Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, who is not on the Norwegian national team this year, has been training in the USA since the end of August and will remain there for a few more days. 

The purpose of the stay in Utah is to get a good time at altitude, which is an important part of Klæbo’s altitude training plan. 

“Training is going well, and my hamstrings are significantly better than they were at the same time last year. We’ve been here in Utah since August 23 and leave again on September 20. I’ve had a lot of good sessions up here at altitude. It looks good regarding where we should be with our training now,” says Klæbo to VG.

Read More – The Norwegian national team coach about altitude training camps: “It’s nonsense to send them to altitude.” 

For most sessions, he trains alone, but Klæbo has trained a few sessions with the Canadian national team skiers and taken the time to train with local children and young people. He did the same when he was there last year, but this year, there were twice as many participants at the camp. 

He has also been joined by Swedish cross-country ski star Maja Dahlqvist and her partner Kevin Bolger, who was part of the US national team until this spring. Like Klæbo, Bolger now focuses on his private life outside the national team. And Klæbo is happy to take the opportunity to match up against both. 

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Unique training conditions

In addition to the fact that Park City is located more than 2,100 meters above sea level, making it perfect for a stay at altitude, Klæbo says there are excellent training opportunities for typical cross-country skiing sessions and strength sessions. 

The 26-year-old has also reached an agreement with the US national team that allows him to use their training facility in Park City, as he did last year, even though he is no longer part of the Norwegian national team.

“It’s been good with some interval sessions on roller skis at Soldier Hollow and up over Guardsman Pass. I’ve also been able to use the US Ski Team’s training facilities here in Park City, which has worked really well. This means I can do the strength training that was planned. I’m not going to complain,” says Klæbo.

In Norway, Klæbo can no longer train at Olympiatoppen and cannot use the resources there. Klæbo’s grandfather, Kåre Høsflot, is his head coach, but without access to Olympiatoppen, the World Champion must now arrange everything from physiotherapy and a medical team to testing and training facilities.

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Still without a deal

Klæbo has not yet reached an agreement with the Norwegian national team. The parties have been negotiating since the national teams were presented at the end of April. 

According to VG, Klæbo has still not agreed with the Norwegian Ski Association on a contract for the competition season that starts in a few months. 

A contract with the national team is a prerequisite for Klæbo to be selected for World Cup races. In principle, athletes cannot compete in the World Cup if they have declined a place on the national team.

But even if he does not reach an agreement with the Norwegian Ski Association before the start of the season in November, Klæbo is confident that he will still be able to compete in international ski races this winter.  

Also Read: Klæbo reveals an alternative plan