Systematic, targeted, and analytical: There’s little about Harald Østberg Amundsen that is left to chance. The 25-year-old from Asker, Norway, exudes a professional thoroughness that belies his chronological age.

What have you done to make the leap from being a good international skier to being the best throughout a full season?

“That’s a good question, and I’m not sure if I have a definitive answer to it. But I think it’s the small things overall that have led to significant improvements in techniques and disciplines I wasn’t as good at before,” says Amundsen to Langrenn.com, adding:

“When I joined the national team, I was good at skating and individual start skating, but this year, I suddenly have podium finishes in both classic and skate sprints and World Cup victories in both skate and classic distance races, so I’ve taken big steps forward.”

More broadly, Amundsen believes it has a lot to do with experience: enduring the pressure of expectations weekend after weekend, as well as handling everything around traveling and waiting, changes in plans and routines, and still being able to maintain focus.

“That’s perhaps what distinguishes a national team athlete who competes in World Cup races almost every weekend from one who doesn’t. You must learn to withstand that pressure,” he says.

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Do you use any techniques to maintain focus when things build up in your head?

 “I start by not expending energy on things I can’t control. I can’t do anything about Klæbo skiing fast. Or if the trip is delayed and I can’t train as planned. You must endure waiting in line, handle changes in the schedule, and dare to skip some training sessions. Those kinds of things.”

Harald Østberg Amundsen trains a lot, mentally, too. Specifically with one of Norway’s most well-known and respected mental trainers, Erik Bertrand Larsen. The two have worked together for several years.

“I’m conscious of being well-prepared. I believe in it and see that it works,” says Amundsen.

How he and Larsen work depends on the time of year, general tasks, and specific situations and issues.

“This fall, we worked a lot on pushing boundaries. I even jumped with a parachute. It was a lot of fun. Now, towards the end of the season, we’ve talked a lot about how to really manage the energy for the last ski races even when you’re tired and maintain the lead so I could win the overall World Cup,” says Amundsen.

“Sometimes it’s important to put things in perspective and think, ‘in a month, I’ll be done,’ and that I’ll be so proud of myself if I give it my all this month. I should prepare just as well for ski races at the end of March as I would for the season opener at Beitostølen.”

“I think it’s important to challenge yourself to keep your mind clear and be a bit tough on yourself at times. It will pay off in the form of good performances.”

Fun facts: Erik Bertrand Larsen was a former paratrooper. He has also worked with Petter Northug and the Norwegian cross-country skiing team during the World Championships in Oslo in 2011.

Must Dare to Suffer for a While

Regarding the mental aspect of individual races, Amundsen is keen on outlining a plan for the race beforehand.

“The day before a race, I make sure to set aside a few minutes to go through the race in my head, think about how I’m going to pace myself and how I’m going to tackle different parts of the course,” he says.

Amundsen further explains that for him, there’s a big difference between sprint and distance races, especially on a mental level.

“During the race, it’s about starting with your head screwed on. In distance races, it can mean I must “turn on” and push myself, be aggressive, and dare to suffer for a while. Before sprint races, it’s often that I must calm down.”

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Not the Most Hours

Amundsen suggests that he trains for 860 to 900 hours yearly. Few would raise their eyebrows at that.

“There are many who train more than me, and I think few aspiring skiers in Norway train too little. We have a tough and good training culture. But that’s it. I try to see how to improve the quality of the training I put in and train better than those I compete against. That’s part of the key for me,” says Amundsen, and continues:

“I’m constantly seeking out more developmental sessions, and I’ve dared to challenge myself without throwing away the setup that worked before. I’ve been good at finding the balance between gradually increasing the volume, listening to the body, and resting when I feel I need it.”

So, what does it take now to beat Klæbo?

“(Laughs). The short answer is that I have to get better,” says Amundsen, pausing to think momentarily.

“I’ve made big steps this season, and it’s important to be satisfied when you’ve taken big steps. But then I also have to figure out how to build on that. Seeing that I’ve made a big leap this winter is inspiring. It also makes me believe that I can take another big step next winter. And then I’ll eventually get closer.”

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What do you consider your most important strengths, specifically against Klæbo?

“Right now, I may be slightly better than him in distance races in skating with individual starts. But apart from that, he beats me in most things when he’s in form. But I think I have more to gain from training volume and can extract more there. Additionally, Klæbo is extremely good at technique, and there’s still more for me to learn there. So, I think I must continue addressing things I’m not good enough at. There’s still room for improvement. The same goes for explosiveness and sprinting: I’ve made big strides, but there’s still much to work on,” says Harald Østberg Amundsen to Langrenn.com.

How important will it be to have Klæbo back on the national team?

“I really hope for that. I hope we can become a cohesive team and that we can have all the best athletes on the national team heading into the World Championships in Trondheim. I think that could be good for the team. He’s the biggest star, and of course, I want him on the team and to compete against him.”