For its part, the world championship in Sapporo in 2007 was not a highlight of Johan Olsson’s otherwise successful skiing career, which was lined with several golds in both the World Cup and the Olympics.
All the more memorable was how a then 18-year-old and relatively unknown Norwegian made his breakthrough on the world stage and with a bronze in the three miles took his first championship medal – apparently out of pure will.
– She had a technique that perhaps left a little to be desired, if you say so. She really only went on the oxygen transport ability – and she must have been a unique talent for just that. Therese Johaug has probably been the most fit skier we have ever seen, says Olsson.
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– image 1 of 2 Foto: Cornelius Poppe/TT
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– image 2 of 2 Foto: Cornelius Poppe/NTB/TT
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Just Johaug’s ability to transporting oxygen out of the body is what mainly distinguished her compared to other riders, he continues and points out that when even the technical pieces have fallen into place, she has been unbeatable during her prime years.
– That combination has been quite difficult to beat, you can at least say. Before we get to see someone of the same caliber, we will probably have to wait a few years.
A career that resulted in 14 World Cup golds, 81 World Cup victories and three wins in the overall summary was completed last month with three long-awaited individual Olympic golds in Beijing.
With such a track record, last week’s announcement was that Johaug retires after the season not very surprising, thinks Johan Olsson, who suspects that a certain saturation has occurred.
– It is quite unusual to quit when you are so good. But this is not surprising. It feels like she has done what she can do and it is difficult to see that a World Cup would motivate her to do the enormous job she puts in.
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– image 1 of 2 Photo: Jon Olav Nesvold / Bildbyrån
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– image 2 of 2 Photo: Jon Olav Nesvold / Bildbyrån
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Undoubtedly the darkest of his career chapter was when she was caught in 2016 using a lip balm containing the anabolic steroid clostebol and later was punished with an 18-month suspension. Although Johaug came back stronger than ever, the discussions about deliberate cheating or not live on.
– It is clear that it affects her legacy. It would be strange otherwise. I certainly think she feels a great sadness about it, says Johan Olsson.
– It has been a watershed, about what you think about it. Those who have a definite opinion in one direction will probably never change in that matter, while those who lean in the other direction also have their picture clear.
When the former ski queen Marit Bjørgen retired after the 2018 Olympics, Johaug, back from the suspension, stepped forward as the natural successor and has since continued to dominate until Saturday’s 10 kilometer classic in Falun – her last individual appearance in the World Cup.
Who will shoulder the mantle this time is harder to answer. Johan Olsson sees in front of him that the premises for next season will be redrawn completely.
– If we look at next season, I think we will see female races that look in a completely different way. Therese Johaug has been the engine that took the initiative and split the whole field into small pieces. Then everyone has had to start from there once Johaug has been released – but now it will not look like that anymore.
We got the future perhaps a taste of already during the winter’s Tour de Ski – which Johaug gave up – when other qualities became more decisive in a smoother starting field.
– I think we can look forward to a little more fun races, even though it is fantastic to see a skier who is so incredibly good. But the difference has been so great and now we can look forward to a change of power in cross-country skiing.
How big a hole does Johaug leave behind in Norwegian skiing?
– A big hole. The skier who has actually been second best is Heidi Weng, she is very good but she has also reached a point in her career where she probably does not have many active years left. They have some talents, like Helene Marie Fossesholm, but there is certainly not a plethora of Norwegian female skiers who will take over from Therese Johaug. We will see a clear shift, other countries will take over.
Johan Olsson describes Therese Johaug as a culture bearer, pusher and a leader. With that in mind, it is perhaps strange that her dominance has not been reflected more in the Norwegian regrowth on the women’s side.
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– image 1 of 2 Photo: Olle Sporrong / TT
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– image 2 of 2 Photo: Johanna Lundberg / Bildbyrån
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In Sweden, the development has been the better. With Johaug out of the game, it will soon be free for skiers like Frida Karlsson, Ebba Andersson and also Jonna Sundling, who have shown that she can be counted on even at long distances, to claim the noblest placements.
– I think that the Swedish women’s team will go over to dominate more or less completely. We also have the American Jessica Diggins and the German team that is on the rise, but if I have to point out an individual, I think Frida Karlsson has all the attributes of being the best after Therese Johaug, says Johan Olsson and adds:
– I think we will have many Swedes who are fighting for the overall World Cup victory next season.
How will you feel when she did her last World Cup competition in Falun?
– It is an artist who leaves us, who plays in his own division. At the same time: She has actually been so superior at times that she has at times made skiing uninteresting.
– But it’s a little sad that this is probably the last time you get to see her on a ski track. She’s an institution, really.