He dreamed of setting a new record for the fastest time by a skier in a 10-kilometer road race. But it didn’t turn out that way. The national team veteran never made it to the starting line.

Didrik Tønseth aimed to become the fastest cross-country skier ever over 10 kilometers at the Drammen 10K on Saturday. The record for skiers in that distance is 29:30, set by Magnar Lundemo in 1966. But it wasn’t to be.

Tønseth struggled with illness throughout the fall, endured a tough winter, and failed to qualify for the World Championships in Trondheim. However, his running form had been improving in recent weeks. He had arranged for a pacer for the Drammen race and was looking forward to the event. Then, the dream was shattered just before the weekend.

“I got COVID in the middle of the week, so that ruined everything,” Tønseth told Adresseavisen.

One person who did run was Tønseth’s former national teammate Hans Christer Holund. The former world champion was by far the best skier in a star-studded field.

Still Aiming for the Record—and the Olympics

Tønseth now hints he hopes to make another attempt at breaking the nearly 60-year-old record, possibly as early as this fall.

If so, it would be part of his preparation for the 2026 Olympic season—but with a private training setup. There’s little indication that the 33-year-old from Trøndelag, who turns 34 in May, will be offered a spot on the national team next season.

Tønseth says he hasn’t heard anything from the national team leadership yet, but he acknowledges there may be others with stronger claims. Regardless, he has no plans to retire.

“I’m keen for at least one more year,” says Tønseth.

A Thin Season

Tønseth doesn’t have many achievements to show for this past winter. The 33-year-old competed in just three World Cup races, with a third place in the 20 km in Engadin in January as his best result. In Lillehammer in December, he placed 12th and 31st.

He also has two third-place finishes in the Scandinavian Cup and a seventh-place finish from the Norwegian Championships (NM) at Gåsbu in January.

At the second round of the NM last weekend, Tønseth was in dire need of top individual results to retain his place. He did win gold in the team sprint with Klæbo, just like last year. But in the 10 km, he finished 18th, and he chose to skip the 50 km race.

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