Norwegian national team coach Marit Bjørgen delivers a discouraging message ahead of the Olympic season.

Last year, Marit Bjørgen joined the Norwegian women’s national team as head coach. Now, the 45-year-old warns of a tough season for Norway, where the 2026 Olympics in Milano Cortina is the main highlight.

After Therese Johaug announced her retirement, Heidi Weng is Norway’s biggest gold contender for the 2026 Olympics. But behind the 33-year-old, who has nearly 15 years of experience on the national team, there are few athletes of similar caliber.

Also Read – Johaug confirms: No Olympic comeback for Milano Cortina 2026

Bjørgen: “It will take time”

With Therese Johaug no longer on the Norwegian team, national team coach Marit Bjørgen fears the Norwegian women’s team may face an unstable winter.

“It will come in waves. That’s how it was when I was on the team, after Bente Skari retired. It takes time to build a new team before new talents emerge,” Bjørgen told NRK.

At the same time, she doesn’t view the future as bleak, even though the superstar has now retired.

“We have a lot of knowledge about what it takes to be the best, and we have great depth. I’m not afraid for the future. We just need to be patient and develop the athletes we have,” she says.

Marit Bjørgen is the most successful winter sports athlete of all time, with eight Olympic gold medals and 18 World Championship golds before retiring in 2018.

Also Read: Marit Bjørgen’s main training

Sounding the Alarm

Bjørgen is supported by several experts. Veteran commentator Ernst Lersveen is raising the alarm.

“There is a crisis in Norwegian women’s cross-country skiing, but Johaug has overshadowed it. Without Johaug, we don’t have anyone winning the 10, 20, or 50 kilometers. Astrid (Øyre Slind) is an outsider, but she is not a gold favorite,” Lersveen told VG.

Read More: Norwegian women’s national team set for the 2025/2026 season

Could be Wrong

The same thing happened the last time Therese Johaug retired. That was after the 2022 Olympic season. Before the 2022/2023 World Championship season, the Norwegian women were expected to stand no chance. But the season went far beyond expectations.

At the 2023 World Championships in Planica, Norway won gold in the relay (Tiril Udnes Weng, Astrid Øyre Slind, Ingvild Flugstad Østberg, and Anne Kjersti Kalvå), silver in the 30km (Anne Kjersti Kalvå) and team sprint (Anne Kjersti Kalvå/Tiril Udnes Weng), and bronze in the skiathlon (Astrid Øyre Slind). And Tiril Udnes Weng won the overall World Cup and finished third in the Tour de Ski.

Over the past two seasons, Tiril Udnes Weng has barely competed. Now, the 28-year-old is on her way back to the top but realizes she still has a way to go before returning to her previous level.

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