Harald Østberg Amundsen has developed a method and approach that is remarkably effective.

There’s remarkably little about Harald Østberg Amundsen’s success that can be attributed to chance. Year after year, he has built layer upon layer, step by step, with thorough preparation as the guiding principle in everything he does.

“When I joined the national team, I was good at skating and individual starts in skating, but suddenly I’ve had podiums in both classic and skate sprint, and I’ve got World Cup victories in distance races in both techniques — I’ve made big strides,” Amundsen told Langrenn.com.

Rock-solid results

At only 27 years old, Amundsen already has an impressive record of achievements across the Tour de Ski, World Cup, and major championships.

At the 2021 World Championships in Oberstdorf, he won bronze in the 15km freestyle in his first elite-level Worlds. Two years later, in Planica 2023, he took silver in the same event.

In 2024, Amundsen won both the Tour de Ski and the overall World Cup, becoming one of the youngest ever to do so.

At the 2025 World Championships in Trondheim, he claimed three medals — gold in the relay, and bronze in both the skiathlon and 10km classic.

Although his home-soil success was somewhat overshadowed in the media by Johannes Høsflot Klæbo’s historic clean sweep, for Amundsen, it was clear proof that he now masters all distances and formats in both techniques.

“I think it’s the sum of all the small things that has allowed me to improve so much in the styles and distances where I wasn’t as strong before,” he says.

Amundsen attributes his progress to meticulous attention to detail, small daily improvements, and the ability to gather experience under pressure.

“That’s perhaps what most distinguishes a World Cup athlete who competes almost every weekend from one who doesn’t. You have to learn to handle that strain,” he says.

“I believe in preparation. I see that it works.”

Pushing boundaries

Amundsen is highly meticulous. He trains with precision and structure, analyzing every detail to perfection. For him, focusing on what he can control is essential — not least to maintain perspective.

He highlights the mental aspect and the importance of challenging himself psychologically, both for physical progress and to handle pressure. For several years, he has worked with one of Norway’s most renowned mental coaches, Eirik Bertrand Larsen.

“I work a lot on pushing boundaries. I’m constantly seeking more developmental sessions, and I’ve dared to challenge myself without throwing away what has worked before. I believe strongly in that — and I can see that it works,” says Amundsen.

Less than two weeks before the start of the new season, the 27-year-old from Asker, Norway, feels well-prepared for the intense battle ahead — when seven or eight Olympic spots will be decided in just over a month.

The Norwegian national season opener takes place at Beitostølen from November 21 to 23 and will be the first real test of how the summer’s preparations have paid off.

The World Cup kicks off the following week in Ruka, Finland, marking the start of the road toward the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy (February 6–22).

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