Few athletes have had to fight as long for an Olympic chance. Now that he’s finally there, his entire village is backing him and following every step. But he could just as easily have become a cyclist. At the age of 16, he was crowned Norwegian champion on the bike.

The 29-year-old Norwegian, Mattis Stenshagen, has endured grueling training sessions to reach his lifelong dream. Hours spent training alone in the dark on Christmas Eve, while others sat dressed up for the holiday dinner.

His path into the elite was far from straightforward. It was his victory in the Scandinavian Cup that finally earned him a World Cup opportunity.

And Stenshagen seized it with both hands.

First came two seventh places in the season opener in Ruka. Then fourth place in Trondheim and third in Davos, before the Norwegian finished second overall in the Tour de Ski after winning two stages.

Also Read: Olympics 2026: Complete guide to the men’s 20km skiathlon

The village rallies behind him

Mattis Stenshagen comes from Gausdal and Follebu, where he has skied mile after mile since his youth. Now he is Olympic-bound, and his home village has gone wild.

“He has fought tooth and nail to make it through the famous needle’s eye. This winter, he has proven that patience pays off. We are incredibly proud of the ‘Follebuekspressen’,” Kristian Nordlunde tells gd.no.

Nordlunde has known Stenshagen since he was a young boy and has served both as coach and ski technician for the Olympic-bound skier.

“The 1996 generation was brutally competitive. Mattis had already had to battle Klæbo, Valnes, and Jan Thomas Jenssen as a junior. But even back then, he showed us that he was tough and talented across several sports,” Nordlunde says.

Now the entire village is lining up behind him and will follow their local hero with hawk-like focus through every meter he skis at the Olympics.

“Few people understand the hard priorities required to compete at this level. Mattis has experienced ups and downs but has never given up. He has chased his boyhood dream with hard work, discipline, and dedication. Fighting for this long requires both physical and mental strength. Very few can break him now,” Nordlunde adds.

It’s not every day that Gausdal sends an athlete to the Olympics, and more than 40 locals have traveled to Val di Fiemme to support their hero, Mattis Stenshagen of Follebu Ski Club.

Could have become a cyclist

Gausdal also has another elite athlete to boast about. Cyclist Edvald Boasson Hagen has come close to winning a World Championship title and has stage wins in the Tour de France.

But it could just as well have been Mattis Stenshagen racing in the Tour de France.

At 16, Stenshagen became Norwegian champion in cycling — beating none other than Boasson Hagen in the sprint.

“I almost had a bigger talent for cycling than for cross-country skiing. I wasn’t just decent, I was actually a good cyclist when I was younger,” Stenshagen tells TV 2.

When he won the national title at 16, cycling was mainly a means of training to become a better skier.

“Looking back now, I could just as easily have chosen cycling back then. It wasn’t really a consideration at the time, which is a bit strange. It probably should have been, but cross-country skiing was the priority,” he says.

He doesn’t hide the fact that he could have become a strong cyclist, and he still occasionally regrets not pursuing it further. But now, he has reached his goal on the tracks.

After a road that has been longer and tougher than most.

Cross-country skiing schedule – Olympics 2026

Saturday, February 7: 20km Skiathlon C/F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 13:00 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Women

Sunday, February 8: 20km Skiathlon C/F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:30 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Men

Tuesday, February 10: Sprint C Women and Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 9:15 CET: Sprint Quali C, Women
• 9:15 CET: Sprint Quali C, Men
• 11:45 CET: Sprint Final C, Women
• 11:45 CET: Sprint Final C, Men

Thursday, February 12: 10km Interval Start F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 13:00 CET: 10km Interval F, Women

Friday, February 13: 10km Interval Start F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 11:45 CET: 10km Interval F, Men

Saturday, February 14: 4×7.5km Relay C/F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:00 CET: 4×7.5km Relay C/F, Women

Sunday, February 15: 4×7.5km Relay C/F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:00 CET: 4×7.5km Relay C/F, Men

Wednesday, February 18: Team Sprint Women and Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 9:45 CET: Team Sprint F Quali, Women
• 9:45 CET: Team Sprint F Quali, Men
• 11:45 CET: Team Sprint F, Women
• 11:45 CET: Team Sprint F, Men

Saturday, February 21: 50km Mass Start C Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 11:00 CET: 50km Mass Start C, Men

Sunday, February 22: 50km Mass Start C Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 10:00 CET: 50km Mass Start C, Women

Complete program for the Winter Olympic Games can be found HERE

Val di Fiemme, a classic Nordic skiing venue, promises thrilling racing on courses steeped in Olympic history. Fans around the World will have the chance to cheer on athletes across all distances, from explosive sprints to grueling marathons.

Are you interested in traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.