Back on the Norwegian national team after three years away. But following his season debut at Toppidrettsveka, Emil Iversen was told he doesn’t belong there. “I received quite a bit of criticism, yes.”

The 35-year-old, who won gold and bronze at the Winter Olympics, is back on the Norwegian national team after three seasons of private training. However, he is already receiving messages suggesting he doesn’t belong there.

Iversen was far from the podium during Toppidrettsveka, his first competitions since the World Cup finals in March. He heard the criticism loud and clear.

“I received quite a bit of criticism, yes.”

Also Read: Norwegian cross-country skiing teams for season 2026/2027

Shouldn’t be on the national team

“I received several messages from people who believe I shouldn’t be on the national team, but I feel it’s a bit early to conclude that the train has left,” Iversen told Trønder-Avisa.

In the long race at Hitra on Friday night, Iversen fell behind after six of the 53 kilometers. He finished in 54th place, ten minutes behind the winner. In the final at Sverresborg on Sunday, he placed 19th, over 20 seconds behind the winner.

However, Iversen is not worried about the weekend’s results. He admits that the long race was boring, but states that he is in good shape and where he wants to be at this time of year.

One of the greatest comebacks

In less than a year, the 35-year-old from Meråker went from being dropped, written off, and sidelined to becoming an Olympic champion.

At the Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Iversen won gold in the relay and bronze in the 50km. He stood on the podium in the World Cup four times and finished in the top 10 six additional times.

After his stellar season, Emil Iversen was uncertain about continuing his training, but ultimately agreed to join the Norwegian national team in April. Now, the World Championships in Falun are the main goal for the 2026/2027 season.

Focused approach: “It’s about not messing up”

Before last season, Iversen made several changes to his training regimen. He traveled to altitude for the first time in years, and for the first time with Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. Throughout the fall, he primarily followed the ski king’s training plan right up to the season start.

Now, Iversen says the plan is to continue much of last year’s approach.

“It’s about building stone by stone, as well as making good assessments and choices over time. Trond Nystad (Iversen’s coach) puts it well: It’s mostly about not messing up by trying new things, so that’s what I’m focusing on now,” says Iversen.

On Tuesday, Emil Iversen traveled to a training camp in the USA with Johannes Høsflot Klæbo.

The duo will spend four weeks in Park City, Utah, where Klæbo has been every fall for several years. This will be the first of several altitude camps they will undertake together leading up to the season opener in Beitostølen in November.

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