Klæbo finally agreed on a standard representation agreement.
ANNOUNCES TALK: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (on the left) announces a chat with Pål Golberg throughout the winter. Here from the WC in Planica earlier this year.
Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB
In a recent NRK interview, Pål Golberg was critical of the Skiing Association giving Klæbo an exception. Simen Hegstad Krüger expressed in the same article that he “agreed with much of what Golberg says”.
On Wednesday, Golberg and Klæbo are reunited and ready for the World Cup race in Ruka. Both in Finland and for the rest of the season, Golberg will spend time persuading Klæbo back in the national team.
– I respect that he ended up with something else, but I will try through the winter and hope he sees the value in the environment we represent, Golberg said.
Klæbo opens up that he wants the same.
READY FOR THE WORLD CUP: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo is looking forward to getting the starting number on his chest.
Photo: Aleksandr Nedbaev / NRK
– I am no stranger to being back in the national team next year. I’ll probably talk to Pål through the winter. We will probably talk a lot, and he will get to hear my side of the story. I think that is good for all parties, says Klæbo.
– So you are going to work towards getting into the national team next year?
– I have been clear that this is where I want to be, and then we will see what time shows. Now I have chosen to stand outside the way things are now, and now we will have a winter with it, then we will see how it goes. We will have to make an assessment in the spring and make a new plan.
Takes self-criticism
Kristine Stavås Skistad also chose to be outside the national team this spring. Astrid Øyre Slind chose to stay at Team Aker Dæhli. Klæbo believes that even if more people choose to stand outside the national team, it will not threaten the national team model.
– There have been situations like this for as long as I can remember, so I don’t feel that there is anything special. We probably all have to contribute to make this the best possible.
– And by that you mean?
– We all have to be on the ball there, including me, the Ski Association and the father and the whole gang. This isn’t rocket science.
IMPORTANT SUPPORT PLAYER: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and manager-father Haakon Klæbo.
Photo: Ragna Kristine Sandholt / NRK
For Klæbo takes some self-criticism before new potential negotiations about a possible national team place.
– Do you think it is time to modernize the national team model?
– It is important to mention here that I am a champion of the national team model. I have faith in it, and we have seen it work for many years. And it will continue to work for many years. But again, we all need to improve there.
– What do you think you need to improve then?
– No, capacity for example. Paddling, I have to get better at that, says Klæbo with a twinkle in his eye and continues:
– And then there are certainly other points that I need to improve on. There you just have to be humble enough to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and say that sometimes you certainly make mistakes and must be able to learn from those mistakes, and that is the most important thing.
2023-11-21 15:16:30
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